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Bill Saluga
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Bill Saluga
William Saluga (September 16, 1937 – March 28, 2023) was an American comedian and founding member of the improvisational comedy troupe Ace Trucking Company. He appeared on several television programs, including Seinfeld.
Saluga was born on September 16, 1937, in Youngstown, Ohio. When Saluga was 10, his father was killed in an industrial accident at the Republic Steel Mill where he worked and his mother supported the family by working as a bookkeeper. Saluga, known as "Billy" to his friends and family, was a high school cheerleader and class clown. After graduation, he served two years in the Navy and then began working as a performer in local theaters.
Saluga spent several years performing in Youngstown, Ohio theaters and clubs. He played numerous roles in notable productions, including Guys and Dolls and Inherit the Wind. He became a talent coordinator for the Steve Allen show in the late 1960s. in 1969, he created the "Johnson" character while a member of the comedic troupe Ace Trucking Company.
Saluga's shtick as the character "Johnson" would be, when someone would refer to him as "Mr. Johnson" or by the common generic nickname "Johnson," to exaggeratedly feign offense and list off all permutations of the name Raymond J. Johnson Jr. and nicknames thereof that do not mention the word "Johnson:"
"NOOO!!! You don't have to call me Johnson! My name is Raymond J. Johnson Jr. Now you can call me Ray, or you can call me J, or you can call me Johnny, or you can call me Sonny, or you can call me Junie, or you can call me Ray J, or you can call me RJ, or you can call me RJJ, or you can call me RJJ Jr. . . but you doesn't hasta call me Johnson!"
Saluga would then smugly turn away and begin puffing on his cigar. Saluga's routine received more widespread attention in the late 1970s after being used in a series of commercials for Miller Lite beer, and subsequently, in the early 1980s for Anheuser-Busch Natural Light beer. Saluga appeared alongside comedian/pitchman Norm Crosby echoing (in a roundabout way) Norm's advice to unknowing customers on how to more easily order the lengthily-named beer: "Well, y'doesn't hasta call it Anheuser Busch Natural Light Beer, and y'doesn't hasta call it 'Busch Natural.' Just say 'Natural!'" Saluga then later launches into the "You can call me Ray" routine after Crosby warns not to ask Johnson his name.
From 1977 to 1978, Saluga appeared regularly as Raymond J. Johnson Jr. on Redd Foxx's eponymous variety show. Saluga as Johnson also made appearances on This Is Tom Jones, Laugh-In and The David Steinberg Show. He also made appearances on Chuck Barris' The Gong Show during 1977 and 1978.
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Bill Saluga
William Saluga (September 16, 1937 – March 28, 2023) was an American comedian and founding member of the improvisational comedy troupe Ace Trucking Company. He appeared on several television programs, including Seinfeld.
Saluga was born on September 16, 1937, in Youngstown, Ohio. When Saluga was 10, his father was killed in an industrial accident at the Republic Steel Mill where he worked and his mother supported the family by working as a bookkeeper. Saluga, known as "Billy" to his friends and family, was a high school cheerleader and class clown. After graduation, he served two years in the Navy and then began working as a performer in local theaters.
Saluga spent several years performing in Youngstown, Ohio theaters and clubs. He played numerous roles in notable productions, including Guys and Dolls and Inherit the Wind. He became a talent coordinator for the Steve Allen show in the late 1960s. in 1969, he created the "Johnson" character while a member of the comedic troupe Ace Trucking Company.
Saluga's shtick as the character "Johnson" would be, when someone would refer to him as "Mr. Johnson" or by the common generic nickname "Johnson," to exaggeratedly feign offense and list off all permutations of the name Raymond J. Johnson Jr. and nicknames thereof that do not mention the word "Johnson:"
"NOOO!!! You don't have to call me Johnson! My name is Raymond J. Johnson Jr. Now you can call me Ray, or you can call me J, or you can call me Johnny, or you can call me Sonny, or you can call me Junie, or you can call me Ray J, or you can call me RJ, or you can call me RJJ, or you can call me RJJ Jr. . . but you doesn't hasta call me Johnson!"
Saluga would then smugly turn away and begin puffing on his cigar. Saluga's routine received more widespread attention in the late 1970s after being used in a series of commercials for Miller Lite beer, and subsequently, in the early 1980s for Anheuser-Busch Natural Light beer. Saluga appeared alongside comedian/pitchman Norm Crosby echoing (in a roundabout way) Norm's advice to unknowing customers on how to more easily order the lengthily-named beer: "Well, y'doesn't hasta call it Anheuser Busch Natural Light Beer, and y'doesn't hasta call it 'Busch Natural.' Just say 'Natural!'" Saluga then later launches into the "You can call me Ray" routine after Crosby warns not to ask Johnson his name.
From 1977 to 1978, Saluga appeared regularly as Raymond J. Johnson Jr. on Redd Foxx's eponymous variety show. Saluga as Johnson also made appearances on This Is Tom Jones, Laugh-In and The David Steinberg Show. He also made appearances on Chuck Barris' The Gong Show during 1977 and 1978.