Wally Amos, founder of Famous Amos cookies, dies at 88

New York (CNN) — Wally Amos, the charismatic founder of Famous Amos cookies, has died at age 88, according to a statement signed by his children.

In the statement, his children said the cause was complications of dementia. “He was a true original Black American hero,” said the statement, signed “Sarah, Michael, Gregory and Shawn Amos.”

“With his Panama hat, kazoo, and boundless optimism, Famous Amos was a great American success story, and a source of Black pride,” the statement said.

Amos opened his bakery in 1975 on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles, selling bite-sized chocolate chip cookies that were a novelty for the time, according to the company’s site. The bakery, whose cookies were developed from a family recipe, attracted Hollywood celebrities and musicians.

Ferrero, Famous Amos’ current owner, said it was “saddened by the loss of Wally Amos and our thoughts are with his family,” in a social media post. “He brought joy to millions with his cookies and is an inspiration to generations of entrepreneurs.”

Amos was born in Tallahassee, Florida.

Famous Amos wasn’t just a business, he said in a 1991 Detroit Black Journal interview.

“I started making cookies just to make a living and to be happy doing what I was doing,” Amos said in the interview. “And I just, I was so committed and so involved and so joyous about it.”

From there, he created a cookie empire.

“I didn’t say, ‘Hey, I’m going to go in the cookie business, make a lot of money, you know, sell out of cookies.’ I said, ‘Well, do something I like the way I want to do it,’ you know, I’m going to have fun doing it,” Amos said in the interview.

Amos was also a figure in US pop culture. He famously appeared in a cameo in the sitcom “The Office” to excitement and applause from the cast members. Before that, he also appeared on “The Jeffersons” and “Taxi.”

Amos sold the cookie brand to a private equity group in 1988 after years of financial struggles for the company.

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