Toronto’s Cash for Gold Kingpin

Toronto’s Cash for Gold Kingpin | Local Legends

Рет қаралды 435,300

Жыл бұрын

If you grew up in Ontario, you know Russell Oliver. He’s the Cashman. And, from his many outlandish, crass commercials, you know he wants to buy your gold and jewelry. But is Toronto’s cash-for-gold icon… okay? Getting older, he wants to change his ways, but can he?
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Пікірлер: 854

@mattsena7708 Жыл бұрын

Everyone who grew up in Greater Toronto Area or even southern Ontario knows who he is. A local legend really

@owenmclain3327 Жыл бұрын

In the greater Mississauga area there is a Pawnbroker Oliver who runs cheesy commercials that play out on the Gypsie station CP 24. Yeah, we know about him.

@ivanronin8209 Жыл бұрын

Yes a legend ok . Crooks ! just like Zelesky clowns !

@ivanronin8209 Жыл бұрын

He is Honest now . But still a Crook and and a Clown Narcissist !

@Cinema_Lover_ Жыл бұрын

True, from 6ix 😂

@kylecyr8999 Жыл бұрын

OH YEAH!!! Can't tell you how many times i have seen that dancing girl one in the 2000's

@hkmarhk Жыл бұрын

I don't think people from outside of southern Ontario will understand how we feel when we see this video. It's like we know this guy all our life and it is the first time we really, really know this guy.

@atriskyouthtv Жыл бұрын

Well put

@ThatHoserCanadian Жыл бұрын

I'm from BC, and yet I still got this mans commercials all the time. This just unlocked a deeply recessed bank of memories.

@hkmarhk Жыл бұрын

@@ThatHoserCanadian Really? That's amazing!

@ThatHoserCanadian Жыл бұрын

@@hkmarhk Yep, I especially, and very vividly remember the "I'm the Cashman" video with all the chicks dancing with him as he sings.

@Ransume Жыл бұрын

The stack man

@michaelrutley5438 Жыл бұрын

I worked on his car once and he tipped generously. He even bought the whole shop pizza. Good guy in my book

@mfa1744 Жыл бұрын

I was watching Breakfast Television one day and there was a kid on the show doing a fundraiser on the street and they were filming it. He came on, not sure if it was just a coincidence, but anyway he gave the kid a large cash donation on the spot, maybe $100 or more I don't remember. I thought that was generous.

@hwyterrorist Жыл бұрын

Probably finessed someone to sell their “old gold” (whatever that is 😂) to him so he could make 90% profit and buy you guys pizza.

@700K-pp9wm Жыл бұрын

@@hwyterrorist there’s a sucker born everyday

@ivanronin8209 Жыл бұрын

Really ?? He is Zelensky and George Soros Crime body ! He is not in Prison yet ? He scammed so many people ! His Brother owns a Big Jewish bakery in NY . Diamond dealer too .

@Elias-df6ki Жыл бұрын

Yo momma was a good guy in my books!!!!

@donnythompson237 Жыл бұрын

Lmfao, I would have never guessed that there would be a documentary on vice about Oliver

@andrewq159 Жыл бұрын

Vice bizarrely alternate between serious news & current affairs to lowbrow trivia like this.

@Gaetano.94 Жыл бұрын

Me and my dad saw his car the other day, the one with his face on it and face palmed so hard. I don't think my dad dislikes another person like him lmfao

@handlenameonyoutube Жыл бұрын

Same here haha I did a double take 😂

@davemakesnoises Жыл бұрын

@@andrewq159 just because you didn't experience the impact doesn't mean it didn't happen.

@andrewq159 Жыл бұрын

@@davemakesnoises Impact?! He's a local eccentric.

@multiple_oranges Жыл бұрын

"How long have you smoked for?" "I just started" 😂 Toronto legend!

@averywinders1363 Жыл бұрын

I can sense Oliver's mistrust and upset on some of the decisions his son is making. However, it is very respectable how he is allowing his son to really take it in the direction he wants. That takes a lot of effort.

@Illigrown Жыл бұрын

When he talked about slowly removing himself from the picture (can’t remember exactly how he worded it and ain’t got time to find the time stamp)… you could tell, he doesn’t fully agree but it’s not his baby anymore. Really admirable, but a little sad

@John-ir4id Жыл бұрын

I mean, think of all the major companies that would have sunk if they had not shifted their focus. Lamborghini started out making farm equipment - tractors.

@royanderson3478 Жыл бұрын

What did Oliver's son do? Tell me 😮, I'll go to Yorkville and sell him some stolen Gold chains. Then I'll report the shysters.

@ashadeofnight 11 ай бұрын

The son should let it stick with what it is or start a new company. You can't change a pawn shop into high end goods. The original advertising was too effector that!

@oddomadic Жыл бұрын

Oliver is a real one. His commercials with the girls dancing brings back great memories.

@CamboyGDubbz Жыл бұрын

We've hit peak Ontario Canadiana with this one.

@spooley Жыл бұрын

Nothing like waking up to a Russell Oliver ad after passing out in front of the TV. If he can't wake you up no one can.

@dustizlehansome374 Жыл бұрын

Such a carefree and wonderful documentary. No angles were taken and Cash Man was fully channeled in his native form. Loved it!

@m0mentum2 Жыл бұрын

Never would've guessed I'd be seeing this in my YT recommended. Cool to see he's just as much of a character in his day to day life as he is on TV, was also nice to hear a man at his age be so open about his experience with depression.. I wish him and his family the best with their business and in life, Russel Oliver you are most definitely a legend and one classy man! OH YEA! 😂💸

@JustinBatesMedia Жыл бұрын

This was a great watch. Grew up with his commercials all over TV and radio. Surprised how self aware he is, seems like a funny guy

@Illigrown Жыл бұрын

I love how honest he is. He admits how much he lives for the attention and media. It’s refreshing in a world full of narcissists who want to pretend to be selfless on their social media pages…. This guys loves the camera. Loves the people. And admits to both!

@dvvidw Жыл бұрын

Always good to see people get help with depression.

@blairwilliams136 Жыл бұрын

Funny story about Russel Oliver. My brothers company upgraded the CCTV monitor in his store many years ago and I got the old plasma from his office. For years I watched TV with his store burned into the screens background. Fun to show friends when they came over .

@RoulinBrooks Жыл бұрын

I always see his commercials when I have a doctor's appointment because the TVs are always set to CP24. I generally roll my eyes, but there's something sort of weirdly endearing about Russell Oliver. Also, years ago there was a piece in The New Yorker magazine about the biggest pawn shop magnates in Toronto. The article said that Russell Oliver was definitely the most honest and fair of the lot. I don't know why that guy sitting at the table ("Tacky Man") had to be such a jerk. For better or for worse, Russell Oliver IS a legend.

@Alsatiagent Жыл бұрын

He's wealthy but not as wealthy as Russell Oliver so that constitutes a narcissistic injury. Maybe he's just an anti-semite.

@lg8587 Жыл бұрын

The guy at the table was being a dick 😂

@brianallison1913 Жыл бұрын

Did you notice how lady-like they had their legs crossed while sitting there?

@dariusbaja21 Жыл бұрын

" Look rich , stay rich all that nonsense " LOL Always seen this guy on tv since a child , seems like a genuinely cool ass laidback guy . I think he also likes drugs a lot 😂

@Toy1er Жыл бұрын

Tbf drugs kind of rule.

@miriley6 Жыл бұрын

One of the employees at one of his locations very nearly ripped me off badly. I was in between jobs and had a lot of jewerly and gold I was gifted or had passed down etc, anyways I remember I had this one very beautiful gold necklace and a couple other items I was willing to part with. I knew itd get good money for them as I had them appraised years prior. I went in expecting to get at least $1000 (although i knew they were worth more but i needed rent badly), they told me the best they could do was 100. WTF. They pushed the ide that most of it was bad quality and said some was fake and that they were they best in town. I knew it wasnt fake so I just laughed and left....THANK GOD I went to another place on the Danforth because they told me it was very good european quality made in the 30's and i ended up with nearly 2000, twice what I expected. The difference between the two was shocking, I wonder how many desperate people they conned who really needed cash. Never ever ever using them ever again. dodged a bullet.

@dennispremoli7950 Жыл бұрын

His voice and demeanor surely is what inspired Danny DeVito's "Trash Man" hahaha

@fightvale57 Жыл бұрын

Omg...totally. I just love learning references like 15 years after an air date❤

@caramazzola2399 Жыл бұрын

Oh!!

@HerculesRockefellerESQ Жыл бұрын

I wanna know when we are going to meet the real life Dr. Mantis Toboggan, MD.

@aaronnowak5632 Жыл бұрын

Growing up as a kid in Hamilton I would see Oliver's commercials all the time! At an early age I probably didn't even understand fully what his whole business was, but he still had the most entertaining commercials. It was interesting to get a glimpse of his earlier years, and nostalgic to see some of those commercials again. Glad to see he's still doing relatively well and taking good care of himself. Oh yeahh!

@Toy1er Жыл бұрын

His business essentially amounts to giving cash to drug addicts in return for stolen items. Real classy biz.

@aaronnowak5632 Жыл бұрын

@@Toy1er I've never actually thought of it this way. However even if that is true, it sounds more like a law enforcement issue.

@cccc285 Жыл бұрын

Yeah no seriously grew up in Shwa and he was what I thought adults were supposed to be 😂😂

@cccc285 Жыл бұрын

@@Toy1erOntario is an open drug market anyways dude

@tidusfantasy Жыл бұрын

i was only a foreign student in U of Toronto for 4 years in the mid 2000s, and i know who he is.... What a legend!

@morstyrannis1951 Жыл бұрын

This video was not what I expected at all. I live in Vancouver which is about as far from Toronto as you can get in Canada. I had heard of this character from friends who lived in Ontario. What an interesting story. He comes across as a much more genuine and sympathetic character than I ever would have guessed. Bravo for the open discussion about depression and how he’s managing it. This was a good one, Vice.

@colepritchard3052 Жыл бұрын

Honestly love this, Oliver the classman truly represents what Toronto is all about. He is part of the culture here.

@srirachaaaa Жыл бұрын

This comment section is a true testament to how much positivity and influence this man has had on the GTA community. A marketing master

@fleenormality Жыл бұрын

“No no no no, I blew it all on drugs and girls and gambling, oh we used to play throughout night. Oh man it was a beautiful time” What a legend 😂

@Toy1er Жыл бұрын

His honesty was great. As a fellow drug-lover, I could relate to his excitement about receiving anesthetics at the hospital after being shot.

@randyc7351 Жыл бұрын

This guy is an open book... He never took himself too seriously either. Kind of refreshing there are people like this guy still around.

@reillyyugehands481 Жыл бұрын

Open crook.

@randyc7351 Жыл бұрын

@@reillyyugehands481 how did he Rio you off ?

@michaelh4227 Жыл бұрын

Seen his commercials all the time as a kid and I'm glad he's doing well, especially after the pandemic. Really nice to see he's a really down to earth guy when you hear him in person.

@Tech__Tom Жыл бұрын

In case the transition from CASHMAN to CLASSMAN doesn't work out, Kramer from Seinfeld can be yet another inspiration: ASSMAN

@v12smooth82 Жыл бұрын

So many great memories from decades of old school style commercials. Thanks Russell :)

@khrishnakumarigossai6559 Жыл бұрын

This is very nostalgic even for me. One of the few commercials I looked at and enjoyed. Thank you, Russell Oliver, Oh Yeah!

@aqiftyta31 Жыл бұрын

So excited to see a short doc on him! I have always seen him on TV but never knew much about him

@MaciarelliSpinelli Жыл бұрын

Sometimes the "I'll give you money for your gold" song pops into my head. Probably haven't seen the commercial for 20 years. Genius advertising. Also the 98.1 CHFI theme song from the late 90's still gets stuck in my head.

@davemakesnoises Жыл бұрын

CHFI 98.1......Torontooooooo

@DudesIn101 Жыл бұрын

I'm glad Russell was able to live out his dreams before he woke up to the real nightmare . He's funny as hell too,I'm thinking about selling my old gold to him instead of anyone else just for the experience, seriously!

@agea3280 Жыл бұрын

Fantastic segment! Cashman is a Toronto ICON 💰

@andrewq159 Жыл бұрын

A mere local eccentric.

@andrewq159 Жыл бұрын

@Soviet 0nion Saying he's not suitable for a documentary isn't hating. His age has nothing to do with it.

@andrewq159 Жыл бұрын

@Soviet 0nion I watched less than a minute of it. Like the vast majority of people, I hadn't previously heard of him.

@Lord_Dingbat Жыл бұрын

I live in Ottawa amd I've seen his commercials many times growing up in the 90's and early 2000's

@Lord_Dingbat Жыл бұрын

@@andrewq159 If you lived in Canada you would most likely have seen his advertisements

@KingDennisJensen Жыл бұрын

Been living in Ontario for 30 years, he's had the greatest commercials as far as I can remember lmao, this was such a pleasant surprise to see him on VICE.

@oneeks5908 Жыл бұрын

Lol my son is three and whenever the commercial comes on he yells “the cash man” 😂

@thegoldenhippo7936 Жыл бұрын

Love this guy! Grew up in London Ontario and always saw him haha Seems so genuine

@Mahmoud-mk9rw Жыл бұрын

This man is an absolute treasure thanks for sharing him with us Canada

@SamSlugg456 Жыл бұрын

Bro called him tack man to his face lol wild

@TheStrengthNU Жыл бұрын

As someone who has grown up seeing Oliver's commercials, after watching this I like him even more. Can't knock his hustle lol

@sophiaisabelle0227 Жыл бұрын

Seems like his legacy will continue to live on for a lifetime. He's made such a drastic impact over time.

@andrewq159 Жыл бұрын

Be serious - he's no more than a local eccentric.

@apoc519 Жыл бұрын

@@andrewq159 This guy is well known in Canada to anyone over 30

@andrewq159 Жыл бұрын

@@apoc519 Less than half a percent of the world's population live in Canada.

@Curling_Rack Жыл бұрын

Toronto Police raided his home for buying stolen jewellery year ago? lol

@anthonymaughan6103 Жыл бұрын

@@Curling_RackI imagine he's got his finger in several pie's fella👍

@Mile-long-list Жыл бұрын

I've been watching this legend on tv popping up on commercials or interviews since I live near Toronto. He is hilarious but a very shrewd business man. Ohhhh yeahhhhh

@strayferal Жыл бұрын

I lived in Toronto for 11 years and while I don't watch TV, I watch the news at the office lunch break and Oliver is so much Toronto.

@owendavies8113 Жыл бұрын

This was awesome! Thanks Vice for bringing back these memories!

@aaronbenhaggai973 Жыл бұрын

I remember his commercials growing up in toronto when i was a kid he was everywhere

@jetski6306 Жыл бұрын

I love this guy so much . His commercials gave me so many smiles

@Dexy83 Жыл бұрын

I adore this man! We need more Mr. Oliver!

@wafaalmasri2891 Жыл бұрын

haha, the one with him in the blazer - when Russell zooms his face and says 'OH YA', it scares the hell out of my 2yr old. Now he cries whenever he sees the ad 🤣

@angelazsz Жыл бұрын

THIS GUY IS A LEGEND. his commercials have played on tv for over 20 years. everyone knows about him. i’ve never actually been to his shop but he’s an icon

@munkyzzb7504 Жыл бұрын

Love his honesty. A lot of people won't admit they want attention

@brookboussaken3887 Жыл бұрын

This was surprisingly wholesome and uplifting, old in age young in the heart 😎😎

@abbath1586 Жыл бұрын

He definitely seems less greasy now than in the 90s/2000s. I think Harold takes the crown for king of grease salesman. Kudos to his son for taking the direction they are, times are changing and his son knows it.

@SecretWars98 Жыл бұрын

Amazing, really can’t hate on the fact that his giddy unapologetic personality worked on so many, solid gold baby! 😂

@certhal86 Жыл бұрын

This is the definition of an eccentric. I love this guy

@Polyfusia Жыл бұрын

I'd watch a whole series about this guy.

@Candaba Жыл бұрын

better call saul?

@kjames245 Жыл бұрын

When my daughter was 2 yrs old and that dancing girls Cashman song would come on the tv she'd drop whatever she was playing with and come running to dance her little butt off to that song, then calmly go back to her toys once it was done. Such nostalgia 😊

@dees.daniel7 Жыл бұрын

I did security detail for him for a few years. Always treated me with respect and I enjoyed working his door.

@brando19872 Жыл бұрын

I remember seeing his commercials on air many times then he happened to opened one of his shops on brock road in Pickering, Ontario. The cash man is a legend!

@AndyTrucker1985 Жыл бұрын

Love this interview, growing up in the 90's near Toronto i definitely know the Cashman

@matthewblake1884 Жыл бұрын

Watching him finally hit the promo at the end after struggling with it before made my day

@lillylane8993 Жыл бұрын

Omg this man and his commercials were everywhere in my childhood

@maxN7 Жыл бұрын

The honesty of this man is so refreshing. Much respect.

@silvarnk612 Жыл бұрын

This man defined my early childhood here in Canada. Couldn't watch CP24 without seeing his adds between broadcasts lol

@cccc285 Жыл бұрын

This guy is one of the examples I can always give for og Toronto area television, a lot more realistic but blunt than American television during these times. Saw him at one of the rib fests and said hi gave him space and as everyone else was being surprisingly respectful someone you could have banter with and it never just felt like useless small talk, local legend for sure and he has a place in my memory that has been there since I can remember honestly. I know how he feels about the higher production commercials he just doesn’t have the same excitement and enthusiasm for it as his own productions.

@oliverdechazal1126 Жыл бұрын

"I don't wanna waste 15 seconds crossing the road... what for!?" Absolute legend

@andrewq159 Жыл бұрын

At most he's a local eccentric.

@andrewq159 Жыл бұрын

@@JJONNYREPP About 99% of people haven't heard of him.

@andrewq159 Жыл бұрын

@@JJONNYREPP He doesn't even have a Wikipedia article.

@andrewq159 Жыл бұрын

@@JJONNYREPP Wikipedia has notability requirements which he doesn't meet.

@davemakesnoises Жыл бұрын

@@andrewq159 wow this guy got you pressed

@DNGOOfficial Жыл бұрын

I always remember the commercials growing up. a classic Toronto icon

@glenncooney3959 3 ай бұрын

As a regular visitor to Toronto, he’s always a mainstay on my hotel tv. It’s nice to know that he is a good person and not a façade. Those ads are very kitschy but local TV in Toronto isn’t the same without them. Oh yeah!

@deo8375 Жыл бұрын

This guys ads on CP24 was the only ad I remember, legendary dude

@HerculesRockefellerESQ Жыл бұрын

This was actually really good. I think everyone always kinda pictured this guy kind of like a real-life cartoon character. Definitely a lot more "everyman" attitude when he's not advertising.

@Burgerss Жыл бұрын

Seen this guy so much on the commercials when I was younger.

@epicman5324 Жыл бұрын

I loved these commercials as a kid

@Shramper_ Жыл бұрын

Well this video was a pleasant surprise! See, I didn't consent to this guy being a part of my childhood whenever I ate breakfast and watched tv before going to school everyday. And as corny as the songs and acting was, I couldn't help but be endeared by it and get the damn song stuck in my head every morning. I'd like to imagine the equal amounts of "Harold the Jewelry Buyer" commercials running against Cash 4 Gold helped Russel get even more popular. He probably wanted to be more professional, but he was about as charming as the rocks gold comes from compared to Cashman. Glad to see Russel taking it easy now and trying to shift his priorities from the excitement of his work too. I'd say that robbery alone certainly earned him some rest.

@SamSlugg456 Жыл бұрын

I’m from Canada’s pants (the US) and I’ve never heard of this guy. What a strange but oddly relatable family lol

@DNGOOfficial Жыл бұрын

you wouldn't see his commercials unless from the Toronto area.

@BPsnowdon Жыл бұрын

Brilliant. A legend and proud to have him here part of our beloved city. Oh Yeah!!!!!!

@innershawnti Жыл бұрын

I actually love this. What a Legend. I was always laughing at the commercials, but obviously the outlandish ways have done their magic. xD

@SamSlugg456 Жыл бұрын

The way he says Cartier is wild lol

@robertvarga9843 Жыл бұрын

I like this guy, he's idea is so stupid, and brilliant at the same time,I have no words

@missluna 9 ай бұрын

I appreciate this man’s hustle

@mdogzino Жыл бұрын

I admire his self-awareness & down to earth honesty. Very endearing

@gotsunshine100 Жыл бұрын

This episode warmed my heart ❤️

@martianally9401 Жыл бұрын

When I worked at the racetrack I would run into him quite often. You can never miss his gold dress shoes. I could always tell when he was having a good day or bad day.

@snazzy1995 Жыл бұрын

cash man wasn’t the hero we wanted. He was the hero we always needed

@Curling_Rack Жыл бұрын

pawned your jewellery to buy crack?

@enjoythesilence6883 Жыл бұрын

I like this guy, he seems pretty genuine

@SMOOVKILL1 Жыл бұрын

I definitely sold gold there before. Lol. He's a Toronto legend for sure. I actually forgot about him.

@chance1854 Жыл бұрын

Russell a legend in Toronto I always see his commercials on cp24 still

@ennvisionn Жыл бұрын

7:25 The OG clout demon 😂😂

@mrltcg Жыл бұрын

It is nice to see more positive feelings being put out by vice

@Netoflix92 Жыл бұрын

When I was in middle school I remember seeing these commercials all the time. My mom collecting a handful of old jewelry and stuff she brought from back home. We ended up going to their eglinton location and to this day I cannot get the image of them laughing and treating us so bad that my mom cried inside and all the way home. I was a kid and felt helpless and regret to this day not being able to defend her. F this guy,his stupid commercials and f this company. ❤

@Ali-et9oz Жыл бұрын

I'm so sorry to hear this fr. Moments like those doom us to a different mindset. Hope you're doing great! I've always wondered how people see jewelry as a good investment when people like this are the only ones who will buy it for a fraction of what you paid for it, only to sell it for a far greater value. Trash

@kentneumann5209 Жыл бұрын

I'm guessing she didnt have any real gold, but thought she did, probably lied to by whomever gave it to her. Or who she stole it from.

@Netoflix92 Жыл бұрын

@@kentneumann5209 🤡

@at9362 Жыл бұрын

Kinda reminds me of "Paul from the diamond centre" in the S.F Bay Area back in the 80's and 90's.. Paul was awesome!

@RyanStonedonCanadianGaming Жыл бұрын

Man's commercial is engraved into my brain.

@rulesR4foolz Жыл бұрын

we need a documentary on Mel Lastman and his brother!

@victorchebur Жыл бұрын

i grew up watching him. so glad hes still healthy

@alexipacquin Жыл бұрын

Soo awesome!! More mini Toronto movies!!!!!!

@Eusantdac Жыл бұрын

Ya, impossible to have lived through the 90s in Toronto without knowing about this guy. He bombarded the airways with those annoying commercials. I couldn't stand them but they did the job so, good for him.

@HardTrancid Жыл бұрын

Hhaha Wow I remember seeing these late night on City TV back in the 90's ! Almost forgot about Cash Man. Thanks for the memories, glad to see you're still around! =)

@SeanRosairo Жыл бұрын

Russel Oliver is a true Toronto icon. He's so genuine in this interview. CP24 might sensationalize local news, but whenever his ads pop up, it makes it a little better.