# Rodney Allen Rippy > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Rodney_Allen_Rippy > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Rodney_Allen_Rippy.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodney_Allen_Rippy > Source revision: 1356461132 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) **Rodney Allen Rippy** (born July 29, 1968) is an American former [child actor](/source/Child_actor), television personality, marketing director, producer, and politician. He appeared in TV commercials for the fast-food chain [Jack in the Box](/source/Jack_in_the_Box) in the early 1970s, as well as in numerous roles in television and movies. ## Early career In the Jack in the Box advertisements, Rippy was seen trying to wrap his mouth around the super-sized [Jumbo Jack](/source/Jumbo_Jack) [hamburger](/source/Hamburger). The tag line "It's too big to eat!" (pronounced "It's too big-a-eat!") became a [catchphrase](/source/Catchphrase). Another spot showed Rippy giggling while singing the song "Take Life a Little Easier," which was released as a single by [Bell Records](/source/Bell_Records) in the fall of 1973 in the wake of the commercial's popularity.[1] The single (b/w "World of Love") appeared on the [*Billboard* magazine](/source/Billboard_(magazine)) "Bubbling Under" chart in October 1973, peaking at #112. An LP, also titled *Take Life a Little Easier* (Bell 1311), was released in 1974. Rippy subsequently had guest roles in many popular television shows, including *[The Six Million Dollar Man](/source/The_Six_Million_Dollar_Man)*, *[Marcus Welby, M.D.](/source/Marcus_Welby,_M.D.)*, *[Police Story](/source/Police_Story_(1973_TV_series))*, and *[The Odd Couple](/source/The_Odd_Couple_(1970_TV_series))* (in which Rippy played himself and was the owner of the building where Oscar Madison and Felix Unger lived). He also appeared frequently on talk shows such as *[The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson](/source/The_Tonight_Show_Starring_Johnny_Carson)* and *Dinah's Place* with [Dinah Shore](/source/Dinah_Shore). Rippy also had a co-starring role on the [CBS](/source/CBS) Saturday morning children's show *[The Harlem Globetrotters Popcorn Machine](/source/The_Harlem_Globetrotters_Popcorn_Machine)*.[2][3] Rodney made his big screen debut (uncredited) in the [Mel Brooks](/source/Mel_Brooks) comedy *[Blazing Saddles](/source/Blazing_Saddles)* in 1974 portraying a young Sheriff Bart.[2] In a *[Peanuts](/source/Peanuts)* newspaper comic strip dated July 3, 1974, [Snoopy](/source/Snoopy) awakens from a dream in which he "had been invited out to dinner by Rodney Allen Rippy!"[4] ## Later career Rippy graduated from [Cerritos College](/source/Cerritos_College) in 1990 and [California State University, Dominguez Hills](/source/California_State_University,_Dominguez_Hills) in 1995 where he majored in marketing.[5][6] In 2000 he opened his own marketing firm which he named Ripped Marketing Group. He worked on campaigns such as promoting leisure wear and [country music](/source/Country_music),[6] among other projects. He has taken on a few acting roles since his childhood stardom, filming a few episodes of *[Parker Lewis Can't Lose](/source/Parker_Lewis_Can't_Lose)* in the early 1990s, appearing in the 1997 independent film *Former Child Star* and the 2003 [David Spade](/source/David_Spade) comedy *[Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star](/source/Dickie_Roberts:_Former_Child_Star)*.[2] Rippy is a partner in the film production company Bow Tie Productions, and spokesman for Hurricane Housing Relief. He worked at [KABC-TV](/source/KABC-TV) in Los Angeles, California. A resident of [Carson, California](/source/Carson,_California), he has served as master of ceremonies for the Carson Relay For Life (Rippy's mother died of cancer in 1986).[7] He was at one time a national director of marketing with [Metro Networks](/source/Metro_Networks) (Westwood One).[8] ## Political candidacy In 2015 Rippy was a [candidate](/source/Candidate) for mayor of [Compton, California](/source/Compton,_California). He was eliminated by finishing 10th out of 12 candidates in the election's primary.[6] ## Partial filmography Year Title Role Notes 1974 Blazing Saddles Bart - Age 5 Uncredited 1976 The Six Million Dollar Man Earnest Cook Episode: “The Blue Flash” 1976 Police Story Jeb Episode: "50 Cents First Half Hour, $1.75 All Day" 1980 Vega$ Boy Episode: “The Hunter Hunted” 1980 Oh, God! Book II Charlie 1997 Former Child Star Himself 2003 Checking the Gate 2003 Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star Himself - cameo 2015 Flowers in the Snow-FTP 2016 To the Top ## References 1. [Discography](http://www.discogs.com/Rodney-Allen-Rippy-Take-Life-A-Little-Easier/release/2668471), discogs.com; accessed August 14, 2015. 1. [Rodney Allen Rippy](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0728133/) at IMDb 1. ["It's A Blast from the Past with Rodney Allen Rippy"](https://www.blackpressusa.com/its-a-blast-from-the-past-with-rodney-allen-rippy/). Black Press USA. 21 July 2013. Retrieved 1 June 2019. 1. ["Peanuts"](http://www.gocomics.com/peanuts/1974/07/03). July 3, 1974. Retrieved August 14, 2015. 1. ["Distinguished Alumni"](https://web.archive.org/web/20120823232505/http://www.csudh.edu/oir/VSA/VSALink_alumni.shtml). California State University, Dominguez Hills. Archived from [the original](http://www.csudh.edu/oir/VSA/VSALink_alumni.shtml) on August 23, 2012. Retrieved October 16, 2010. 1. John Rogers, AP (April 27, 2013). ["Rodney Allen Rippy, child star, bows out of Compton mayor race"](https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Latest-News-Wires/2013/0427/Rodney-Allen-Rippy-child-star-bows-out-of-Compton-mayor-race). [The Christian Science Monitor](/source/The_Christian_Science_Monitor). Retrieved 9 December 2015. 1. ["Rodney Allen Rippy Interview"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jzApvQvcGo). youtube.com. 19 August 2006. [Archived](https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/8jzApvQvcGo) 2021-12-21 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved June 18, 2012. 1. ["Rodney Allen Rippy, '70s Child Star, Running for Mayor of Compton"](https://www.eonline.com/news/406346/rodney-allen-rippy-70s-child-star-running-for-mayor-of-compton). E Online. 9 April 2013. Retrieved 1 June 2019. ## External links - [Interview on BTS with PhillySnaps](https://www.spreaker.com/user/wbts/child-star-rodney-allen-rippy-joins-the-_1) - [Jack in the Box commercial on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zS5yDj4n-M) - [Rodney Allen Rippy](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0728133/) at IMDb - [https://howiegoestohollywood.com](https://howiegoestohollywood.com) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Rodney Allen Rippy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodney_Allen_Rippy) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodney_Allen_Rippy?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.