|
By DANIEL TINDER - 13 Years Ago
|
|
Just received Netflix compilation DVD of old TV crime show. Was especially interested in the "Boston Blackie" segments as I had not seen them since we got our first TV set in the late 40s. What the hell is he driving? If I had to guess, I would say a customized Frazier sports car/roadster (?). It has odd bodywork. A protruding nose on the hood, and a central tail fin on the truck lid. It is also painted all black. Curious if anyone knows the history of this car?
|
|
By MoonShadow - 13 Years Ago
|
|
Found this link: http://kjdevries.blogspot.com/2011/06/boston-blackies-tv-car-mystery-solved.html Apparently its a Muntz. Chuck
|
|
By MarkMontereyBay - 13 Years Ago
|
|
A "customized" 49 Crosley Hot Shot, a Glaspar or a Muntz Jet according to some info on the web. Wikipedia states there were several different cars used.
|
|
By DANIEL TINDER - 13 Years Ago
|
Saw the museum photos of the purported Crosley/Blackie car. Doesn't look anything like the TV car, and I think it unlikely anyone would restore it to Production Crosley specs if it had indeed been originally custom built by Powell Crosley (?).
I COULD see where some Hollywood type looking to come up with a specialty car for the "Blackie" show might stumble across a wrecked early 50s Muntz Jet as an inexpensive core for crude custom bodywork. Likely it got pancaked in a stoplight incident, which would explain the major grill & trunk lid/fender alterations as a natural step.
Still, it WOULD be nice to find someone who really knows the story.
|
|
By MoonShadow - 13 Years Ago
|
|
I used to watch "Boston Blackie" but must have been too young to notice the car. Although it is dog ugly. The one in the picture you sent has to be a modified Muntz. I wonder when the first customized vehicle appeared in the movies? I know there were hot rods way back. I also am reminded of the W.C. Fields Bantum. Not sure if it was modified or not. Chuck
|
|
By aussiebill - 13 Years Ago
|
AH! Boston blackie was a great favourite of mine, if i remember rightly his name was Chester Morris? 
|
|
By 55vickey - 13 Years Ago
|
|
Hey Bill, you're partly right, Chester Morris played Blackie in the movies, but Kent Taylor played him in the TV series. Youtube has a lot of the TV episodes, click on and watch. Gary
|
|
By aussiebill - 13 Years Ago
|
|
55vickey (7/12/2012)
Hey Bill, you're partly right, Chester Morris played Blackie in the movies, but Kent Taylor played him in the TV series. Youtube has a lot of the TV episodes, click on and watch. GaryGary, i only saw him in the movies over here an awafull long time ago and was wrapped in the series, if i,m close, i think his offsider was "the runt"? i loved the bob hope shows which nearly allways fetured jerry colona? in the audience with the big googly eyes? and the marx bros, and the 3 stooges, and jet jackson, tarzan, jungle jim. My memory goes back to those days but yesterday and now are hazy,
|
|
By MoonShadow - 13 Years Ago
|
|
Next we'll be talking about old radio shows like "Inner Sanctum" and "Jason and the golden fleece". And don't forget the "Lucky Strike hit parade". Chuck
|
|
By aussiebill - 13 Years Ago
|
|
MoonShadow (7/12/2012)
Next we'll be talking about old radio shows like "Inner Sanctum" and "Jason and the golden fleece". And don't forget the "Lucky Strike hit parade". ChuckChuck, its amazing the space shows back then that have almost materialised today, who,d of thought you could talk into a watch, or cordless device as in Dick traceys watch. i was allways enthralled by Brick Bradford and the Time top, a futuristic space hero so far ahead of peoples thoughts then. I guess youth is wasted on the young! chuckle.
|
|
By MoonShadow - 13 Years Ago
|
Its their turn to be making memories. And I'm sure they will have some good ones too. BUT we have ours and they can't take them from us.  Chuck
|
|
By pegleg - 13 Years Ago
|
|
Aussie, Did you ever think you'd be trading stories about television shows from 50 years ago with somedbody 12,000 miles away. Instantly? I just talked to fella in the Czech Republic and sent a message to you. both sides of the world for basically nothin!
|
|
By MoonShadow - 13 Years Ago
|
|
Thats why I keep telling people that we need to get ahead of the curve on outsourcing. The entire world is going that way and the economics dictate it. I forsee a future when econmies are almost even across the board due to worldwide communications and manufacturing. I think the "Made in America" campaign is going to be detrimental to our position in world trade. My 25cents worth. Many of the companies that claim to be American made are playing around with the meaning of the words. Mass produced parts from China assembled in America (or Mexico) are not really American made. Ask Walmart they know all about the false front. Chuck
|
|
By DANIEL TINDER - 13 Years Ago
|
|
I've never been a fanatical "tree hugger", but you have to worry about wasted resources and the future of a planet where buying bottled/sliced button mushrooms shipped from China costs less than half the ones grown right down the road. About the only thing we still do better is "marketing". No one can fleece a sucker better than an American businessmen!
|
|
By LordMrFord - 13 Years Ago
|
|
DANIEL TINDER (7/14/2012)
I've never been a fanatical "tree hugger", but you have to worry about wasted resources and the future of a planet where buying bottled/sliced button mushrooms shipped from China costs less than half the ones grown right down the road. About the only thing we still do better is "marketing". No one can fleece a sucker better than an American businessmen!
I just buyed rear tires to my Mustang from Germany, but there was tires with same price in the U.S. what have been made in Japan or somewhere there.
So those tires are shipped pretty much around the world (Japan-U.S.-Finland) and they are much cheaper than the local tires.
I am not a treehugger either, but that is long way to get burned down on local streets. So what we learned? Burnouts is not most ecologial things to do.
|