Obituary: Edward Nalbandian, 78; L.A. Clothier Became a Local Celebrity for Zachary All Store

LA Times ^ | 28 Feb 2006 | Dennis McLellan

[RightOnTheLeftCoast]

Edward G. Nalbandian, the longtime owner of Zachary All Clothing on Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles who became a familiar face on local television as the commercial spokesman for his men's store, has died. He was 78.

Nalbandian, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease more than nine years ago, died Feb. 22 in a nursing home in Los Angeles, his family said.

Beginning in the early 1960s, Nalbandian became something of a Southern California celebrity for commercials in which he famously emphasized that clothes at his store came in sizes "Cadet, Extra Short, Regular, Long, Extra Long and Portlies." That's not to mention Zachary All's famous "$99 tuxedo." "The whole business was built on television commercials," Nalbandian's wife of 55 years, Anna, told The Times.

[snip]

[RightOnTheLeftCoast]

End of an era. It's a nice obituary, well worth clicking to read the whole thing.

It sure takes me back, to L.A.'s Golden Era of the '60s.

And set me to googling...

"Edward Nalbandian" is not the name I would have imagined for Eddie. For one thing, it's also the name of the Ambassador to France from Armenia, cf. http://www.candle.am/foreword/pdf/Margaritondo.pdf and http://www.persons.am/en/info.php?id=572.

Another obit: http://www.laobserved.com/archive/2006/02/eddie_1.html -- It has a nice picture:

http://www.martinirepublic.com/item/no-suit-for-over-58/ also beats up on the Times for not running a news obit on Eddie.

Cary Grant wore a Zachary All tux? Zounds!!

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m5072/is_n19_v16/ai_15500917 is cool. An interview from just before his Alzheimer's diagnosis when he was still running the store! Adorable.

But the best article I've found is http://www.povonline.com/cols/COL136.htm ...which doesn't mention Eddie or Zachary All by name, but the author admits elsewhere that's who he's talking about, and it's pretty obvious anyway. Really charming.

[AZRepublican]

Boy who can forget them Zachary All commercials while growing up in So. Calf. Remmeber them paint any car for $29.95 "Earl Scheib" commercials too?

[Attention Surplus Disorder]

"Tall, short, portly short, and cadet".

Remember it well.

RIP.

[PlanoMike]

Shoot! I remember when Earl would paint any car any color for $19.95!!!

[PRND21]

RIP

But don't foget this guy...he'd stand on his head for you.

[The KG9 Kid]

Well, I'm getting old. I remember those commercials and his distinctive voice. 'Come on down to Zachary All...'.

Cal Worthington, his dog Spot, Earl Scheib, etc. They really were the golden age of LA in the 60s and early 70s.

I grew up on KHJ-9, KTTV-11, Jerry Dunphy, Hal Fishman, and mid-1960s reruns like 'Nanny and the Professor', 'The Ghost and Mrs. Muir', 'Family Affair', and being bewildered by the early morning Sunday shows like 'Let's Rap' and 'Lamp Unto My Feet'.

[MikeA]

Geez, there's a blast from the past. I remember those Zachary All commercials as a kid and Mr Nalbandian's frequent presence on our TV screens. I always wondered what that odd store name signified. Wow, I had forgotten all about those stores and those commercials.

[Slicksadick]

Don't forget Ralph Williams. Hi friends, Ralph Williams, Ralph Williams Ford.

[pikachu]

Cal Worthington Dodge, Zachery All, Earl Schreib, and Vin Scully selling Farmer John. The entertainment between the entertainment.

[AZRepublican]

Oh gosh, I remember him late at night after Johnny Carson, those words still ring in my head today: "Here is Cal Worthington and his dog spot."

[AZRepublican]

Oh yeah, forgot about him. Any idea when Ralph Williams went off the air?

[Slicksadick]

I think he was shut down by the state around 1971.

[Slicksadick]

Dog Spot outtakes here...

http://www.mydogspot.com/video.htm

[ArmstedFragg]

In '61, I was working for a radio station where Zachary All had bought time. They'd had a few commercials done by this nice new comic that Nalbandian had found. Apparently they sent the spots out without actually listening to them, and when we auditioned them we discovered they were all x-rated. The one I remember had a salesman accosting a customer who had just stopped in the store to relieve a need and was doing so in the pocket of a coat. Turned out that 'nice young comic was a guy named Lenny Bruce.

We immediately bulk-erased all the spots, but I often ponder what they'd have been worth if I'd kept them.

[RightOnTheLeftCoast]

One of the links I posted quotes Nalbandian praising Lenny Bruce as a wonderful guy, and "not what you'd expect."

Sure wish you'd kept those tapes! What a treasure they'd be!

Gad, I miss those commercials. As lame as they were, I'd stop whatever I was doing, transfixed by Eddie's soupy inflections, trite phrasing and barely-contained arm-and-hand motions. The overall effect was endearingly Semitic in a way that one dared not smile-at until Woody Allen made it a cinematic archetype. And each commercial was different. Sometimes he'd run out the clock and have to finish in a big panicked rush. You just don't see that anymore.

I regret never stopping in to see the place and maybe meet Eddie. And maybe buy a $58 suit.

[RightOnTheLeftCoast]

"I grew up on KHJ-9, KTTV-11, Jerry Dunphy, Hal Fishman, and mid-1960s reruns..."

Happily, George Putnam is still with us. Dunno if he's on the air still, but Newsmax.com has his op-eds.

This thread has turned out to be a hoot. All those wonderful old hucksters... Ralph Williams, for heaven's sake. It's been decades since I've thought of him.

And then there was another type of uniquely Southern California TV huckster: W. Eugene Scott, anyone?

[Uncle Hal]

Does anyone remember the TV show in LA that Edward was on in which a bunch of guys sat around and talked about current events. There were 4 guys, I believe, and they were on the air in the 50's and 60's. One guy was a furrier and I cannot remember the other guys. Of course Edward was selling Zachary All mens clothes. It was all a big pitch for their wares. Who were the other people on that show and what products did they pitch? I enjoyed watching it even though it was pure corn. Somebody out their must remember it.

[Uncle Hal]

I do not remember the date he went off the air but it was probably in the 70's. The authorities made him give up his dealership because of illegal sales tactics but the new owners hired him as a pitchman on TV I had some business dealings with him and he was a real character. One of the most foul mouth persons I have ever met..

[RightOnTheLeftCoast]

If you find out the name of the show Eddie was on, let us all know. I had no idea he was on anything but the commercials.

Your comments about Williams are unsurprising. An oilier character has never graced the airwaves.

Incidentally, in my previous post I didn't mean to parallel the great George Putnam with the other guys (the "hucksters") I mentioned. Putnam is a great American and a true original.

[RightOnTheLeftCoast]

Hey-- I think this interview mentions the show you remember!