Gerry Thomas, who invented the TV dinner and helped revolutionize food marketing and distribution, has died at 83. Thomas died Monday after a struggle with cancer. Thomas was a salesman for C.A. Swanson and Sons when he devised frozen meals packaged in trays that had separate sections for each part of the meal. The first Swanson TV Dinner -- turkey with dressing and gravy, sweet potatoes, peas and cornbread -- was an instant hit, selling an estimated 10 million in its first year on the U.S. market. Leslie G. Sarasin, president and chief executive officer of the American Frozen Food Institute, praised Thomas for his "knowledge, creativity and passion" in the frozen food industry. "He served as the inspiration for many of his peers and for many who followed him in this industry," said Sarasin, "and he was part of the competitive force that brings about advancement." © Copyright 2005 by United Press International

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