Colonel Sanders was an American businessman best known as the founder of the fast-food chicken restaurant chain KFC, also known as Kentucky Fried Chicken. He was the company’s brand ambassador, and his name and image are still symbols of the company.
Quick Facts
| Celebrated Name: | Colonel Sanders |
|---|---|
| Real Name/Full Name: | Colonel Harland David Sanders |
| Gender: | Male |
| Age at the time of death: | 90 years old |
| Birth Date: | 9 September 1890 |
| Date of Death: | 16 December 1980 |
| Birth Place: | Henryville, Indiana, United States |
| Nationality: | American |
| Height: | 1.78 m |
| Weight: | 85 kg |
| Sexual Orientation: | Straight |
| Marital Status: | Married |
| Wife/Spouse (Name): | Claudia Price (m. 1948–1980), Josephine King (m. 1909–1947) |
| Children: | Yes (Mildred Sanders Ruggles, Margaret Sanders, Harland Sanders, Jr.) |
| Dating/Girlfriend (Name): | N/A |
| Profession: | Businessman |
| Net Worth: | $3.5 million |
| Last Updated: | September 2023 |
Colonel Sanders Biography
Colonel Harland David Sanders was born on September 9, 1890, in Henryville, Indiana, to Wilbur David and Margaret Ann (née Dunlevy) Sanders in a four-room house. His mother was of Irish and Dutch ancestry, and he had two siblings.
Sanders’ father worked on a farm of 80 acres until he broke his leg. His mother was strict and a devout Christian, and he later worked as a butcher. Sander’s father died when he was five years old, and his mother was forced to work in a tomato cannery. He began working as a farmhand at the age of ten. Sanders left his home three years later and worked at various odd jobs.
Colonel Sanders Age, Height, Weight
Colonel Sanders died at the age of 90, He was born on September 9, 1890. He stood 1.78 m tall and weighed 85 kg.
Career
Colonel Sanders began his career at a young age doing various odd jobs. He got a job as a conductor in New Albany, Indiana, in 1906. He also worked as a wagoner for the US Army in Cuba for a short time. He worked as a blacksmith, fireman, and train ash pan cleaner by the age of 16.
In 1910, he began working as a laborer for the Norfolk and Western Railway, where he met his first wife. Later, he returned to Henryville with his mother, where he worked as a laborer, insurance agent, and salesperson. Sanders established a ferry boat company in 1920, which was an instant success. At the same time, he was hired as a secretary at the Columbus Chamber of Commerce in Indiana.
Sanders sold his ferry company for $22,000 and went on to found another company that made acetylene lamps. Shell Oil Company offered him a service station in Kentucky in 1930. Sanders began serving chicken dishes and other dishes. Later, his popularity grew to the point where he was appointed as a Kentucky colonel by then-governor Ruby Laffon.
Sanders shared his secret “Kentucky Fried Chicken” recipe with some of the city’s largest restaurants in 1952. Fried chicken sales more than tripled in the first year. Several other restaurant owners later franchised the concept and paid him a fair price for the recipe.
Sanders and his wife opened the restaurant and company headquarters in Shelbyville in 1959. Within a few months, KFC had become one of the first food companies to expand internationally, with locations in Canada, Jamaica, the United Kingdom, and Mexico. He received a patent for his recipe in 1962 and trademarked the phrase “It’s Finger-Lickin’ Good” the following year.
Colonel Sanders Achievements and Awards
Colonel Sanders received the Horatio Alger Award in 1965. He was named the world’s second most recognizable celebrity in 1976.
Sanders was the company’s symbol and brand ambassador, and he appeared in numerous TV commercials and appearances. From 1998 to 2001, he was voiced in radio commercials by voice actor Randy Quaid in television commercials.
In 2016, comedian Rob Riggle portrayed his character in a commercial introducing a football team called “The Kentucky Buckets.” Sanders was added as a playable character in WWE 2K18 the following year.
Colonel Sanders’ Net Worth
Colonel Sanders net worth was estimated to be more than $3.5 million at the time of his death. He amassed this enormous fortune through his successful business career.
He founded several businesses, including a ferry boat company and an acetylene lamp manufacturing company. However, his most successful company was Kentucky Fried Chicken, or KFC, which had 6,000 KFC locations in 48 countries around the world at the time of his death.
Sanders sold KFC for $2 billion in 1964 and became a paid brand ambassador. He also made a lot of money by appearing in commercials, advertisements, and business events.
Colonel Sanders is one of the most famous and successful businessmen in history. He was born into a low-income family and spent most of his life working odd jobs. Despite his numerous failures, he persevered and went on to found one of the world’s largest fast-food chains.
Colonel Sanders Wife, Marriage
In 1909, Sanders married his first wife, Josephine King. They had a son named Harland, who died in 1932 as a result of infected tonsils. Margaret Sanders and Mildred Sanders Ruggles are their two daughters. In 1947, the couple divorced. Sanders married Claudia Price the following year.
Sanders was diagnosed with acute leukemia in 1980. He died on December 16, 1980, at Jewish Hospital in Louisville, Kentucky. His funeral was attended by over 1,000 people.
