BEND, Ore. - David Joseph Rufkahr, who played the simple country bumpkin Frank Bartles in the popular Bartles & Jaymes wine cooler ads, died after suffering an apparent heart attack Tuesday. He was 61.

Many people believed Rufkahr and his television partner owned the company they pitched for, although they did not.

In fact, Rufkahr once admitted he tasted the flavored wine drink once, at a party thrown by Gallo to introduce the product and ads in 1985.

The ads ran through 1991, teaming Rufkahr's talkative Frank Bartles with Dick Maugg's stone-faced Ed Jaymes.

The ads were hugely successful and their tag line delivered by Rufkahr, ''And thank you for your support,'' became a popular saying for a time.