# RIP Wally 'Famous' Amos

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-wally-famous-amos/1005722>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Tags:** food-cooking, celebrity-death\
**Created:** [August 15, 2024, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-wally-famous-amos/1005722 "2024-08-15T02:35:18Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\
**Post date:** [August 15, 2024, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-wally-famous-amos/1005722/1 "2024-08-15T02:35:18Z")

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> **[Wally Amos, founder of Famous Amos cookies, dies at 88 | CNN Business](https://www.cnn.com/2024/08/14/business/wally-amos-founder-of-famous-amos-cookies-dies-at-88-reports-say/index.html)**
>
> Wally Amos, the charismatic founder of Famous Amos cookies, has died at age 88, according to a statement signed by his children.

Used to love his cookies when I lived in L.A.

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**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\
**Post date:** [August 15, 2024, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-wally-famous-amos/1005722/2 "2024-08-15T03:14:58Z")

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> [@Johnny\_L.A](#):
>
> Used to love his cookies when I lived in L.A.

Yeah, better than Mrs Fields. But the ones prepackaged- altho decent- are a pale imitation.

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**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\
**Post date:** [August 15, 2024, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-wally-famous-amos/1005722/3 "2024-08-15T03:35:15Z")

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Interesting guy - he actually sort of discovered Simon & Garfunkel before getting into the cookie business. As I recall, he was also involved in literacy advocacy. I wish there were more business people like him.

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**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\
**Post date:** [August 15, 2024, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-wally-famous-amos/1005722/4 "2024-08-15T03:36:28Z")

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> [@Llama\_Llogophile](#):
>
> As I recall, he was also involved in literacy advocacy.

He hosted a syndicated program for adult illiterates that aired on PBS in the '80s.

> **[Learn to Read](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learn_to_Read)**
>
> Learn To Read is a 1987 adult educational TV series that consists of 30 programs, hosted by entrepreneur and literacy advocate Wally Amos. Co-instructors include Doris Biscoe (who was an anchorwoman for WXYZ-TV in Detroit, Michigan) and Charlotte Scot. Caitlyn Jenner\[a\] guest-starred on the first episode. The series was based on 27 million Americans having almost no reading skills. On Friday, there is a review of each week. The final program reviews the entire series. In every episode (except pro...