Will Radcliff | Slush Puppie creator, 74

Will Radcliff, 74, who built a multimillion-dollar global business from flavored, icy Slush Puppie drinks, has died Thursday in Cincinnati. His daughter DeeAnn Radcliff Harmon said he had been in hospice care after his health declined following a recent fall.

Mr. Radcliff was a natural salesman who once peddled vacuum cleaners door-to-door and earned a six-figure income from selling peanuts. "He could sell anything to anybody," his daughter said.

Mr. Radcliff had spotted a slush machine at a 1970 Chicago trade show and saw the possibilities of icy sweet drinks that could be made for a few pennies. He thought the sound of icy crystals hitting the cup, the smell and taste of flavorings, and the texture pleased all the senses.

The family story goes that he, sister Phyllis, and their mother, Thelma, sat on a front porch drinking beer and writing down possible names on a brown paper bag before agreeing that Slush Puppie was the best candidate. It would become represented by a floppy-eared dog.

Cherry, grape, orange, and lemon-lime were among the earliest flavors. Sales boomed and business spread, with Slush Puppie machines becoming a staple in many convenience stores. Distributorships from Australia to Africa made Slush Puppie global, and London-based Cadbury Schweppes P.L.C. bought the Slush Puppie Co. in 2001. Mr. Radcliff also had a frozen cocktail business, among other business operations. - AP