Colonel Sanders, Still Trending at 125 Years Old

LOUISVILLE, Ky., Sept. 9, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, 125 years ago, a feisty southern gentleman who would go on to create the world's greatest, finger lickin' fried chicken was born in Henryville, Indiana.  Colonel Sanders became one of the world's most recognizable men, with his trademarks, the white suit, black ribbon tie, and Van Dyke beard—a walking advertisement for innovation, hard work and entrepreneurial spirit. And, of course, fried chicken.

"The Colonel understood bling and showmanship before they became vogue," says KFC US Chief Marketing Officer, Kevin Hochman. "Everyone is familiar with his white suit and Kentucky string tie.  But he had other accessories including over 200 custom canes, a colonel-trimmed white limousine and a real golden spoon he would carry around to taste gravy in restaurants.  And if he didn't like the gravy, he'd throw it on the floor!"

In honor of their legendary founder's 125^th birthday, KFC wanted to share "10 Things You May Not Have Known About Colonel Sanders:"

10 Things You May Not Have Known About Colonel Sanders

1. The Colonel was so impressed by a local children's mandolin band that he purchased mandolins and matching uniforms for everyone and dubbed them the "Colonel's Mandolin Band;" he even helped them produce a record. You may remember seeing a re-creation of this band in the recent Kentucky Fried Chicken ads.
2. The Colonel traveled an average of 250,000 miles each year visiting KFC locations worldwide to sell his fried chicken.  During the 70's the 2 most recognizable men in the world were both from Louisville, Muhammad Ali and Colonel Sanders.
3. There are 4,000 statues of the Colonel at KFC stores in Japan, which are dressed up in seasonal and cultural costumes throughout the year. Urban legend has it that the Japanese baseball team the Hanshin Tigers suffered an 18-year losing streak after fans ceremoniously threw a Colonel Sanders statue in the Dotonbori River in 1985. It is known among locals as the "Curse of the Colonel."
4. Although the Colonel was the most famous chicken salesman in the world, he was not responsible for creating the name Kentucky Fried Chicken, the bucket, or the iconic Finger Lickin' Good ® tagline.  All were created with the help of the first franchisee, Pete Harman.
5. The comic book KFC recently published for the 2015 San Diego Comic Con was not the first comic produced featuring Colonel Sanders. A 1960s comic featured the story of an imposter trying to impersonate the real Colonel. Over the decades, many actors (some famous and some not so famous) have played the iconic Colonel.
6. A fried chicken visionary in his own right, the Colonel's Original Recipe® chicken is fried in a pressure cooker to retain its distinct flavor and juiciness. The pressure-cooking process for frying chicken was invented and patented by the Colonel more than 75 years ago and is still used today at KFCs worldwide.
7. Colonel Sanders has his very own Norman Rockwell portrait, however it almost didn't happen. Rockwell stipulated that he would only paint the Colonel if he didn't wear his glasses. After a colorful exchange, the Colonel relented and agreed to pose without his trademark spectacles and Rockwell began work on the portrait in the summer of 1973. This painting is one of the only known pictures to feature the Colonel without his glasses.
8. The Colonel held an eclectic range of professions throughout his life before cashing in his social security check at age 65 to become the world's greatest fried chicken entrepreneur. Prior to his fried chicken fame, the Colonel spent time as a locomotive fireman, a lighting salesman, an amateur obstetrician, and a ferry boat operator, among many other things.
9. Not someone to turn his back on a friend, the Colonel once shot a man while protecting his employee at Sanders Superior Gas Station, which he owned and operated. He was never charged with a crime though, as it was done out of self-defense. The gunfight dramatization can be seen at colonelsanders.com.
10. When the Colonel built the KFC headquarters in Louisville, KY, he made sure it boasted a replica facade of the White House in Washington, DC. His office, which was re-created and featured in the May 2015 campaign ads, was equipped with a big sturdy safe to house his top-secret recipe of 11 herbs and spices. The Colonel's White House is still home to both the KFC US Headquarters and the secret recipe, with his office having been converted into a free museum chronicling his life.

"His story is as amazing as his chicken.  The Colonel lived the American Dream so we all could eat the American Dream." says Hochman, "And now four can eat that American Dream for just $5 each with our new $20 Family Fill Up™ Meal."

About KFC
KFC Corporation, based in Louisville, Ky., is the world's most popular chicken restaurant chain. KFC specializes in Original Recipe®, Extra Crispy™, Kentucky Grilled Chicken® and Extra Crispy™ Strips, Hot Wings™, Go Cups, Famous Bowls™, Pot Pies, freshly made chicken sandwiches, biscuits and home-style side items. There are more than 19,400 KFC outlets in 120 countries and territories around the world. KFC Corporation is a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc., Louisville, Ky. (NYSE: YUM.) For more information, visit www.kfc.com. Follow KFC on Facebook (www.facebook.com/KFC) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/kfc).

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