Former
cosmetologist turned
commercial actress, Clara
Peller became a national
sensation in
1984, when she
was featured in a campaign for the
Wendy's restaraunt
chain.
Accompanied by two other elderly women, Peller became famous
uttering three words in a loud voice: Where's the beef?. Peller was in her 80's at the time of the commercial and so
deaf that a member of the crew had to sit out of camera
shot and pull her skirt to cue her to say her line.
Peller starred in a number of ads for Wendy's, earning $500,000 dollars. She was dropped by the company by the
end of the year for appearing in a Prego Spaghetti Sauce commercial, claiming to have found the beef.
Peller appeared in two movies of dubious value, Moving Violations and The Stuff. She died in 1987.
Some data acquired from www.usatoday.com/money/index/ad249.htm