I've never been to California but I know of Cal Worthington. From his many commercials on late night TV beamed via microwave hops from California to Arizona, I got to know and appreciate Mr. Worthington's style. Here's a link that pretty much says what I know about the late Cal Worthington. http://www.newsfromme.com/2013/09/09/cal-worthington-r-i-p/
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Passing noted: Cal Worthington
- Thread starter CrankyYankee
- Start date
106.9 KIFR - Frank Verducci died a few years ago, though I think his family still runs Serramonte Ford. Pete Ellis Dodge is gone now too. Local dealerships don't advertise much on TV anymore, and when they do, their ads are generally pretty slick - no more owner/manager showing you the latest used cars on his lot.
The closest Cal Worthington ever got to the Bay Area was Sacramento, where he lived and ran a dealership on Florin Road. I remember seeing the "Go See Cal" commercials in the 70s from the Sacramento stations that the old Viacom Cable beamed in from Sacto until they had to eliminate out of market stations from the dial.
As the article points out, Worthington was a showman - but he had the background. Before his huge success as a car dealer, he was a Country music DJ on 1110/KXLA in Pasadena, ending when it became a Top 40 station in 1959. He was also host of Cal's Corral, a local country music TV show that ran for a number of years in the 50s and 60s...on KCOP 13, IIRC
According to imdb, Cal's Corral (proper spelling of "corral") was three hours long - I remember it aired on Saturday night, probably live, and featured apperances by number of young country singers that became famous, including Johnny Cash and Glen Campbell
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1075762/combined
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1075762/combined
It's noted in Cal's New York Times obituary that he bought his first dealership from Earl "Madman" Muntz. I remember Muntz as LA's guru of the "Muntzo Stereo-Pak," the 4 track tape player. He made tons of money on that bit of outdated technology until the 8 track player killed it off.
Not to mention Ralph Williams, Chick Lambert, Nick Shamus (Felix Chevrolet), Stanley of Stanley Chevrolet, Fletcher Jones, and my personal favorite - Les Bacon and Sons (Ford) who would wreck an old jalopy with sledge hammers in their live commercials when they sponsored the Demolition Derby on KTLA. Their logo was a pig. Bacon...get it?
In one of those "6 degrees of Les Bacon" coincidences, it's noted in Cal's New York Times obituary that he bought his first dealership (a Hudson dealership, yet) from Earl "Madman" Muntz. I remember Muntz as LA's guru of the "Muntzo Stereo-Pak," the 4 track tape player. He made tons of money on that bit of outdated technology until the 8 track player killed it off.
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Thomps2525
Guest
At one time, Cal Worthington owned 29 automobile dealerships. He was so well-known, he was invited to appear on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. Worthington had a goose in his lap and when the goose defecated, Carson said, "Be glad it wasn't the elephant." 
Here is a composite of Cal Worthington commercials, including one where he's attached atop a small biplane in flight as it turns upside down. Yes, he was secured. He lived to make many more commercials.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOsLdT4slsk
Lew, do you remember the PlayTape two-track players that were sold at Sears? Each tiny tape cartridge contained (usually) four songs. I bought a PlayTape player and a few cartridges and I have no idea what happened to them.
http://socalmusicexchange.com/bajas_playtape_page/cat_page1.html
Here is a composite of Cal Worthington commercials, including one where he's attached atop a small biplane in flight as it turns upside down. Yes, he was secured. He lived to make many more commercials.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOsLdT4slsk
Lew, do you remember the PlayTape two-track players that were sold at Sears? Each tiny tape cartridge contained (usually) four songs. I bought a PlayTape player and a few cartridges and I have no idea what happened to them.
http://socalmusicexchange.com/bajas_playtape_page/cat_page1.html
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