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Posted on 09/09/2013 12:28:25 PM PDT by kingu
Cal Worthington -- the legendary car dealer who became famous for his "Go see Cal" TV commercials has gone on to that great used car lot in the sky, TMZ has learned.
Worthington -- who had dealerships in Long Beach, CA, Anchorage, Alaska, Phoenix, Houston, Sacramento and other cities -- died Sunday at his ranch in California.
(Excerpt) Read more at tmz.com ...
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Wow. Worthington really has my respect. You had to be extremely skilled... and fortunate... to survive 29 missions in a B-17. The Memphis Belle became a household name after completing 25 missions, although her crew actually flew 4 more missions in other aircraft.
I disagree, many early 70’s models are worth big money.
RIP.
Rest in peace, Cal. You were a fixture of my youth in SoCal.
Oh man.....Ralph Williams Ford. Boy, does that bring back memories. I used to hate that guy .. LOL
Most obnoxious car salesman ever.
I remember seeing his commercials on cable TV in New Mexico back in 1973. What a hoot!
I had a friend from Los Angeles who said Worthington was a real shyster when it came to selling cars.
There was a movie about 1974, FREEBE AND THE BEAN in which there is one scene in which you can hear in the background “Go see Cal, go see Cal, go see Cal”.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071521/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
I remember him walking his pig, various other animals, even saw him do some wing walking on an airplane. But he DID NOT walk the lion he had on the set once. It was still caged while the “Go see Cal” theme played. He may have been a shyster but he was no dummy!
Actually, Cal Worthington’s advertisements were a parody of Ralph Williams. Instead of Ralph’s dog Storm, it was Cal’s “dog” Spot.
Loved the commercials as a kid.
Worthington served in the United States Army in World War II, flying for the Army Air Corps. He served as a Second Lieutenant and was the aerobatics champion at Goodfellow Field in San Angelo, Texas. During the war, he served as a B-17 Flying Fortress pilot with the 390th Bomber Group, flying 29 missions over Germany, and was discharged after the war as a captain. He was awarded the Air Medal five times. He was also a recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross, which was presented to him by Jimmy Doolittle. Worthington's military service was revisited during the 21st century in articles in aviation magazines, for his role in having trained individuals who later became some of America's earliest astronauts.
“Actually, Cal Worthington’s advertisements were a parody of Ralph Williams. Instead of Ralph’s dog Storm, it was Cal’s “dog” Spot.”
Storm the German shepherd was Chick Lambert’s dog, not Ralph Williams. Lambert was the general manager.
Makes me like him even more. God bless Cal Worthington. Cal, thanks for fighting to defend my freedom. May you rest snug and secure in the love of the Lord.
I kinda have a hunch that ol' Cal provided cheap, decent wheels for generations of people, repeat customers, referrals, year after year, decade after decade. Fly-by-night operations are the only venues in which shysters can survive. Cal Worthington's was the opposite of a fly-by-night operation. On the contrary, it probably outlasted 90 percent of its competitors over the decades. Stability and consistency are hardly the marks of "real shysters."
Anybody remember “Big Johns Appliance Store” commercials in the early 1960s in the Phoenix area? His washers and dryers were “solid porcelain.”
Just heard this— grew up hearing Go See Cal!! Go See Cal!! Go See Cal!! and trying to guess what kind of animal “spot” would be.
A truly self-made man, one of a kind. And what a life he had.
***If Cal Worthington was such a shyster, how did he stay in business for as long as he did? ***
My neighbor from LA said he was. I had no dealings with Worthington as I was hundreds of miles away.
As a kid, he always interested me. He seemed to understand human nature very well! We want to see animals doing strange things, attractive people, and people doing odd stuff! RIP, Mr. Worthington!
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