Indiana Town To Memorialize Popcorn King Orville Redenbacher With Statue

By Samantha Abernethy in News on Feb 14, 2012 6:40PM

Valparaiso, Ind., is planning a statue to honor Orville Redenbacher, who built his popcorn empire in the northwest Indiana town. But get this: ConAgra Foods owns the rights to the Redenbacher brand, and it doesn't want the statue to incorporate popcorn.

Chicago artist Lou Cella is creating the bronze sculpture, and he was frustrated by that. He told the Northwest Indiana Times, "That was like saying 'Don't show Elvis with a microphone.'"

Cella also created the Ernie Banks and Harry Caray statues at Wrigley Field, as well as the Carlton Fisk statue at U.S. Cellular Field.

There are three proposed designs, all showing a bronze Redenbacher seated on a bench with a welcoming arm along the back. Valparaiso plans to unveil the statue Labor Day weekend, just in time for its annual Popcorn Festival.

Redenbacher was actually born in the nearby town of Brazil, Ind., and he sold popcorn from a roadside stand as a kid until he went to Purdue University to study agriculture. He was more than just a spokesman. He was an agricultural scientist, who experimented with hybrids to come up with "the first significant genetic improvement in popcorn in more than 5,000 years."