Saturday, August 21, 2010

Flashback

Do I have access to a time machine? Sometimes I wonder. I glanced out of my window while stopped at a red light on Fair Oaks and was instantly transported back to the 1950s. We know that living in South Pas is a little like living inside the set of an old movie. This shot proves it. I was beamed right into an outtake from American Graffiti. A vintage black and white Victoria right in front of the town's most beloved retro diner? It's almost too much. Wait... a straw fedora on the driver, too? It is too much!

Oh well, you know what they say: too much of a good thing is wonderful.

10 comments:

dbdubya said...

I believe I've seen that one around town before. It should be a '56. The Victoria is the predecessor of the Crown Victoria, one of Ford's mainstays. I've driven just a few of those over the years.

With the color of this car, all that's needed is a red light on top and it would be good for a remake of the early 60's series "Car 54 Where Are You?" I think it's time to bring back Gunther Toody and Francis Muldoon, but the producers will have to find some new actors since Joe E. Ross and Fred Gwynne are long gone. Car 54 Where Are You? had one of my favorite theme songs of all time:

"There's a hold up in the Bronx,
Brooklyn's broken out in fights.
There's a traffic jam in Harlem
That's backed up to Jackson Heights.
There's a scout troop short a child
Kruschev's due at Idlewile
Car 54, Where Are You?"

Trish said...

a perfect shot---right outside Shakers---one of the older modern establishments in town. I could just see the Vic driving into Shakers after a Tiger football game for a burger and fries.

Mike said...

This is spectacular.

Mister Earl said...

Nice shot, Laurie.

DBW: They are bringing back Toody and Muldoon, but you probably don't realize it because they're calling it, "City Manager Performance Review."

I just googled Car 54 Where Are You. It only ran for at most 3 seasons. Great show, and yes, great theme song. Idlewild Airport of course is now JFK. The name Idlewild came from the golf course that the airport replaced. Another interesting fact is that the squad cars used in the show were actually red, but they showed up an appropriate gray when filmed in black and white, and because they were red did not cause the citizenry to be alarmed when scenes were shot on city streets.

dbdubya said...

I didn't realize the connection, Mr. Earl. You may be correct. Which one is Toody and who's Muldoon? Neither will be as memorable as Joe E. Ross and Fred Gwynne in his pre-Herman Munster days.

The old shows had some great theme songs. I used to sing "A Horse is a Horse, of course, of course, and no one can talk to a horse of course that is unless of course the horse is the famous Mr. Ed" to my kids. They rolled their eyes and thought I was nuts. They still do.

Judy Williams said...

I had no idea that was the Crown Vic's predecessor!! I can hear the squawking police radio in my head.

This is wonderful!

Laurie Allee said...

I can't get that Car 54 song out of my head! Argghhh!

Thanks for the comments, everyone. Until tomorrow...

Petrea Burchard said...

That's a beaut.

Anonymous said...

What a photo. Beautiful.

Laurie Allee said...

Thanks, you guys!