Leonard "Len" Mattioli, also known as TV Lenny and Crazy Lenny, is a businessman and former television personality in Madison, Wisconsin. He first got into television advertising in 1969, when he moved from New York to take over the American TV & Appliance electronics chain from his ailing brother, Ferdinand.[1] He's widely known in the region for his outlandish ads that include water skiing on a sofa, blowing up a washing machine, or offering free bicycles with purchase.[2] He also took over his brother's sponsorship of a local cult horror TV series, Ferdie’s Inferno, renaming it to Lenny's Inferno.[3]
He stopped appearing in ads in 1998, and American TV went out of business in 2014.[4][5]
After many years of running an e-bike dealership,[6] Mattioli retired in 2022.[7]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Doug Moe (Mar 24, 2014). "Len Mattioli's American agony". Wisconsin State Journal.
- ^ Crazy TV Lenny. WLUK-TV FOX 11. Feb 21, 2014 [May 13, 1991] – via YouTube.
- ^ Medaris, David (Oct 24, 2008). "Mr. Mephisto recalls the fury of "Lenny's Inferno" in Madison". Isthmus | Madison, Wisconsin.
- ^ Doug Moe (Jan 27, 2013). "'Crazy TV Lenny' is back". Wisconsin State Journal.
- ^ Paul Gores (May 18, 2017). "Former face of American TV, Crazy TV Lenny, laments closings". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
- ^ Barry Adams (Mar 13, 2017). "More space and continued retail enthusiasm for Crazy Lenny". Wisconsin State Journal.
- ^ Adams, Barry (Apr 23, 2022). "On Retail: Crazy Lenny Mattioli calls it a career in retail". Wisconsin State Journal.
External links
edit- Whitney Gould (16 Oct 1976). "Crazy TV Lenny: has he got a deal for you". The Capital Times. pp. 1–2.
- Molly Snyder (Aug 17, 2004). "Where are they now: Crazy TV Lenny". onmilwaukee.com.
- Balousek, Marv (Feb 8, 2004). "Tv Lenny' Doesn't Miss Limelight". Wisconsin State Journal. p. C3.
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