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© History Oasis
1952-1980
Harland David Sanders created KFC's iconic Colonel mascot. Spoiler alert. He played the role of the chain's first fast food mascot. The real Kentucky Colonel wore his white suit daily, traveled 200,000 miles yearly promoting his restaurants, and famously called subpar food "God-damned slop" during surprise visits.
1998-2001
Randy Quaid voiced a hyperkinetic animated Colonel Sanders, bringing manic energy to KFC commercials. The cartoon version exaggerated the founder's personality. Advertisements featured him with boisterous movements and expressions that live-action couldn't achieve.
May 2015
Saturday Night Live veteran Darrell Hammond became KFC's first celebrity Colonel with an authentic portrayal that impressed the Sanders family. His Southern drawl kick-started the chain's $185 million rebranding campaign.
August 2015-2016
Norm Macdonald replaced Hammond after just three months. He jokingly called the previous actor an "imposter." His deadpan humor made KFC's rotating spokesperson strategy self-aware and postmodern.
2016-2017
Food comedian Jim Gaffigan brought neurotic worry to the Colonel role, creating a gentle character who had "nightmares about chicken." His Winnie-the-Pooh-like persona contrasted sharply with mascots.
July 2016
George Hamilton's perpetual tan became a joke for KFC's "Extra Crispy" campaign. At 77, he was the oldest celebrity Colonel.
September 2016
Rob Riggle transformed the Colonel into a high-energy football coach, introducing "The Kentucky Buckets" team. His cartoonish enthusiasm and obvious enjoyment made this version particularly fun.
January 2017
Billy Zane portrayed the "Solid Gold Colonel" to promote Georgia Gold Honey Mustard BBQ chicken. His gold-plated styling and Super Bowl commercial presence emphasized luxury branding.
April 2017
Rob Lowe played an astronaut version of Colonel Sanders, bringing JFK-meets-Buzz Lightyear energy to KFC commercials, despite his childhood connection to the real Sanders. Lowe was later criticized for his low-effort performance in the role.
September 2017
Ray Liotta delivered a split-personality Colonel torn between Georgia Gold and Nashville Hot chicken flavors. His intense Goodfellas-style performance earned critical praise as a "layered" portrayal worthy of commercial acting awards.
January 2018
Country music star Reba McEntire became KFC's first female Colonel Sanders. She promoted Smoky Mountain BBQ chicken and generated massive media attention.
August 2018
Seinfeld star Jason Alexander became the "Sitcom Colonel" with laugh tracks and 1990s television parody elements. His commercials featured extra-long arms carrying chicken buckets while promoting $20 Fill Up family meals with nostalgic humor.
August 2018
Game of Thrones actor Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson portrayed the "Double Colonel" for KFC's Double Crispy Challenge. The professional strongman's massive physical presence created a surreal contrast with the original Colonel Sanders.
Early 2019
Peter Weller voiced a cyborg RoboCop version of Colonel Sanders in one of KFC's most bizarre crossover campaigns. This sci-fi mashup targeted nostalgia for 1980s action films while promoting chicken through unexpected franchise combinations.
Late 2019
Sean Astin played a Rudy Ruettiger-inspired Colonel Sanders to commemorate the NFL season. Many struggled with seeing the Hobbit actor as Kentucky's chicken founder.
December 2020
Mario Lopez portrayed young Harland Sanders in KFC's romantic short film "A Recipe for Seduction." This experimental marketing created dating simulation content around the founder.
2017-2018
KFC used digital technology to resurrect the deceased Harland Sanders for modern commercials. This "unsettling" computer-generated version attempted authentic founder representation but resulted in uncanny valley effects that disturbed some viewers.
2025
KFC temporarily introduced a frowning, surly Colonel Sanders to address declining sales through reverse psychology marketing. This grumpy grandfather version directly acknowledged business struggles while attempting to draw customers back through unconventional advertising.
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