Maine automobile marketing icon John Pulsifer, who began selling cars in 1958, is selling his Chrysler Dodge Jeep dealership in Saco. The dealership is being purchased by Bill Waldron, owner of Portland Volvo and Portland Saab in Scarborough. Waldron will take over Wednesday, Pulsifer said, although he expects to stay on until the transfer is authorized by Chrysler later this fall. Pulsifer said Waldron made a proposal in July, and after considering it, he decided to sell. The purchase price wasn't disclosed. Pulsifer is widely known as Jolly John, an advertising persona he assumed in media ads nearly 30 years ago. Now 73, Pulsifer said he's not sure what he'll be doing after leaving the car dealership. "A new chapter in my life is about to open," he said.
Wow, so this is the end uh? For those of you not familiar with the jolly one, he was a polarizing figure, who's commercials provided incessant entertainment for nearly 30 years. A Southern Maine staple, I figured John would've kept his gig until the day he died. Or, perhaps he would've passed on the Jolly torch to one of his son's, assuming he has one with the charisma like his old man. I like how Jolly John says, "A new chapter in my life is about to open." Nothing can live up to thrill of being the jolliest S.O.B in town. I can picture him playing bingo, recounting all of his crazy stories to the other elders, getting mad and then screaming, 'If you wanna pay more, that's youuur business, if you wanna pay less, that's aaaaaaahhhhhhhhh business!'
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