"I put that $#*! on everything!"
Salty language spoken by a sweet old lady in a series of wildly popular commercials has propelled Frank's Red-Hot Sauce to No. 1 in North American sales and launched a new career for North Vancouver resident Jean Hamilton, who will celebrate her 90th birthday later this year.
In the four ads that have aired with Hamilton in the character of Ethel Herman, the double strand of pearls, matching earrings and Hamilton's own spectacles accentuate the incongruity of language and personality. The line is delivered impeccably but it's the tone of Ethel's voice, at once sprightly and definite, and her aura of benevolent assurance that nails the spot.
Hamilton was enjoying a comfortable life, involved with her family and working on needlework projects when serendipity struck.
"I had just come in from our Friday mystery trip," Hamilton begins. Mystery trip? It's a regular outing for Hamilton and a friend; they take turns choosing the destination.
"The phone rang," she continues. "Would I be interested in auditioning for a commercial?" Hamilton was definitely not interested until the voice on the line said the magic words, "It will be a new experience."
"Yes, I'll do it," she replied. The call came on a Friday.
The next day, Hamilton made her way to the studio. "It was awkward to get to, all the way under the Cambie bridge and it took ages, over an hour by bus.
"When I arrived, the casting director looked at me and said, 'You're perfect.' 'Thank you,' I said, 'I know I am.'"
With prop mixing bowl and spoon in hand, the bottle of hot sauce front and centre, Hamil-
ton faced the camera and spoke the line that would change her life.
Jean Hamilton was born in 1922 in Victoria and raised in Cedar Cottage in East Vancouver and in Burnaby. Her first job was in the paint department of the T. Eaton Company. Hamilton was doing her research, learning all that she could about paint, when she was promoted to the complaints department.
Hamilton married in 1942 and worked as a tax assessor until 1945. Pregnant women were not permitted to work for the Canadian government. "Besides, the war was over and the men were coming home. They would be taking back those jobs," she says.
Hamilton's marriage ended in 1968 and she was back on the job market. "It was a difficult time," she recalls. "Looking back, I see it was like getting a second chance at life. I learned that I was equal to any of life's challenges."
After surviving 58 job interviews, Hamilton was offered three jobs in one day and accepted the one she hoped would be the most interesting. It was. During her time with the City of Vancouver's department of public welfare she acquired certification in social work and rose to supervisor on the financial side, responsible for resolving difficult cases.
She left the job in order to accompany her second husband on his business travels. When that marriage came to an end, and for the next 22 years, Hamilton devoted her time to her family and to community service. She had always found creative expression in gardening and needlework. The quality of her work became known and both brought in extra income. Life was good. Then it got better. Hamilton was 87 years old.
"How do you do it?" I ask on behalf of the many elderly ladies (and men), eager to launch careers as brand ambassadors and who want the secret of Hamilton's success.
"I play a game in my head," she says, "just like I did when I was a child. Every Saturday afternoon, we'd pay our nickel at the movies, and all the next week, we'd act as our favourite movie stars. That's what I do with Ethel."
To those who would like to be where she is, Hamilton has these words of advice: "Opportunity is everywhere, no matter what age we are. We must be receptive, willing to say 'Yes' to life, to grab it with both hands and make the most of it. Above all, to enjoy life."
Will we be seeing more of Ethel? From her legions of fans, the answer is a resounding, "Yes."
Laura Anderson works with and for seniors on the North Shore. Contact
her at 778-279-2275 or email her at lander1@shaw.ca.
