Lynn Hauldren: Empire Carpet Spokesman and War Hero

Lynn Hauldren: Empire Carpet Spokesman and War Hero

From one of the most fun sites I've seen in quite a while, Lisa's Web World:

Lots of visitors to Lisa's Web World want to learn more about the man we all know as the "Empire Carpet Guy." He is Lynn Hauldren, and he has been portraying the "man in blue" for over 30 years.

Empire Carpet opened in Chicago in the late 1950's. Contrary to popular belief, Hauldren is not an Empire employee, but an advertising copywriter. In 1973, he created a "spokesman" character for the company, and legend has it that when the original actor didn't show up, Hauldren stepped in to take his place. In the late 1990's, Empire Carpet began its expansion to other cities, and our beloved Empire Carpet Guy became an advertising icon all over the country. The jingle that we all know and love ("588-2300....Empire!") has also become well known all over the U.S.

Mr. Hauldren is a World War II veteran, and has also appeared in some award-winning barbershop quartets. I had the pleasure of meeting him in 1985 when we sang in the same barbershop show. His most famous quartets were Chicago Natural Gas and Chordiac Arrest.

Lisa's a Jack Benny Fan! I think I'm in love . . . . ;-)

And here's an excerpt of the war hero story from cbs2chicago.com:

Hauldren looks familiar to many who would recognize him as the longtime pitchman for a local carpet company, but many don’t know that as a 23-year-old radio operator he volunteered to answer the call to deliver supplies to Chinese port cities starving from a Japanese naval blockade.

To get there, 100 truckloads drove over 1,500 miles down dusty trails from India down the Burma Road to China. “Y’know you're driving along that road and you got one eye on the road and one eye on the sky because the zeros were up there,” Hauldren said. “We got hit a couple of times.”

Comments

[Therese Z]

You mean Empire ISN'T just ours? That the Empire Guy isn't our private Chicagoland commercial? Another illusion crushed...

Poor insular me. When I was little, I used to think Erma Bombeck was a Chicagoan, too. I was downcast when I finally learned she was from Ohio.

I met Lynn at a barbershop convention years ago (the males in my family sang barbershop). He was very patient, in the middle of performing, to be treated as a carpet salesman.

It just occurred to me that another Chicago fixture, Lynn Burton, the "Singing Ford Man," was another male Lynn. How many could there be and why do they gravitate towards advertising?

[Tom McMahon]

I think the male Lynn is a generational thing, like a male Carol.

If you're a Chicagoan, you'll love Lisa's Web World

[Ed Calhoun]

It was too bad to hear that Lynn Hauldren just passed away. He will forever be remembered as one of Chicago's greats.

[bob dunn]

Lynn Hauldren will be missed by all of us. What a wonderful,tranquil man.

to you dear Mr. Hauldren;

In silent moments all alone
Where night just edges dawn
We'll dream of things that used to be
of moments that are gone

Bob Dunn
bobdunn2@verizon.net
The poem above is the first stanza of the 'Edge Of Dawn'

[Tom McMahon]

Hold on, hold on! I was able to find Lynn Hauldren's address and he just sent me this note:

Hi Tom -

And thanks for the kind words.

Rumors of my death are greatly exaggerated, to coin a cliché. I plan on making it to 106, proudly wearing my Empire shirt.

Lynn

So relax, everybody, and call them up and order some carpet!

[latina]

so the empire carpet pitchman is not dead, that's good 2 hear because i thought he was. i'm from chicago and i grew up listening 2 that jingle (588-2300 empire) so it surprised me that when i moved 2 ga that i was still able 2 c the empire carpet pitchman.

[Charlie]

I grew up in Texas hearing the jingle commercial too. His current barbershop quartet, Medium Rare, just competed at the Barbershop Harmony Society's Mid-Winter Convention in Sacramento this past week and placed 15th out of the 26 that competed.

[james hauldren]

This news of death freaked me out this morning. I had the pleasure of meeting Lynn in California in 2003'. I am related to Lynn, as he is my late Grandfather Ghery Hauldrens' Nephew. Please forward this to Lynn and ask him to contact me by email.

[Elizabeth]

He is still in the commercials we see today, I believe the last commercial was a christmas commercial and at the very end he is sitting in the chair closest to the camera. Lynn is great!! And the voiceovers are always quite different.I pay very close attention to those commercials everytime I see them.

[mark]

now this 2007/11 is this carpet guy dead or alive the commericals have run a cartoon version for a couple of years and the voice is different, the empire people say hes alive

[gretchen]

If he's alive, i am soooo happy b/c I see the Empire commercials and it surely do bring back memories. He remind me of my dad. I love this guy very much and hope that he do live til he 106, but why do they show him in cartoons instead of the real mccoy?

Oh Yeah, five eight eight two three hundred, Empire.................

[M]

He's definitely alive and still singing with his barbershop quartet, I just spoke with him recently during the BBS competitions. He's a warm, wonderful person and is much better looking than the cartoons.

[M]

He's definitely alive and still singing with his barbershop quartet, I just spoke with him recently during the BBS competitions. He's a warm, wonderful person and is much better looking than the cartoons.

[Michael W]

Sigh....I'm 41 now and live in Florida. I still remember the Empire commercials when I was a little kid in Chicago. It is nice to hear his familiar voice and that catchy jingle over the years. Lynn Hauldren, Larry Lujack, Harry Caray, and I never knew who the voice was of WGN channel 9, will always be childhood memories of home.

[Phoenix]

Oh...well, I just came to look up some information on the man. I told my boyfriend that he sounds like an older version of Elroy from the Jetsons! I came to see if he was lol

[cheap chanel]

"For in all adversity of fortune the worst sort of misery is to have been happy."

------A.M S. Boethius, Ancient Roman statesman

[chanel watches]

Rumors of my death are greatly exaggerated, to coin a cliché. I plan on making it to 106, proudly wearing my Empire shirt.

Lynn

[V.E.G.]

Go with God, Elmer Lynn Hauldren!