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1955
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1956
American Graffiti (DVD)
American Graffiti (VHS) (1973)—This movie launched the careers of a few actors and actresses, along with
putting George Lucas at the top of the Hollywood Directors' lists! The
story of a group of high school friends, cruising around on a late summer's
night in 1962. This movie accurately depicts American life before the Kennedy
assassination and the Vietnam War. Wolfman Jack DJ's popular tunes on the
soundtrack, broadcast throughout the movie as a local radio station. Starring
Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard, Cindy Williams, Mackenzie Phillips, Paul
LeMat, Charles Martin Smith, Suzanne Somers (appears briefly driving a
white T-Bird), Candy Clark, Harrison Ford, Bo Hopkins, Joe Spano, and Kathleen
Quinlan. Nominated for five Oscars, but didn't win any! Great soundtrack
and story. Don't miss!
Cheech and Chong's Next Movie (DVD) Cheech and Chong's Next Movie (VHS) (1980)—This is the movie that introduced Paul Reubens (Pee Wee Herman) to the
world. Cheech and Chong were perhaps the most popular comedy team during
the late seventies and early eighties, and their movies all centered around
marijuana: how to grow it, how to smoke it, how to hide it, etc. This movie
doesn't really have much of a plot, it's mostly a series of sketches that
have been pieced together. There's no doubt that Cheech and Chong fans
will love it, and Thunderbird fans will enjoy the 1956 Thunderbird in the
movie. Since this movie was filmed, the Thunderbird has been restored to
its original Peacock Blue finish with Colonial White Hardtop.
Dirty Dancing (DVD) Dirty Dancing (VHS)(1987)—The story of an innocent 17-year-old girl vacationing at a resort hotel
in the Catskills with her parents during the summer of 1963. Depicting
life in tranquil America prior to the Kennedy assassination, Jennifer Grey
is convincing as a typical teenager of the period. She quickly gets bored
with the other guests and discovers that the hotel staff is having all
the fun! The dance parties they throw after hours, with "suggestive"
dancing is a big attraction to the teen. The fact that handsome Patrick
Swayze is one of the dance instructors doesn't hurt, either. Grey's character
grows up quickly though, forecasting what was about to happen to America
after the events in Dallas on November 22, 1963. It's all about love, sex,
and rock and roll, with a dynamite soundtrack and excellent dance sequences.
A Fiesta Red 1956 Thunderbird makes an appearance at the beginning of the
movie. The black Oldsmobile the family arrives in during the opening sequence
pulls up behind the T-Bird at the hotel, and can be seen while they are
unloading their bags. Cynthia Rhodes, Jerry Orbach also star. The song
(I've Had) The Time of My Life won the Academy Award for Best Song of 1987.
Hot Rod Girl (DVD)
Hot Rod Girl (VHS) (1956)—Chuck Connors (star of TV's The Rifleman) stars in this poorly acted American-International film production. Connors
plays a police officer who's concerned about illegal teen age drag racing
in his community. He decides to organize a supervised venue for the kids,
which doesn't go as smoothly as planned. A white 1955 Thunderbird appears
throughout this movie, which seems longer than it is, as the story becomes
slow at times. Lori Nelson and John W. Smith co-star. Directed by Leslie
Martinson. American-International would capitalize on teen age themed movies
over the next few years.
This VHS tape includes a total of three movies, the other two movies are
The Fast and The Furious (1954) and The Big Wheel (1949).
T-Bird Gang (1959; B&W)—The car is definitely the star in this long-forgotten movie, recently released
again. Sparta Films attempted to ride the wave of popularity (and free
press attention) that Ford's hot new 4-passenger Thunderbird was receiving
with this low budget picture. (The 1958 Thunderbird on the movie poster
doesn't appear in the movie.)
This is the story of the one year out of high school crowd: fast cars,
girls...no place to go. A high school boy named Frank is searching for
his security guard Father's killer, and all the police know is the killer
got away in a white T-bird. Frank searches every T-bird in town which leads
him to join up with a gang of juvenile delinquents who burglarize homes.
Working undercover with the cops, Frank must stay out of trouble and avenge
his Father's death. When his cover is blown, can Frank keep it together?
Starring John Brinkley (Frank), Ed Nelson, and Pat George. A White 1956
Thunderbird is the best reason for watching this movie, but be sure to
watch for a very young Vic Tayback (of TV's Alice), who plays a cop at a gas station!
Don't Knock the Rock (1957)—Rock 'n Roll was the latest thing sweeping the country, and Bill Haley
and His Comets were at the top of the charts. Hollywood took advantage
of this popularity with this movie, which also starred Alan Dale, Alan
Freed, Dave Appel, and Little Richard. A beautiful 1957 Thunderbird also
has a big role, since at the time it was the latest thing to hit the road.
This movie also demonstrates the proper way to enter a Thunderbird: you
don't open the door, you just jump over it and into the car, and the top
is always down! Really cool, Daddy. Hard to find on video, but you can catch it
on late night cable or satellite TV from time to time.
The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour (VHS) (1957-1960; TV Show)—Lucy, Ricky, Fred, and Ethel (Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, William Frawley,
and Vivian Vance) of I Love Lucy fame continue their adventures in Las Vegas. In episode 3, which originally
aired on January 3, 1958, Ricky's band gets an engagement in Las Vegas.
Lucy is determined to strike it rich while there by finding Uranium in
the mountains nearby. Guest star Fred MacMurray runs into Lucy on the train
heading west, and finds out about the scheme. He decides to join them,
and you can imagine what happens. Studio portions of this show were filmed
on Friday, November 15, 1957 and many outdoor scenes were filmed at the
Sands Hotel in Las Vegas. Fred MacMurray drives a white 1957 Thunderbird,
and it is used quite a bit in this episode. In one scene, a stunt man was
supposed to drive the car down a hill and onto a freshly-laid blacktop
road. During each take, the car always went out of camera range, which
was costing Desilu a considerable amount of money. Desi figured it wasn't
that difficult to do, so he decided to drive the car himself. He got it
right on the very first attempt, but the cameras weren't running! Everyone
on the set laughed hilariously while Desi screamed at the camera crew!
Pal Joey (DVD)
Pal Joey (VHS)(1957)—Frank Sinatra, Rita Hayworth, and Kim Novak star in this film based on
the Rogers and Hart Broadway musical of the same name. Originally debuting
as a story in the pages of The New Yorker, a few changes were made along the way to the main characters in the movie.
Filmed in color on location in glitzy mid-1950's San Francisco, this movie
is a treat to watch. Hit songs "I Could Write A Book" and "The
Lady Is A Tramp" both came from the soundtrack, and Ford Motor Company's
popular 1957 Thunderbird in Inca Gold, as well as a 1957 Continental Mark
II and 1957 Lincoln Premiere Convertible are featured in this movie. There's
also a customized blue Thunderbird designed by George Barris. Frank Sinatra
is the bachelor playboy/singer, Rita Hayworth is the wealthy widow, and
Kim Novak is the show girl extraordinaire in this classic love story. The
story is a good one, although not really reminiscent of the play of the
same name. The clothing, sets, and scenery are magnificent, the soundtrack
was a hit, and Sinatra was at his peak. One notable scene for T-Bird enthusiasts
has Sinatra bidding a loving farewell to his Thunderbird, parked in front
of the Spreckle Mansion in San Francisco, telling it "So long little
Bird, don't pick up any nails." This scene was also recently used
by Ford in commercials promoting the newer Thunderbirds. One of Frank Sinatra's
best movies - you don't want to miss this one!
The Thrill Of It All! (VHS) (1963)—Doris Day plays Beverly Boyer, a housewife that is suddenly thrust into
the show business fast lane as a TV spokesperson. You might remember some
of the hilarious "commercials" that appeared in this movie. James
Garner plays her husband Dr. Boyer, and drives his 1958 Chevrolet Bel Air
into the backyard pool, which was built by his wife's employer as a gift,
and which he didn't know they had! The argument that ensues has Garner
out on the town with his nurse, who drives a Starmist Blue 1957 Thunderbird
with light blue and medium blue two tone interior. The car makes only a
brief appearance, but the movie itself is a good one.
Vega$ (1978-1980; TV Show)—Robert Urich starred as Dan Tanna, a Las Vegas private detective who resided
in a garage across the street from the Thunderbird Hotel. Dan had his share
of lovely ladies, and they had to share the screen with his red 1957 Thunderbird
with a black and white interior. The car appeared almost as much as Urich!
1958
The Brady Bunch (1969-1974; TV Show)—The TV series inspired by the hit movies Yours, Mine, and Ours (1967), starring Henry Fonda and Luxille Ball, and With Six You Get Eggroll (1968), starring Doris Day and Brian Keith. Widower Mike Brady played
by Robert Reed, and widow Carol Tyler Martin played by Florence Henderson,
get married, merging their two families. The kids, Greg, Marcia, Peter,
Jan, Bobby, and Cindy are constantly getting into one thing or another.
What was never explained during the series run was how six kids were able
to survive with just one bathroom! Throw in the housekeeper, Alice, and
the dog, Tiger, and you have the elements that became The Brady Bunch.
In Episode 17, titled The Undergraduate, which originally aired on January 23, 1970, and guest starred Wes Parker
of the Los Angeles Dodgers as himself, a white 1958 Thunderbird Hardtop
can be seen driving in the background in a scene filmed at an outdoor field.
It's interesting to consider that at this point, the then 12-year old Thunderbird
was already being collected and restored by enthusiasts.
Butterfield 8 (DVD) Butterfield 8 (VHS) (1960)—Elizabeth Taylor won an Oscar for her role in this film, a role that she
never liked. This film was based on the John O'Hara novel of the same name,
about a prostitute named Gloria Wandrous who wants to retire from the business
and settle down. A white 1958 Thunderbird Hardtop can be seen turning the
corner in the background as Miss Taylor walks down a city street. A gorgeous
and rare 1960 Imperial Ghia Limousine also makes a brief appearance. Laurence
Harvey, Eddie Fisher, Dina Merrill, Mildred Dunnock, Betty Field, Susan
Oliver, and Kay Medford also appear. This movie is somewhat depressing,
but Miss Taylor's award was very much deserved.
Elvira, Mistress Of the Dark (DVD) Elvira, Mistress Of the Dark (VHS) (1988)—The raven-haired television comedienne (Cassandra Peterson) takes her campy
character to Fallwell, a small New England town that has never seen the
likes of her. She's there to receive her inheritance from a Great Aunt,
which consists of an old house, a dog, and a book. She soon discovers her
legacy - she's a witch! The plot isn't the best, but there's always Elvira
to admire! Her car is a George Barris custom 1958 Thunderbird Convertible,
complete with spider web grille and skull and crossbones wheel inserts.
The car fits her character perfectly, and there are quite a few good shots
of it in this movie.
La Bamba (DVD) La Bamba (VHS) (1987)—The story of singer Ritchie Valens, who is said to have owned a 1958 Thunderbird
Convertible new, starring Lou Diamond Phillips. This movie covers the young
singers life from just before he became famous until his death. A light
blue 1958 Convertible with blue and white interior is shown several times
during a funeral procession near the end of the movie.
Perry Mason (1957-1966; TV Show)—Paul Drake drove a 1958 Thunderbird Convertible in an episode titled The Treacherous Toupee which was originally broadcast on September 17, 1960. This episode featured
a young Robert Redford in one of his early roles; another episode centered
around a spoiled rich kid with a white Convertible; and Perry took a ride
in a white Hardtop that was sitting at a car lot. The salesman described
it to Perry as "a real bomb".
1959
A Bronx Tale (DVD)
A Bronx Tale (VHS) (1993)—A black 1959 Hardtop is in the background quite a bit during this movie
about a kid growing up in Bronx during the late 1950's through the early
1960's. Robert DeNiro plays the kids father, trying to teach his son right
from wrong after the kid witnesses a murder committed by a local bad guy
the kid admires.
A Hole In the Head (DVD) A Hole In the Head (VHS) (1959)—Frank Sinatra portrays a hotel owner on Miami Beach who is about to lose
his hotel. He also has a thing or two to learn about raising his son. A
light blue 1959 Hardtop is seen driving down the street. Eleanor Parker,
Carolyn Jones, Edward G. Robinson, and Thelma Ritter also appear. The hit
song from this movie, High Hopes won the Academy Award for best song of 1959. A 1957 Cadillac Convertible
is also featured in quite a few scenes.
Kathy Bates delivers her usual top notch performance in this tale of a
family suffering through hard times. At times depressing, and at other
times uplifting, this movie shows how one family was able to overcome the
difficulties and obstacles life gave them by remembering what is really
important in life. A beautiful red two tone 1959 Thunderbird Hardtop with
white roof and red and white vinyl interior is shown in a couple of scenes.
One scene is especially memorable: it was shot at night, and the image
of the spotless red Thunderbird driving on freshly fallen snow is quite
memorable. This movie is worth owning, watch it whenever you feel things
aren't going well and you'll feel better, with a renewed understanding
of just how precious life is.
Diamond Head (VHS) (1962)—Based on the Peter Gilman novel, Charlton Heston portrays an Hawaiian island
landowner about to destroy his family because of his stubbornness. He owns
a light blue 1959 Convertible with black leather. The car is in several
scenes throughout the movie, and there are some good shots of it. Yvette
Mimieux, George Chakiris, France Nuyen, and James Darren also star.
Edge Of Eternity (1959)—This western epic is set in the late 1950's and depicts a Midwestern Sheriff's
Deputy in pursuit of a murderer. A gold trader is killed for his gold,
which the murderer unloads in Mexico. The trail comes to a climax at the
Grand Canyon, and involves a hostage and a Casino Cream 1959 Thunderbird
Convertible along the way! Cornel Wilde, Jack Elam, and Hope Summers star.
Directed by Donald Siegel, whose other films include Play Misty For Me, Dirty Harry, Coogan's Bluff, and Charley Varrick.
The Facts of Life (1960)— Bob Hope and Lucille Ball team up for another movie, this one about suburban
housewife Kitty Weaver (Ball) who is the typical middle aged wife and mother
of the late 1950s: PTA Secretary, Cub Scout Den Mother, etc., who is just
a bit bored with her life. Hope plays Larry Gilbert, an old friend of Kitty's
husband, Jack, played by Don DeFore (of Hazel fame). Initially Kitty and Larry find each other somewhat grating, but
through a series of circumstances find themselves spending a lot of time
with each other, without their respective spouses. Predicatably, they fall
in love and deal with the possibility of having an affair. This movie is
a comedy, as you would expect with Bob Hope and Lucille Ball, but it focuses
more on the drama side of the situation.
Watch for a 1959 Thunderbird Hardtop parked at the curb in a night scene
as Hope and Ball search for a motel so the two of them can have a talk.
It's shown just as Hope turns into the motel. Hope drives a 1960 Buick
in this movie, and there are lots of other good scenes with cars of the
era in them.
This movie was nominated for 6 awards, and won 3 of them, including the
Oscar for Best Costume Design, Black and White. Edith Head and Edward Stevenson
did the costumes.
A touchy subject for 1960, this movie is somewhat mundane by today's standards,
but is worth watching just for the costumes, old cars, and the friendship
between Hope and Ball. Not available for many years due to legal issues,
it's now available on VHS.
Girls Town (VHS) (1959)—Mamie Van Doren plays a troubled girl, sent to a reform school run by Nuns.
Elinor Donahue (the eldest daughter on Father Knows Best) is Mamie's sister, who gets into trouble of her own. This movie is a
1959 Thunderbird Convertible lover's dream! Several can be seen throughout
the movie, including a white on white one, with top up, in a parking lot.
In this scene especially, the unique Thunderbird styling really stands
out, showing just how different these cars really were in their day. Another
'59 Convertible, with top down, is used in another scene, which emphasizes
the Bird's acceleration capabilities. Mel Torme and Paul Anka also appear,
the story isn't the greatest, but the old cars make it fun to watch. A
rare 1958 Edsel Bermuda Station Wagon also appears in one scene.
Maude (1972-1978; TV Show)—This controversial CBS comedy-drama starred Beatrice Arthur, Bill Macy,
Conrad Bain, Adrienne Barbeau, Rue McClanahan, and Esther Rolle. The first
spin off from the hit show All In the Family, Bea Arthur's character, Maude, was Edith Bunker's cousin. Topics included
adultery, alcoholism, bankruptcy, mental illness, and menopause. Quite
controversial for 1970's television. Look for a Baltic Blue 1959 Thunderbird
Hardtop in traffic on a bridge in both the opening and closing sequences.
Stark Fear (1962; B&W)—Beverly Garland stars as Ellen Winslow, wife of oil company executive Jerry
Winslow (played by Skip Homeier). They live what at first appears to be
a good life in Oklahoma City. They have a nice home, a spiffy 1960 Buick
Convertible, nice furniture, great clothes, the whole package. But soon
after this movie starts, it's apparent The Winslows aren't the happily
married couple people might think they are. Jerry has a mental problem,
and likes to abuse his wife, physically as well as mentally. After knocking
her around a bit, he advises her he's going to get a divorce. We discover
that Jerry isn't the successful oil executive he used to be, and things
aren't so hot for them financially. When Ellen borrows money from her friend
Ruth to pay the bills and seeks employment for herself to help out, it
puts Jerry over the top.
Ellen runs out of the house and drives off in the Buick. Later, she responds
to a message from Jerry's boss, who tells her Jerry has taken 4 weeks off
without permission, and if he isn't back at work on Monday, he's fired.
Desperate to save her marriage and her husband's job, the emotionally battered
Ellen starts looking for Jerry, a search which would reveal Jerry's dark
side, and expose her to more physical and emotional abuse.
Ken Tobey plays Cliff Kane, the man who gave Ellen a job - and unknown
to Ellen - also has a connection to her husband's past! Hannah Stone stars
as Ellen's friend, Ruth, who forces Ellen to deal with her problems in
this dark psychological drama, which thankfully has a happy ending. Filmed
on location in Oklahoma and Northwest Arkansas in 1961, this black and
white movie is reminiscent of Psycho in its direction, and holds you to the very end. The acting is good, although
the production was done on a tight budget, which is apparent.
Look for a white 1959 Thunderbird Convertible with white top sitting at
the curb behind Ellen's Buick at the beginning of the movie.
This movie had its first official television broadcast on OETA (Oklahoma
Educational Television Authority) on Saturday, October 8, 2005.
View the movie trailer for Stark Fear (offsite link: http://art.ou.edu/ind_film/archive/2003/garlandpr.html
- link not responding when last checked.)
View the movie poster for Stark Fear
The Twilight Zone (1959-1964; TV Show)—A man (Howard Duff) working in his office enters the zone when he becomes
a character in a film, only to discover he's happier with his movie family
than he is with his real life. His nasty "real" wife drives a
1959 Convertible. She probably didn't treat it any better than she treated
him. This episode, titled A World of Difference originally aired on March 11, 1960.
1960
Back To the Beach (VHS)(1987)—Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello go back to the beach, reprising their
roles as Frankie and Annette (how's THAT for creativity!) This time, they're
middle-aged parents with rebellious kids. This parody of their sixties
movies features a bevy of friends including Connie Stevens, Jerry Mathers,
Bob Denver, Barbara Billingsley, Tony Dow, Pee Wee Herman, and Edd "Kookie"
Byrnes. An Acapulco Blue 1960 Thunderbird Convertible is the preferred
mode of transportation. Hey, what else are you going to drive when you
go back to the beach?
Dennis the Menace (1959-1963; TV Show)—Several Birds have been spotted on this show over the years, one in particular
that comes to mind is a Corinthian White 1960 Hardtop without fender shields
parked on the curb in Dennis' neighborhood. This classic television show
originally aired from 1959-1963 and starred Jay North as Dennis, Herbert
Anderson and Gloria Henry as his parents, Joseph Kearns and Sylvia Field
and the neighbors next door, The Wilsons ("Hey, Mr. Wilson!")
Gale Gordon ("Mr. Mooney" from The Lucy Show played Mr. Wilson during the final season. Inspired by the comic strip,
Dennis is always trying to help others, usually with disastrous results!
Poor Mr. Wilson...
Move Over, Darling (VHS) (1963)—Doris Day and James Garner team up with Polly Bergen and Thelma Ritter
in this hilarious remake of 1940's My Favorite Wife, which starred Irene Dunne and Cary Grant. This movie was in production
in 1962 starring Marilyn Monroe and Dean Martin, titled Something's Got to Give, but Miss Monroe died before finishing the movie. The scenes that were
filmed would be the last ones featuring Marilyn Monroe on film. Dean Martin
didn't want to continue the project without her, so the script was rewritten
for Miss Day and Mr. Garner, and became a big success for the studio. The
plot consists of a wife who is marooned on an island for five years, only
to be rescued on the day her husband has her declared legally dead and
remarries. Three Thunderbird sightings occur in this movie. Two white 1960
Thunderbird Hardtops and a light blue 1961 Thunderbird Hardtop. One of
the 1960's is parked at the Monterey Inn, and Miss Day parks next to the
1961 at the Beverly Hills Hotel. The other 1960 is shown in a traffic jam
when Miss Day leaves the Beverly Hills Hotel, in a metallic blue 1963 Imperial
Convertible. The Imperial gets run through an automatic car wash with Miss
Day going along for the ride - with the top down!
The Parent Trap (DVD) The Parent Trap (VHS) (1961)—This Walt Disney offering stars Brian Keith, Hayley Mills, and Maureen
O'Hara. Mr. Keith drives a 1960 Thunderbird Convertible, light blue with
black leather. It is in a couple of scenes, with a few very good shots.
Hayley Mills plays the dual role of identical twins that were separated
as infants. Their divorced parents become the object of a scheme by the
twins to be reunited. The twins have at this point switched identities,
so that they can each get to know the other parent. To their dismay, it
is announced that their Father is about to remarry a pretty young girl,
with a low tolerance level for children. You might call this a "feel
good" movie from the sixties.
Perry Mason (1957-1966; TV Show)—Paul Drake drives a 1960 Convertible on most of the episodes this season.
The car appears to be Raven Black with a Black and White Vinyl interior,
but since the show is in black and white, who knows for sure?
Who's That Knocking At My Door? (VHS) (1968)—Harvey Keitel made his film debut, and Martin Scorsese made his directorial
debut in this quirky, black and white film about an Italian-American youth
growing up in New York City. A 1960 Hardtop is prominent throughout, with
shots of power window switches moving the windows, silhouette shots of
the car, etc. In fact, the Thunderbird is really one of the stars, since
it seems to get a lot of film time. A somewhat dark movie that actually
started out as a student film titled I Call First.
then click "Proceed to Checkout". Checkout is performed over
a SECURE CONNECTION for your safety.
= HIGHLY RECOMMENDED - DENOTES GOOD THUNDERBIRD SCENES! 
T-Bird Gang (1959; B&W)—The car is definitely the star in this long-forgotten movie, recently released
again. Sparta Films attempted to ride the wave of popularity (and free
press attention) that Ford's hot new 4-passenger Thunderbird was receiving
with this low budget picture. (The 1958 Thunderbird on the movie poster
doesn't appear in the movie.)
