Steve Mizerany

Background

Mizerany grew up in the LaSalle Park neighborhood of Saint Louis and was graduated from McKinley High School. His father taught English to other Lebanese immigrants at Saint Raymond’s Maronite Church.

Career

Mizerany was known in Saint Louis, Missouri for the outsized personality he displayed as the star of his own advertisements. In 1946 Steve’s two oldest brothers opened the Mizerany Brothers appliance store on Broadway. All television was live at that time, and Mizerany ad-libbed the commercials as the cameras were rolling.

Here he developed his zany persona which attracted attention and some complaints.

Here he perfected his advertising style, an admixture of his distinct voice, enthusiastic persona, outlandish attire, slapstick humor, and stunts such as roller-skating in the store"s aisles (he also sometimes skated during regular business, rolling up to customers and introducing himself). Taglines included the assertion that the store was home of the "decent boys".

Mizerany also guest-starred in other ads for other businesses. After his death, Mizerany was honored by the Saint Louis Board of Aldermen for his charitable activities which included organizing the annual Saint Louis police relief celebrity ballgame.

They had five children: Catherine Mizerany, Stephanie Dorris, Veronica Miller, Steve Mizerany, Junior. and Vincent Mizerany.

Connections

Friend:

Deal Appliance