Screensavers of Yore Mental Floss. Benjamin Curtis was just 1. PCWorld helps you navigate the PC ecosystem to find the products you want and the advice you need to get the job done. He was surrounded by child actors from the ages of 1. The group was part of a casting call for Dell, the personal computing company well known to business and educational customers but an unproven commodity for the home market. Dells ad agency, Lowe Worldwide, hoped to change that reputation by introducing the character of Steven, a sharp, tech savvy teen who would extol the virtues of Dells desktop and laptop offerings in a charmingly goofy manner. Even though he was two years outside the age range, Curtiss agent believed he had a shot. He read. And read again. And then read a third time. Ford Tractors 4000 Serial Numbers. By December 2. 00. Curtis had gotten the part and was quickly becoming known as the Dell Dude, a pitchman who rivaled the Maytag Man in terms of commercial popularity. But by 2. 00. 3, the character would disappear, victimized by a peculiar kind of corporate hypocrisy. While the Dell Dudes stoner wisdom was good for laughs and increased sales, Curtis being arrested for actual marijuana possession was not. In 1. 98. 4, Michael Dell was a pre med student at the University of Texas when he began tinkering with home computing hardware. A serial entrepreneurhe once made 1. Houston PostDell figured that custom machines and aggressive customer support would help fill a niche in the growing PC market. He was right. Dell racked up 1 million in sales that year and spent the next decade and a half expanding into a billion dollar enterprise. But a lot of Dells business consisted of commercial accounts like schools and government offices, leaving direct to consumer sales largely untapped. To help introduce Dell to those users, the company hired Lowe Worldwide to create a campaign that would appeal to people who felt intimidated by the personal computing phenomenon. Lowe conceived of a precocious kid who could rattle off Dells specs and lend a human face to their line of hardware. But the Dell Dude wasnt fully realized until Curtis walked in the door. Figures/0010/W9800A4a.gif' alt='Windows 98 Plus Screensavers' title='Windows 98 Plus Screensavers' />Originally from Chattanooga, Tennessee, Curtis grew up interested in performing magic and drifted toward theater in an attempt to strengthen his stage presence. He went on to earn an acting scholarship to New York University and had a roommate who knew a commercial talent agent. Having been introduced to her, he began going out on casting calls. One of them was for Dell. Windows 98 Plus Screensavers' title='Windows 98 Plus Screensavers' />Find Adblock Plus software downloads at CNET Download. Web. Microsoft Windows98 Second Edition supports the latest Internet, graphics, and multimedia technologies, all while providing better performance and easier. If you are reading this on your own personal computer, you will agree that computers are indeed that personal. Screensavers for many are maybe a thing of. Galaxies 4. 1 See product download page. Uploaded January 7, 2001 Status Shareware 10 Microsoft Windows 95982000MENTXP This product displays userdefined. Embodied by Curtis, the Steven character morphed into a Jeff Spicoli esque surfer archetype, fast talking and charming. In his first appearance, Steven makes a videotaped appeal to his father for an 8. Dell desktop with a free DVD upgrade because he knows his dad likes free stuff. In another, he encourages a friends family to gift his buddy with a Dell for 7. Intel Pentium III processor. The commercials debuted in 2. DDB, the Chicago ad agency that took over Dells account, introduced a catchphrase that Steven acquired his nickname. In his fourth commercial, he announced to his friend, Dude youre getting a DellFrom that point on, Dells splash into residential home computing was guaranteed. Sales rose 1. 00 percent, with Dells market share growing by 1. The awareness was almost exclusively the result of Curtiss popularity, which grew to include numerous online fan pages and calls for personal appearances. Younger viewers wrote in and wondered if he was available for dates older viewers considered him a non threatening presence. By 2. 00. 2, Steven had starred in more than two dozen Dell spots. In some of the later ads, he took a back seat, appearing toward the end of the ads. The cameos prompted some concern among fans that Dell would be sidelining Curtis, but company representatives denied it. In early 2. 00. 3, however, the Dell Dude found himself out of a job. Dude, youre getting a cell was the headline in media accounts of Curtiss arrest in February 2. The Very Special World Of Lee Hazelwood Zip Code here. Curtis was on Manhattans Lower East Side and sporting a kilt he recently acquired in Scotland when an undercover officer spotted him purchasing the drug from a dealer. After being held in custody overnight, Curtis was released and the case was adjourned. Windows 98 Plus Screensavers' title='Windows 98 Plus Screensavers' />If he stayed out of trouble for a year, his record would be expunged. The New York Times compared the relative innocuousness of his arrest to that of actor Robert Mitchum, who was arrested on a marijuana related charge in 1. Despite living in a more conservative era, Mitchums career was largely unaffected. The same didnt hold true for Curtis, however he was promptly dropped by Dell as their spokesperson. According to Curtis, the company had a strict no drugs policy for employees, and one strike was all it took to force his dismissal. Feeling ostracized from commercial work and typecast by the role, Curtis juggled gigs while working at a Mexican restaurant in New York and enduring daily recognition from customers. Theyll get really drunk, and theyll start yelling things at me, he told Grub Street in 2. I either ignore them, or if its way out of hand, I go up and say, I appreciate your support, but my name is Ben. That usually doesnt work so I smile and ignore them. 102 Dalmatians Puppies To The Rescue Game. Dell never found a mascot as well liked as Curtis. They hired singer Sheryl Crow to appear in spots beginning in 2. Steven had. In 2. Today, they typically occupy a list of the top three PC companies, trailing Lenovo and HP. Curtis, meanwhile, made a segue into off Broadway performing and now operates Soul Fit NYC, a holistic wellness center in New York that offers yoga, massage, personal training, and life coaching services. Although hes expressed interest in coming back to Dell as a spokesperson, the company may not appreciate his latest indiscretion In 2.