tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post4814806078337415645..comments2023-11-03T06:02:02.128-07:00Comments on By Ken Levine: Remembering Cal WorthingtonBy Ken Levinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17305293821975250420noreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-17025417223900552862014-02-01T18:13:02.821-08:002014-02-01T18:13:02.821-08:00I love Cal and so does my son. You see, I am his 3...I love Cal and so does my son. You see, I am his 3rd wife. <br /><br />I was just missing him this evening and every once in a while, like to find things on the internet about him. Most of the comments here are mostly true. Some are very funny. I enjoyed Ken's tribute. <br /><br />What I want to say to anyone reading this, is that there may never be a finer man. He was an upstanding citizen, had very "white-hat" business practices, and truly loved people, his family and his friends. He was dirt poor as a child, cared so much for his mother and brothers and sisters, that he ALWAYS gave every cent he ever made growing up as a young boy and young man, to his mother to help provide for them. He never stopped providing for his family. Cal would always say, his greatest accomplishments are his children and his family. <br /><br />He was my best friend during our 16 years together. I am very lucky to have had him in my life. We love you "Honey-Pie."Bonnie Worthingtonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-50200935082746570462013-09-17T13:52:44.402-07:002013-09-17T13:52:44.402-07:00We didnt buy a car from Cal, but we rented a ford ...We didnt buy a car from Cal, but we rented a ford aerostar van back in 1993 for a cross country trip.Jeremyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03693941056039723825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-70478805638867900752013-09-12T16:25:26.091-07:002013-09-12T16:25:26.091-07:00He would say in the 70s "There's over th...He would say in the 70s "There's over three million people in the Los Angeles basin, all I want is ONE chance and each and every one of them". Actually, he was pretty ruthless back in those days about his practices handling customers. But, those were the 70s!Doktor Frank Doehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02513210116049815764noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-84756512763276505192013-09-12T11:42:01.965-07:002013-09-12T11:42:01.965-07:00My mistake. Somehow, I misread it. Old eyes.My mistake. Somehow, I misread it. Old eyes.D. McEwannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-32352821831524273222013-09-12T00:37:12.299-07:002013-09-12T00:37:12.299-07:00I never said anything about a girlfriend, it was m...I never said anything about a girlfriend, it was my roommate. One degree of separation.XJillnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-47860026818544184602013-09-11T23:30:00.016-07:002013-09-11T23:30:00.016-07:00Didn't Cal also threaten to eat a bug?Didn't Cal also threaten to eat a bug?Cap'n Bobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11783977137812876489noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-9330876470733822582013-09-11T22:01:21.612-07:002013-09-11T22:01:21.612-07:00@D. McEwan: Ask them to scan the receipt and post ...@D. McEwan: Ask them to scan the receipt and post it online. In case they bought from Kenyan Cal.Mikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06248182899977033579noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-66455041886758929072013-09-11T18:05:16.394-07:002013-09-11T18:05:16.394-07:00I grew up watching those commercials like a lot of...I grew up watching those commercials like a lot of people on here. And when I was a kid the jingle did not sound like, "Go See Cal", it sounded like Pussycow! Pussycow! Pussycow!It's not just me it's listed in urban dictionary and it is hilarious. http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Pussy%20CowDiane L.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-8680544967708978552013-09-11T12:33:02.882-07:002013-09-11T12:33:02.882-07:00Ok, Xjill's roommate's girl-friend bought ...Ok, Xjill's roommate's girl-friend bought a car from Cal. Surely in an audience this large, there must be a second one, perhaps someone who isn't two-degrees of seperation removed? (In one of his Dame Edna stage shows, Barry Humphries would refer to "a sad woman" who had written to her: "This woman had no friends, only friends of friends.")D. McEwannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-71871432570878924772013-09-11T09:21:55.732-07:002013-09-11T09:21:55.732-07:00Phillip B., "Ralph Spoilsport" was more ...Phillip B., "Ralph Spoilsport" was more of a patch on Ralph Williams who was another late night car dealer pitchman.Brian Phillipshttp://ultrasonicremote.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-6720889917921364242013-09-11T07:09:36.375-07:002013-09-11T07:09:36.375-07:00Cal wasn't Canadian? As a kid in Vancouver we ...Cal wasn't Canadian? As a kid in Vancouver we saw his ads all the time (because we watched the Seattle channels). When we were looking for a car I couldn't understand why my parents didn't 'go see Cal,Davidhttp://www.davidrussell.canoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-1283303660515345212013-09-10T23:47:41.566-07:002013-09-10T23:47:41.566-07:00D. Mc Ewan, fwiw I graduated from Long Beach State...D. Mc Ewan, fwiw I graduated from Long Beach State and my roommate as a grad present literally walked to Worthington and bought a car. Did no research or anything. I was shocked that anyone could do just that (walk onto a lot and buy a car with no advance planning) but he did it. So there's one deal done.XJillnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-17660823528441789822013-09-10T23:09:38.392-07:002013-09-10T23:09:38.392-07:00I've got one more to add to Pam aka sisterzip&...I've got one more to add to Pam aka sisterzip's list of zany St. Louis TV pitchmen - the guys who did the spots for Schweig-Engel Furniture in the 1980s. <br />Somewhat like Cal Worthington, they had a basic schtick that kept evolving - in this case, it was like a little troupe of three or four guys, doing ultra-low-budget spots that parodied Jurassic Park, Miami Vice, Ghostbusters, Peewee Herman, and other pop culture staples of the time. A bunch of their spots survive on YouTube... Dean Mindermanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13849119270850790787noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-22468252679545424402013-09-10T19:08:19.363-07:002013-09-10T19:08:19.363-07:00Philadelphia's equivalent of Cal Worthington w...Philadelphia's equivalent of Cal Worthington was Krass Brothers, a clothing store on South Street that labeled itself the "Store of the Stars" with an array of bizarre spots you usually saw on late-night movies on one of the UHF stations in the '80s. Here's more about the store, plus a link to an '88 spot: http://www.broadcastpioneers.com/krass.htmlVP81955https://www.blogger.com/profile/11792390726196611188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-1558396724472699452013-09-10T16:15:47.295-07:002013-09-10T16:15:47.295-07:00CBC's "As It Happens" is doing a sto...CBC's "As It Happens" is doing a story on Cal this evening. I think one of their researchers must read your blog, Ken. :-)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15458293710002421748noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-35613004724424052972013-09-10T15:23:25.036-07:002013-09-10T15:23:25.036-07:00The comparison above to Buster Keaton and Jackie C...The comparison above to Buster Keaton and Jackie Chan is quite appropriate. Growing up in Texas, I knew Cal Worthington as the car salesman extraordinaire from Johnny Carson's jokes, but I had no idea he did stunts like this. I'm amazed he lived to 92, or even 32. <br /><br />Here in Dallas, the only current famous TV pitchmen we have are ambulance-chasing lawyers. Brian Loncar is pretty in-your-face, but nobody compares to Jim Adler, "The Texas Hammer!!" He spends his spots railing at the top of his lungs about the big trucking companies and insurance companies that try to screw the little guy, but he HAMMERS them for all you deserve!! Two female friends of mine wrote and perform a "Greater Tuna"-style sketch show about characters in a small Texas town. In one scene, a little old lady is writing her Christmas newsletter about her family's disastrous year, and she deadpans the good news that her son has obtained the best legal representation: "Jim Adler...the Texas Hammer." It gets a huge laugh that I suspect is totally Dallas-centric. Pat Reedernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-54425031152261683902013-09-10T13:45:19.011-07:002013-09-10T13:45:19.011-07:00Maybe I'm easy, but this had me guffawing - es...Maybe I'm easy, but this had me guffawing - especially when Cal tries to saddle an orca and is being chewed on by a tiger.<br /><br />I can't remember anyone comparable in the Washington, D.C. area, though 40 years have failed to wipe the jingle, "You Always Get Your Way at Ourisman Chevrolet!" from my mind.RCPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04251247613686669877noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-49969312011469126702013-09-10T13:31:12.940-07:002013-09-10T13:31:12.940-07:00FYI, Zemeckis and Gale claim Cal as the inspiratio...FYI, Zemeckis and Gale claim Cal as the inspiration for "Used Cars."Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16115388048037699764noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-36707956819602547182013-09-10T12:47:29.176-07:002013-09-10T12:47:29.176-07:00@Pam aka sisterzip. I remember a electronic store ...@Pam aka sisterzip. I remember a electronic store spokesperson guy in St. Louis and the one spot was "Quick, somebody call me a doctor. You're a doctor!) Early 80's.<br /><br />The "bring your wife in and we'll dicker" ended up being syndicated in the 70's to car dealers, as in college we had Rudd Ford who promised the same thing to the people of southern Illinois.bensonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-59736952107582887502013-09-10T12:44:11.414-07:002013-09-10T12:44:11.414-07:00Cal also had dealerships, and TV ads, all over Ala...Cal also had dealerships, and TV ads, all over Alaska. He was a pilot (His WWII decorations were for flying bombing missions over Berlin), and flew his own interstate commute between California and Alaska.<br /><br />But I've lived in So Cal for over 6 decades, and I've never known <i><b>ANYONE</b></i> who bought a car from Cal. <i><b>SOMEONE</b></i> bought cars from him. His success is undeniable, but who?<br /><br />I posed this same question on my Facebook page yesterday. So far no one will cop to having bought a car from Cal. One woman I've known since 1964 said when her husband returned from Vietnam, they went to Cal to buy a car and were treated so rudely by his salesmen that they left and bought elsewhere.D. McEwannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-6047530413244769962013-09-10T11:57:57.393-07:002013-09-10T11:57:57.393-07:00Many fond memories of Cal. When I worked at chann...Many fond memories of Cal. When I worked at channel 9, Cal's ad agency, run by Len Robin, would drive into the lot late, every Fri afternoon and call the traffic manager, who would bring him the week end logs. Len would then buy every unsold spot left. At KCOP, where they shot a lot his commercials, the crew threatened to walk off the set if they let the tiger out it's cage. They did the spot at the dealership.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-80555000734601296212013-09-10T11:46:27.322-07:002013-09-10T11:46:27.322-07:00I had the opportunity to shoot an interview Cal in...I had the opportunity to shoot an interview Cal in the early 80's - He was very accommodating and fun to talk with.<br /><br />The thing that struck me most that day was when we handed him a standard release to sign, out came the reading glasses and he actually read every single line of boilerplate before putting his signature on it. I have never seen anyone do that before or since. <br /><br />A shrewd businessman.Tom Parkernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-56340835497086602512013-09-10T11:21:14.868-07:002013-09-10T11:21:14.868-07:00Chick Lambert did his commercials for Brand Motors...Chick Lambert did his commercials for Brand Motors -- a Ford dealership.<br /><br />(My dad was business manager of the place for a few years.)<br /><br />I got to meet Chick and Storm (at least once). I was generally terrified of dogs -- especially big ones -- and Storm was enormous. He could lounge on a car and make it disappear. But he was very gentle. At some point he passed away and was replaced by Storm II -- a much smaller German Shepherd....<br /><br />For whatever that was worth!Gordonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-28971835862785958972013-09-10T11:19:39.807-07:002013-09-10T11:19:39.807-07:00He was a NorCal legend, too, at least in the 70s w...He was a NorCal legend, too, at least in the 70s when I was a teenager...I kind of miss those commercials.Thumperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02154314376352066709noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-6421262626970536262013-09-10T10:30:05.196-07:002013-09-10T10:30:05.196-07:00He wasn't as prevalent in the Bay Area when I ...He wasn't as prevalent in the Bay Area when I moved there in 1969. We had Ralph Williams, and later on Jay Brown of Spartan Dodge, who hosted all night movies. Not that he was up all night, mind you. To this day I can remember, "Hey, night people! Come to 4590 Stevens Creek Boulevard! We're right on the corner and right on the price! I think all of these guys got busted at some point for their sleazy business practices. <br /><br />One night Jay decided to have a live, all-night sales event with free hot dogs and soda. The only attendees were drunks and punks. Someone beaned him with a weenie about 2 a.m. and that was the last time he ever tried that.Cap'n Bobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11783977137812876489noreply@blogger.com