kuhner Posted October 23, 2020 Share Posted October 23, 2020 (edited) Was watching an old horror movie on TCM last week, Spider Baby. The biggest star in it was Lon Chaney, but he was driving a Duesenberg limo. Anyone else catch that, lots of shots of it even on gravel roads. I have to believe someone on the forum would recognize it. Here is a link to the trailer shows it a little. Edited October 23, 2020 by kuhner Misspelled title (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
West Peterson Posted October 23, 2020 Share Posted October 23, 2020 Judkins limousine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
West Peterson Posted October 23, 2020 Share Posted October 23, 2020 I don't know if it's the same car, but it's at least a duplicate. https://www.conceptcarz.com/profile/3897,16785/1930-duesenberg-model-j.aspx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Man Posted October 23, 2020 Share Posted October 23, 2020 (edited) Same body style but missing the tail light (sorry I flipped the picture) so it could be the same car. Edited October 23, 2020 by Graham Man (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
West Peterson Posted October 23, 2020 Share Posted October 23, 2020 Car has been in a LOT of movies. I'm pretty sure it was owned by Pacific Auto Rentals. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
West Peterson Posted October 23, 2020 Share Posted October 23, 2020 Found it. Yes, it is the same car.... sort of. The late Fred Weber bought the car and had a reproduction phaeton body put on the chassis. The original and low-mileage Judkins body (having starred in more than a dozen very well-known movies), was passed about for a while, until AACA Forum's own George Albright bought the body, and was able to find enough original Duesenberg chassis pieces, including engine, to put it back together. So, while it's now got a shady history (perhaps to go along with some of the shady movies it was in), it has survived. George deserves a huge applause for this one. https://www.oldcarsweekly.com/features/judkins-duesenberg 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAKerry Posted October 23, 2020 Share Posted October 23, 2020 Have seen the movie many times, pretty strange. A couple of other pretty cool cars in it as well as a neat ole cushman. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Harwood Posted October 23, 2020 Share Posted October 23, 2020 One, that looks like a candidate for worst movie ever made. And two, it had to be extremely racy for its time given how frequently and thoroughly that lady strips off her clothes in the trailer... 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdome Posted October 23, 2020 Share Posted October 23, 2020 I think it is what you might call a 'B' movie as in Boo-B movie. A scary movie spoof made before the "Scary Movie" spoofs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padgett Posted October 23, 2020 Share Posted October 23, 2020 Interesting but proves the point: to restore an early car you need to start with two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayne sheldon Posted October 23, 2020 Share Posted October 23, 2020 Lon Chaney Junior. Movie was made in 1967(?). I have never seen it, and likely won't, although I am a big fan of old sci-fi and horror movies. Lon Chaney Jr was a star in his own right, and I have enjoyed most of the movies of his that I have seen. But if you want to see a really incredible character actor that was able to morph himself into bizarre personages? You really need to watch some of his father's silent movies! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 23, 2020 Share Posted October 23, 2020 Great article West. Thanks for the share. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C Carl Posted October 24, 2020 Share Posted October 24, 2020 And another great big thanks to George Albright ! I particularly love closed cars from the short-lived Classic Period. That also goes for the shoulder periods, the Late Pre-Classics, and the Early Post-Classic. In fact, I can honestly say, that I love the elegant closed cars produced in this 10 or 12 year period equally just as much as the open cars. Greatest respect to the talented folk who bring another long neglected old car back to life. And a couple extra gold stripes, and a platinum star for those who bring back another 4-door closed one. All Hail, George Albright, and the other members of the esteemed restoration "fraternity". - Carl 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tcslr Posted October 24, 2020 Share Posted October 24, 2020 Was that body wood-framed? when it was removed, would the running boards, fenders, hood and radiator shell been removed and kept as parts though separated? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Albright Posted October 24, 2020 Share Posted October 24, 2020 Thanks guys for all the nice comments. When I got the body the leather top and interior were restored by my friend the late Russell Yordy. The paint was original but unfortunately not good enough to save. I did it in the exact original colors. Car has original body, rear fenders and hood panels. I sourced everything else mostly from the late Dee Howard. I am extremely proud of saving the car. Thanks to Fran Roxs who restored it,Randy Ema’s superb guidance and Brian Joseph’s mechanical expertise. The car currently resides in the garage of the late author Clive Cussler. Sincerely George Albright gnalbright@gmail.com 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padgett Posted October 24, 2020 Share Posted October 24, 2020 (edited) Been looking but unfortunately TCM does not repeat things soon. Maybe should suggest to Svengoolie. ps is apparently included with Amazon Prime. Edited October 24, 2020 by padgett (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Albright Posted October 24, 2020 Share Posted October 24, 2020 It is also in Some Like It Hot,Robin And The Seven Hoods,Pocket Full Of Miracles etc. Move World Rental car from 1937-82. In more movies than any other Duesy. George Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_OToole Posted October 24, 2020 Share Posted October 24, 2020 If you like old movies with Duesenbergs in them, have you seen this Fisk tire commercial from 1939? It features a Duesenberg roadster being driven by a stunt man. 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taylormade Posted October 24, 2020 Share Posted October 24, 2020 The car was rented for “Spider Baby” for $100 per day - more than the actors were paid. Chaney, as the nominal star, reportedly did the film for a flat $2500. It’s also the car in ‘Some Like It Hot” that pulls into the garage and unloads George Raft and his hoods before they machine gun the opposing gangster faction. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Albright Posted October 24, 2020 Share Posted October 24, 2020 Correct. George Albright Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert G. Smits Posted October 25, 2020 Share Posted October 25, 2020 On 10/23/2020 at 8:10 PM, George Albright said: mostly from the late Dee Howard If my memory is correct at one time Dee owned one of the four prototype Duesenberg V-16 aircraft motors developed around 1916-1918. Dee was an important innovator in the business jet industry and invented and developed the thrust reverser used to slow down jet aircraft during landing. Early business jets used drag chutes for emergency landings. Bill Lear was one of his earliest employees and the original mock up of the Lear Jet was produced by Dee Howard. He also had an extensive car collection in San Antonio. So much for trivia!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Albright Posted October 25, 2020 Share Posted October 25, 2020 I didn’t know much of that about Dee. He was retired in his 80s when I bought his Duesenberg part collection around 2006. That Dee Howard collection enabled me to restored the movie world rental car with 90% plus original parts. Randy Ema would know about the Duesenberg V-16 engines. Cheers George 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Albright Posted October 25, 2020 Share Posted October 25, 2020 I showed the car at Amelia Island Concourse in 2008. Immediately sold it to Texas attorney John O’Quinn. Later sold at a Kruse auction to the late author Clive Cussler where it still resides. Thanks George Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Mereness Posted October 25, 2020 Share Posted October 25, 2020 On 10/23/2020 at 3:27 PM, jdome said: I think it is what you might call a 'B' movie as in Boo-B movie. A scary movie spoof made before the "Scary Movie" spoofs. Is there such thing as a "C" movie or even a "D" movie ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Mereness Posted October 25, 2020 Share Posted October 25, 2020 Also shows up in Lucile Ball "Auntie Mame" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Mereness Posted October 25, 2020 Share Posted October 25, 2020 I posted photos of the Pacific Auto Rental fleet circa 1940 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Roller Posted February 7, 2021 Share Posted February 7, 2021 On 10/23/2020 at 9:10 PM, George Albright said: Thanks guys for all the nice comments. When I got the body the leather top and interior were restored by my friend the late Russell Yordy. The paint was original but unfortunately not good enough to save. I did it in the exact original colors. Car has original body, rear fenders and hood panels. I sourced everything else mostly from the late Dee Howard. I am extremely proud of saving the car. Thanks to Fran Roxs who restored it,Randy Ema’s superb guidance and Brian Joseph’s mechanical expertise. The car currently resides in the garage of the late author Clive Cussler. Sincerely George Albright gnalbright@gmail.com I have had a bit of experience with the Model "J" in years long gone and I well remember being diverted by high water in the hills of West Virginia and we were in J540,another Judkins sedan.We found the last open gas station after making it to Marietta,Ohio and finally in West Virginia again at 5AM.This powerful old car did a great job and I can think of nothing else from that time that could have done any better.The Show Car called the 20 Grand IMHO is one of the best looking 4 door sedans ever made and I do like roll up windows and working heaters.Recently got a call from the current owner of "J"540 and told him of this long ago night and the drive shaft failing as it was being backed into the garage.The drive line from :J"155 was installed and may still be under this car. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHuDWah Posted February 8, 2021 Share Posted February 8, 2021 (edited) On 10/23/2020 at 9:19 PM, padgett said: Been looking but unfortunately TCM does not repeat things soon. Maybe should suggest to Svengoolie. ps is apparently included with Amazon Prime. It's on YouTube but yeah, I'd love to see Svengoolie do it! 😁 Edited February 8, 2021 by CHuDWah (Oops, just noticed the post is 3+ months old - oh well, thread has been resurrected. 🤣) (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrbartlett Posted February 8, 2021 Share Posted February 8, 2021 Dee Howard also owned and restored a one-of Model J phaeton, I think with a Rollston body. He later sold the restored car to Otis Chandler. During his later years Dee invented some sort of steering stabilizing system for 18-wheelers. He told me about it once. I don't know if the system made it into commercial production. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edinmass Posted February 8, 2021 Share Posted February 8, 2021 James.......Dee’s steering system did make it into production............how successful it was, I do not know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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