Colonel Harland Sanders Biography

Colonel Harland David Sanders (September 9, 1890 – December 16, 1980) was an American businessman known for inventing the fast-food chicken restaurant chain Kentucky Fried Chicken (commonly known as KFC) and subsequently serving as the brand ambassador and symbol for the firm. His name and likeness are still associated with the company. The title "colonel" is an honorific name given by the Commonwealth of Kentucky to its highest-ranking official, the Kentucky Colonel, and is not a military rank. By issuing letters patent, the Governor of Kentucky bestows the distinction of a colonel's commission.

Information of Colonel Harland

• Full Name- Harland David Sanders

• Born- September 9, 1890

• Died- December 16, 1980 (KFC owner age- 90)

• Nationality- American

• Education- La Salle Extension University

• Occupation- Businessman; restaurateur

• Years active- 1930–1980

• Board member of- Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC founder)

• Spouse(s)- Josephine King

• ​Children- 3

Early life

The KFC owner's life story tells us that Harland David Sanders was born in a four-room cottage 3 miles (5 kilometres) east of Henryville, Indiana, on September 9, 1890. He has been the oldest of Wilbur David and Margaret Ann Sanders' three children. His mother was half-Irish, half-Dutch. The Advent Christian Church was where the family worshipped. His father was a gentle and affectionate man who served his 80-acre farm until he fell and broke his leg. He thereafter spent two years as a butcher in Henryville. Sanders' mother was a stern mom and a fervent Christian, who often warned her children about "the sins of drink, gambling, tobacco, and whistling on Sundays."

In 1895, Sanders' father passed away. Harland's mother went to work in a tomato cannery, leaving him to care for and prepare food for his siblings. He was allegedly adept with bread and vegetables by the age of seven, and he was getting better with meat; the children harvested for food when their mother was abroad for days at a time for work. His mother remarried to Edward Park in 1899, and his mother was widowed as per the 1900 census. Sanders started working as a farmhand when he was ten years old.

Sanders' mother married William Broaddus again in 1902, and the family relocated to Greenwood, Indiana. Sanders and his stepfather had a difficult relationship. He walked out of seventh grade in 1903 and moved to a nearby farm to live and work. He left home at the age of 13 to work in Indianapolis painting horse carriages. He travelled to southern Indiana to serve as a farmhand since he was 14 years old. 

Various Jobs

Sanders left the area in 1906, with his mother's permission, to live with his uncle in New Albany, Indiana. Sanders was hired as a conductor by his uncle, who was employed for the streetcar company.

Sanders lied about his age and enlisted in the US Army in October 1906, serving as a wagoner in Cuba until he was discharged. In February 1907, he was honourably discharged from the army and relocated to Sheffield, Alabama, to reside with his uncle. He ran upon his brother Clarence, who also had relocated to avoid their stepfather. Sanders was hired as a blacksmith's helper at the workshops by his uncle, who was employed for the Southern Railway. Sanders went to Jasper, Alabama, after two months, and started working sweeping out the ash pans of Northern Alabama Railroad trains as they concluded their runs.

Sanders began his career as a firefighter when he was 16 years old. He worked for at least three years at the job before being sacked for "insubordination" after becoming ill. 

From 1909, Sanders worked as a labourer for the Norfolk and Western Railway. He met Josephine King of Jasper, Alabama, during serving on the railroad, and the two married on June 15, 1909, in Jasper, Alabama.

Public Image and Personality

Sanders started to act the role after Governor Lawrence Wetherby recommissioned him as a Kentucky colonel in 1950, developing a goatee and wearing a black frock coat (eventually converting to a white suit), a string tie, and addressing to himself as "Colonel." As per biographer Josh Ozersky, his companions agreed to the title change "jokingly at first and then seriously." In the last 20 years of his life, he never left the house without wearing a heavy wool suit in the winter and a thin cotton suit throughout the summer. To complement his white hair, he bleached his moustache and goatee.

John Y. Brown Jr. described Sanders as "A smart man with a gourmet flare for food, a visionary and a superb motivator, with the style of a showman and the discipline of a Vince Lombardi.

Death

In June 1980, Sanders was associated with acute leukaemia. He died of pneumonia on December 16, 1980, at the age of 90, at a Jewish hospital in Louisville, Kentucky. Sanders had begun to work in front of people until a month before his death, dressed in his white suit. After a funeral service witnessed by almost 1,000 people in the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Chapel, his body has been laid in state in the rotunda of the Kentucky State Capitol in Frankfort. Sanders was laid to rest in Cave Hill Cemetery in Louisville, wearing his trademark white suit and black western string tie.

Legacy

By the time Sanders died, there were an estimated 6,000 KFC restaurants in 48 countries, with annual revenue of ＄2 billion (＄6.3 billion now).

As a Symbol of the KFC Brand

Colonel Sanders (colonel KFC), a fictional character, has featured as a mascot in KFC's marketing and promotion on numerous occasions. Sanders was spoken by impressionists in radio advertising, and an animated version of him, spoken by Randy Quaid, was used in television commercials from 1998 to 2001.

Colonel Sanders, performed by comedian Darrell Hammond, made a comeback in new KFC television commercials in May 2015. Certain critics thought the new representation was offensive and disrespectful of the man's legacy.

KFC announced a new campaign in August 2015, this time starring comedian Norm Macdonald as Sanders; the opening ad of the campaign makes a strong allusion to the Hammond campaign, with a quick clip of Hammond followed by Macdonald's Colonel calling his predecessor an impostor.

Another interpretation was released in February 2016, with Jim Gaffigan portraying the Colonel, who was seen bolting up in bed and telling his wife regarding his recurring nightmare of Macdonald's Colonel "pretending to be me."

By July 2016, George Hamilton had taken on the role of Colonel Sanders, using his legendary tan to promote KFC's "extra crispy" chicken. A commercial featuring WWE wrestler Dolph Ziggler disguised as Colonel Sanders bashing up a person in a chicken suit in a wrestling ring aired during the broadcast of the 2016 SummerSlam.

Sanders was depicted by comedian Rob Riggle in an ad for a football team called "The Kentucky Buckets" in September 2016. Actor Billy Zane played the role of the "Solid Gold Colonel" in January 2017 to promote their "Georgia Gold Honey Mustard BBQ" Chicken dishes.

Colonel Sanders' newest actor, Rob Lowe, was unveiled as the new Colonel Sanders in April 2017. Lowe claimed that he met Harland Sanders when he was a child. Colonel Sanders had returned to WWE in 2017, with advertising featuring Shawn Michaels and Kurt Angle portraying him, and also the announcement that Colonel Sanders would've been playable in WWE 2K18 (via the "create-a-wrestler" function) as part of a product placement deal with KFC.

Sanders was later played by Ray Liotta. In January 2018, singer Reba McEntire was announced as the newest Sanders. Colonel Sanders is played by actor Jason Alexander and professional strongman and actor Hafór Júlíus Björnsson as of August 2018. 

Colonel Sanders was played by Peter Weller as a RoboCop version of Colonel Sanders in early 2019. Later the following year, Sean Astin reprised his role as the Colonel as Rudy Ruettiger to honour the start of the NFL season. In 2019 The food chain KFC commissioned and launched a free video game called I Love You, Colonel Sanders!

Charitable Giving

Sanders established the Colonel Harland Sanders Charitable Organization, a recognised Canadian charity, with his financial holdings before his death. In recognition of his generous donation, the Colonel Harland Sanders Family Care Centre is a section of Mississauga Hospital dedicated to women's and children's care. Other Canadian children's hospitals that Sanders' foundation has supported include McMaster Children's Hospital, IWK Health Centre, and Stollery Children's Hospital. As per its tax return submitted with the Canada Revenue Agency, the Toronto-based organisation donated ＄500,000 to many other Canadian charities in 2016.