I am an actor who 'starred' in an M&M's commercial which ran on Halloween for over twenty years. It's considered a classic commercial. I guess I co-starred cause the M&M's were the real stars. And JK Simmons and Billy West got waaaaay more...

Was it weird to give M&M's to M&M's? Isn't that cannibalism?

I HAVE LOST ENOUGH SLEEP OVER THIS!!!!!!!!

Face it, you participated in an atrocity.

Hmm. I actually did consider diabetes and obesity. Then I considered that M&M's are a snack you can have very few of. If you are watching calories and have will power a few M&M's can be great throughout the day/ if you can control yourself. That's a big deal. I've made a small bag of peanut m&M's last like two days when I have to. edit: Oh wait...are you speaking about the cannibalism?? Yes. Guilty. But you don't know if they ate them....or worse.

If you ran into the actor who played Santa in the "They do exist!" commercial (first aired in '96, still being run seasonally, I think) would you feel a sense of brotherhood or competition?

I absolutely would. And jealousy cause his ran last year. I'm hoping they bring mine back. It's replacement isn't very good.

Admit it, you're hoping they shoot a new updated ad with you in it ;)

Yes. I admit I want something wonderful to happen to me!!! Actually I'd be thrilled if they just start running it again. it still sells candy.

Did they at least give you M&Ms?

There are always M&M's on every set. LOL. And that's just because they are SO DELICIOUS!! They really are. But all sets have craft service and M&M's are standard. Edit: they paid me enough each year that that was all I gave out for Halloween. So I guess they kept me in M&M's for 20 years but just cause i bought them with the money they gave me each year. LOL. They stopped running the ad two years ago but i still give then out. The new ad isn't very good but i really can't complain.

How much are you being paid for this AMA

$1.38

Worth of M&Ms?

Rolos

Damn they really done did you like that

They are ruthless.

baby ruths

Do you not understand what LESS MEANS! Rolos are NOT Baby Ruths and people would still have their careers!!!! And by people I mean McDonalds.

Rolo Tony brown town. Check yourself, gimme some more of those ROLOs

-best jingle ever, maybe

There are lots of chewy Rolos in a roll for you. If you're choosey bout what you chew. With real milk chocolate and caramel too to chew chew chew.....https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlXA4tS9pl8

Pfff, I'm getting paid $3.50 just for replying to you

Reply as many times as you can!!!! Anything i can do to help??

This is such great selflessness!

It adds up!!

Ahh man. My great uncle was one of the inventors of M&M's. Bruce Murrie related on the Hershey's side. One time when I was younger my family and I went to M&M world in Vegas and we had proof we were related and they wouldn't even give us a free pack :(. Kid me was really bummed out but we still bought some M&M's

That's funny. When the ad was running I was tempted to go into one of those stores with my hair up like in the commercial and see if anyone recognized me. I never did mainly because that hair takes a lot of work to get right. And the product I used is called Dax and it's really hard to get out. LOL.

Good ol dax wax, the skaters choice

Oh man. You know what gets it out if you have to in a hurry??? Peanut butter. Then shampoo on the peanut butter. I used it in a movie called Beethoven's 3rd (yeah the dog) and i figured out that was how to get it out on the weekends when I wasn't shooting. You can't get that look with anything else unfortunately. And yeah. It's that's old skater punk look.

And that's just because they are SO DELICIOUS!! They really are.

Still on the job. What a pro.

Thank you!! 100%. But I do have integrity. After 20 years if I didn't still like them i would just stop talking about them. So it's easy to be a company man when the company makes the MOST delicious candy In The WORLD!! (see how I did that. I actually like other candy better)

https://media3.giphy.com/media/l0HlR8p1q3JS06EaA/source.gif

Ye GADS, you HAD me!!!!!

It's what I do.

Out of all sets you've been on which one had the best food? I wanna make a tier list haha

Hmm. It's really about the director. For commercials the best food was on Joe Pytka shoots.

All said and done, roughly how much did you make from that commercial? More so just curious how much people make from stuff like that

Low six figures maybe?? I realize i hit the jackpot for one days work.

Wow, that's years and years of full-time work for most people! For one day of work?

I auditioned for years and year. So i justify it that way. And some people are born with a trust that gives them that every month. I honestly did feel a little guilty but I never protested too much. Acting can be very lucrative if you are successful. Don't hate me. i took a big risk.

It's not just that: your ad generated tens of millions of dollars of income for the Mars company, and the people who made that ad deserve a part of that! It's not just "earned salary," but a percentage of the income you generated for someone else, like a royalty! So you should NEVER feel guilty!

Thanks. I'd like to think i contributed something to the ad running for so long. As an actor my focus was just on getting back to my party so that's what I was playing and sort of ignoring/blowing off the hero m&M's. And I did it for real so it sort of was funny. LOL. That's what you do as an actor. I had to really be rude to those little dolls like they were kids trying to crash my party. For REAL. I had to put myself in that situation. It's fun to be rude sometimes so I went there.

The laugh sounds genuine. To me thats what brings the whole thing together. I can picture you going right back to the party and never thinking about those m&m's again.

Wow. Thank you. I appreciate that compliment a lot. I do enjoy being smarmy when the occasion arises. That's what's fun about acting. I could be as smarmy and obnoxious as i wanted and no one would get mad. Also I have to give credit to the background people/extras. We really did create a fun party atmosphere just joking, so I really did want to shut the door, end the take and kid around with them more. So I had real motivation to shut the door and end the take. if you understand. You use what you have. And Rob Pritts the director is super easy going so there was no big ego at the top which makes it relaxed. Guess it all came together that night which may be why it ran so long.

A true method actor.

I actually am a member of The Actors Studio. But I was trained by Uta Hagen and Herbert Berghof who taught you to always have an action. What you are doing. So what I was 'doing' was dealing with pesky kids at my door and getting back to my party as quickly as possible. It worked! LOL.

This is a good point that not a lot of people realize. I'm an assistant director and a lot of people think working actors are overpaid. But you have to think about the fact that a working actor can attend hundreds of UNPAID auditions in a year and maybe book 1-2 spots. SAG is greedy, but they have to make sure that actors can actually pay bills despite vastly limited opportunities.

you really do have to look at all the time you put into it. And luck is a big factor. I got lucky and this one gig helped make the whole career work so far. And i am very grateful.

This is what a lot of people don’t understand about the industry. Actors need higher pay rates because it could be their only job for 6 months to a year! Something needs to hold them over until their next job.

Exactly. And so many don't make it it's sad.

Low for a 20 year commercial tbh.

I appreciate your expertise and honesty.

It's been twenty years since that ad first aired!? Holy ficking shut!

Yup. And I still look hip!! It was the hair!!

How long did it take to shoot the commercial? Did you ad lib anything? Are you close enough to the yellow M & M to get me an autograph?

It took all night. It was a night shoot so we start at like 5pm then wrap at dawn. I was very close but it was just a dummy. Otherwise I wouldn't have been able to perform from nerves.

How much of that time was you and how much of it was filming things like exterior and setup shots? How many takes did you have to do?

Any behind the scenes footage/photos?

It was just all in the door. We did one from behind me of the green screen and my legs in the doorway. Then is twas just the shots you see. From the front. I really forget how many takes. Alot That's the job. You have to be able to do it all night. It's fun though. I have no idea if there is any outakes. The director was Rob Pritts and he's a nice guy maybe he knows. it was a looooong time ago.

Green screen?? You mean there wasn’t an actual party going on?

There were a bunch of extras. The green screen was when they shot the doorway so they could put the animation in. it was the reverse of my shot. The one they are in. But i was there for that giving them the lines for some reason.

If a real life sentient candy came up and started talking to me, I would be nervous to, you did good.

I took some effort.

Ever get recognized on the street or otherwise randomly?

Not once ever.LOL. I guess that's probably good. edit: Where I did get recognized which was helpful was in other auditions. When I would go into the the room to audition the producers and director would sort of nod at me like they recognized me...which I guess they did. It did help me get more jobs.

Are you paid initially for the shoot and then does the commercial airing pay residuals? How does it work? My cousin did a Ritz cracker Halloween commercial once so I am adjacently curious.

Yes. You get the day rate (Like $1500) then you get paid per use for 'class a uses' (Prime time). That's like $90 per time so you can make a lot. In the 70's people would buy houses from one commercial.

Loved this commercial. What was after this? Did things pick up?

I've made a living and never had a nine to five job so i really can't complain. But it's always a little scary when you don;'t have a job lined up. That's why that commercial as so good. For 20 years my rent was always paid.

That’s awesome dude. Glad you landed it and it took care of you. Appreciate the response.

I got super lucky and it did take care of me. Especially health insurance wise. Thanks.

That’s what life is about, man! You gotta have those rewards. Glad it went to a cool guy!!

Thanks

I’m curious, did you have an agent/manager negotiate royalties or was that automatically part of the deal?

The agent negotiates and gets their well earned 10%. They are sharks. Which is good. They aren't there for their health.

Why did they get rid of the tan m&m?

Because it was BORING!! edit: I'm not in their development department but I would guess or maybe I read that they have the brown one so they want the rest to just be colorful. More colors are better?? I guess.

I loved the tan ones. Red and blue feel weird.

The tan makes sense with the flavor. I'm not into fruit flavored chocolate either.

Seriously, blue is so much better.

No contest.

mildly interesting factoid... brown isn't it's own colour, it's just dark orange!

Very mildly. LOL. Not sure what to make of that factoid but i will file it away.

Did you get to meet Billy West? If so, was he as fucking cool as I think he is?

No. I worked with plastic dolls that were like 2 feet high. And a script supervisor read their lines.

Damn. That's unfortunate.

I can't complain but thanks.

Have you done other acting?

I robbed a convenience store in this spot. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xV6_7otLBRE I've made a living acting my whole life so, yeah, I've done a bunch. But the M&M's was a godsend. it saw me through a lot of lean years. I just made a video with a bunch of friends on lockdown. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvZACe9_NKI&t=4s

That commercial was great. I'd never seen it. I assume it's not a regular on-air commercial considering it runs 2 minutes long and has cussing.

It was an internet ad for the superbowl.

Wow the creepy guy in the commercial is also the creepy guy in parks and rec. guess he was typecast

He's a famous stand up comic.

Wow that Bud Light commercial is fantastic but really risqué for public television.

It was internet only!

You had the gun? Did you at least steal his porn?

A magazine?? What is it 1962?? LOL

That's pretty neat!

Did you develop a crippling addiction to m&ms because of this?

Ha!! No. When i was a kid i lived in Sweden and there is a brand of chocolate called Marabou that is my only real chocolate addiction. They have them at Ikea. European chocolate is made with cocoa butter so it's smoother. Next time you are at Ikea try some. But i will always eat m&M's. I go for the peanut ones if I have an option just for the protein. I'm lucky I was in a commercial for a product i really like and am proud to sell. And i'm totally serious.

What's it like to be invited to a party?

I only throw parties. And everyone is already there...for 20 years!!!!

So...... you got to play bouncer at a cut-price Hotel California to Billy West and J.K Simmons?

Living it up! It was my Halloween party, not a hotel. I was more of a doorman than bouncer. I had people who would handle the rough stuff. I didn't want to mess up my hair.

Have you been approached to reprise your role in another commercial?

This is how I would do it:

A child dressed as an M&M approaches a quiet house on Halloween. He rings the doorbell and the Yellow M&M answers.

Yellow: Wow, what a great costume! Red, come here. You gotta see this.

Red (off screen): I’m coming, I’m coming. (Annoyed) What is it?

Red appears.

Red (begrudgingly): Well isn’t that flattering? ... Wait, don’t I know you?

Cut to the child’s parent, played by you.

Parent: Listen guys, I don’t want any trouble.

Red: No trouble for you, and no candy for you. (Red takes the candy out of the trick or treaters bag)

Parent: Really, guys? (Parent and kid walk away)

Red walks away from door back into house. Yellow waves at parent and child.

Red (off screen): Put your hand down.

You can't make a commercial where you deny a REAL trick or treating child candy on Halloween!!!!! Are you INSANE???? And also I GAVE them candy I just didn't let them in so we need some re-writes for sure. Let's think outside the box a little. I'm thinking a Benjamin Button type situation where I am shrunken and hungry and desperate and having to atone for past transgressions.

No but directors have used me more than once.

What is an acting role you would like to play?

I am working on a one man play about Truman Capote called Tru. Hope to do it in NYC when theater opens. I made this little webseries with friends and i would love to play this character of Rodney more if it can develop into a series. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvZACe9_NKI&t=4s

Have you ever tried smarties (the Canadian/ british smarties, not american ones)?

Also I would like to say I appreciate how you're taking the time to reply to practically every comment :).

There is a Swedish candy called Non-stop that is my favorite 'European m&M's". But if I'm in an airport somewhere (Heathrow for example) I LOVE buying foreign candy bars i don't know. LOVE Flake bars. Toffee Crisp. Sweden has a candy called Kex Chocolat which is my absolute favorite food on the planet.

Does this ad still pay you out 21 years later?

They stopped running it two years ago. Up till then...YES!!

How old were you when it first aired?

Early 20's

What was your favorite part when doing the commercial?

Obviously I liked doing my part when we were shooting. Shutting the door in people's faces is fun. But making the costume was also fun. They wanted to cover my chest with fake blood which is awful and sticky and would have been miserable to deal with for 10 hours so I recommended cutting out the red pool of blood from the knife package and attacking that to my chest (That's what it was). I knew that would be way easier to deal with than the sticky fake blood. And the client liked my idea because i mentioned that it is a food product and maybe we don't want a big bloody mess just a little cardboard cut out of some blood and they bought it. I was so happy.

I love it when people think my idea is great lol

It feels good!!

Did you get paid every year? the same amount?

Yes. It actually increased each year.

Hey, did you have traditional acting lessons and all that and go through auditions for this? or was it path through as a featured extra?

No I studies with a lady named Uta Hagen and her husband Herbert Berghof for three years before i started booking jobs.

Is this an M&M’s commercial? Should you be getting paid for this?

I'll do this free, after twenty years i owe them. LOL

Never caught this ad in New Zealand and the idea of one running for 20 years is pretty insane. What's that like to have such a constant reminder of your previous work aired?

Honestly. It was like a little ego trip each year. Friends call and text. I'm a celebrity to my friends for a week again. That's how it is with commercials. I used to get drunken calls from friends in bars telling me to talk to some stranger they met because they just saw me in a commercial. It can be a little silly. Now my friends don't get so drunk anymore. They are older. LOL.

which year was it? and... how was it like? i mean, the night you were on set and that. Looks amusing.

It was 2000.

What’s your favorite M&M commercial?

The one with the cowboys and the aliens when they are riding on the flying elephant thought the tunnel of confusion into the spinning vortex of helplessness and they are crushed by the falling piano. That one is my favorite!! They look so cute in it.

Peanuts are clearly the best M&Ms. Is there anything interesting that you learned from filming a candy commercial?

It's food. You are selling food. Don't get clever. Don't get too outside the box. People are eating what you are selling so we didn't go as gross as the production team wanted when the client saw it.

How does one get into voice acting? I have pretty good range; can hit the C# below my low E guitar string. I'm also very good at accents and impressions. My great nieces and nephews love them?

Are any of the courses offered online worth it? Any help would be appreciated.

No idea.

Did you get any free M&Ms?

M&M's never sent me a 'care package' of appreciation if that's what you mean. And I definitely would have loved that. LOL. A lifetime supply would have been great....for obesity. LOL. That's not how it works. I'm a hired professional, not a contest winner. I do my job and get paid. With what they pay me I can buy my own dang candy thank you!! LOL

Did you play Evil Ed in Fright Night?

Nope. I was Kyle in Brainscan!

How do you even go about auditioning for a comercial? What advice would you give to someone who wants to get in to your line of work?

Your agent send you to an audition. It's a long process of getting an agent and you have to live somewhere they make commercials like NYC or LA.

What led you to do this AMA?

Boredom and also I just spent like three months making this video with some professional actor friends and The Mc Rib Lady so it would be nice to get it some views. Also it's a Tuesday night and there isn't much else going on. This is the video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvZACe9_NKI&t=8s

I remember this commercial all through my childhood, that’s so awesome! I’m sorry if I missed you answering this in a previous comment but was this your first commercial? Or did you have others before it? I’m interested in getting into acting as a long time dream of mine just to say I actually tried it more than creating a career out of it.

No. I was an old pro by the time I did thin in my early twenties. LOL.

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You are asking the total wrong guy. Like 300%?