Geelongvic sent me this, although not with the right commentary. He’d been led to believe told that this was a live commercial that went on the air (once), and the pitchman was fired afterwards. Makes for a good story, but sadly, it’s not true.
Here’s the comment left by the Youtube poster:
This “gag” commercial never aired of course. The pitchman was well known in the San Francisco Bay Area in the 1960s-70s. While taping commercials for the dealership in 1968, the pitchman made this gag take to poke fun at his boss. Ralph Williams owned many California car dealerships and had quite a notorious reputation.
No one did live commercials back then on location, as the equipment to do so was prohibitive. Standard procedure was to shoot on 16mm film, until affordable portable (3/4″ Umatic) equipment came along in the late 70s. Generally the only live commercials were done in the studios, where the pros could deliver them without a hitch, mostly.
This reminds me of a Washington state car dealer from the 1970’s. I think it was Dick Balch Chevrolet or something like that. He had his 15 minutes of fame by filming commercials with him hitting brand new Chevrolet cars with a sledge-hammer.
Brondes Ford did that in Toledo for a long long time. “Try us, you’ll like us!”
Wow, not one on youtube. So sad…I guess they were just too old to make it.
I remember the Dick Balch commercials. He took that sledge hammer to a couple of Corvettes too.
Ralph Williams had a dealership in Washington for awhile. I remember it was around in the late ’60s. I heard that the State Attorney General eneded up running him out of town, because of his questionable sales tactics.
It’s interesting to see old studio-shot used car ads where as many as five cars were lined up in a local TV studio. I assume those didn’t go out live either, because surely most stations didn’t enough studio space for that many cars without striking the news anchor set?
Paul:
Glad you published the real story. The way these shoots worked was that they were usually shot in late afternoon and early evening—giving the station some daylight commercials and some nighttime commercials, which could then be scheduled accordingly. They usually aired in weekend afternoon or late night movies on local channels.
Paul,
You were too quick to the trigger following my initial email, and didn’t comment on my immediately sent second email to you which was as follows:
“Paul,
I’m not as dumb as I appear. My suspicion index was high. Then as I learned what I had, I thought, nice gag, pass it along.. Lots of smiles. Worthy of Snopes along its way to those smiles. Have a laugh, that’s what life and CC are about.
Vic.”
I’m glad you and now the rest of CC enjoy the gag. Rule of thumb, don’t believe all that you read or see on the internet.
Cheers.
hehehe
Reminds me of the scene from “Used Cars” where they shoot up the car lot.
Yeah, ‘Used Cars’ was my first thought, as well.
As to classic television auto pitchmen, for those old enough to remember a time before Wrigley Field had lights, who can forget afternoon Cubs’ games when Liinn Burton (“And, this is for you!”) would be pushing used cars from Bert Weinman Ford: “3535 North, on Ashland Avenue!”.
Being from the Bay Area, I remember this guy. And, every time I see this, I crack up, just like the guy at the end!
He also did at least one for another car dealership in the Chicago area this is just about as funny.
Oh…and now there is a Honda dealership in the same location.
Lifelong Bay Area guy here, but somehow I don’t remember this guy. I do remember David Varner Chevrolet’s (in San Francisco) jingle … something like “I want a car, just like the car, David Varner sold to me”. Don’t know why that’s stuck with me for 50 years.
Man, that was funny!
Bay Area native here too.
Yep, Victory Honda now in the area.
Chick Lambert and his dog Stormy
Mid 70’s Central Florida. I present ART GRINDLES WHEEL RANCH! “I want to sell you a car!” Sanford Florida, I think. Live commercials on Saturday afternoon on Orlando to Gainesville tv stations. Would feature a beater 10 year old car. hold up a sign proclaiming $595 out the door! Then, jump on the hood or roof, rip the sign in half, and and yell .WAIT, WAIT LETS MAKE THAT $295!!!. Sometimes eventually getting it down to $150 to the first on the lot with cash. Sold a butt load of cars and gained enough notoriety to be elected to Florida state senate. Fast forward a few years and Conversion Vans where all the rage with snowbirds and retirees and up pops ARTIE GRINDLE and “I WANT TO SELL YOU A VAN!” his schtick was histrionics, long sleeve dress shirt, rolled up sleeves, necktie loosened, and sweating,,as in, “i’m working my ass off for you!” ,However, no ripping signs in half and such. Van fad faded away as did Artie.
I Was struggling very young married man and father. Therefore our entertainment budget was pretty much non-existent. So Arts commercials where something to entertain!
Wow! I grew up in Longwood and I remember those! I believe even my friend’s parents got a Chevy shorty conversion van from that dealer in ~1996 or so.
What’s the car to the right for $866?
Year, make and model please…
1964 or 65 Plymouth Barracuda.
Addendum: Artie Grindle was of course, Art’s son. Art was in his 60’s back then so I am sure he has long passed. Artie like I said faded away. Anyone else remember? Also in the 80’s in Orlando there was or still is perhaps a tire store called Allied Discount Tires. Had a droll good ‘ol boy spokesman (picture James Coburn) who’d come on a sound stage and proclaim in a gravely voice, “TIRES AIN’T PRETTY!, They’re ugly, dirty, and they wear out. but we all need them, So buy them here!.. Thank you. Fade out, and logo would appear. One commercial, he came on stage pacing back and forth, and said “I just quit smoking. I’m suppose to be talking about tires and all I can think about is a cigarette”, Again fade out and logo! became a local curiosity.. Orlando Sentinel did a story on him and found he was an old friend of company owner and did the commercials gratis, as a hoot. But when he did point out to his buddy that he wasn’t getting paid, he said one morning he awoke and found a brand new Cadillac in his driveway, Everyone started looking forward to the next commercial!
I remember Ralph Williams and Chick Lambert commercials and Cal Worthington too, as I grew up in Orange County in SoCal. In the 60s and 70s. They were often sort of off the beaten path.
Who said there isn’t truth in advertising?
Used Cars the movie, sure, but I always thought this guy was the inspiration for the Firesign Theatre’s Ralph Spoilsport.
Had this TV spot aired, it would’ve made the annals of FCC no-nos right alongside Pacifica Radio’s airing of George Carlin’s Seven Dirty Words.
You may remember in the mid-1980s when the technology to do TV live shots became commonplace. 30 years later we forget that once upon a time those actualities were filmed or taped (depending on the market, the budget and the year), brought back to the station and edited for play during the local or national news.
Part of the schtick with these TV car ads is making it LOOK to the general public like it was live. Still the case in many markets…the Fuccillo family built an empire across the NY Thruway corridor hawking Hyundais and other brands on their lots.
They’re “HUUUUGE.”
Nothing beats Cal Worthington and his wing-walking antics on that Stearman with the lion flying it…or is that last part made up? I’m sure he could have dressed a pilot in a lion suit.
I always liked the angry Winnebago salesman outtakes. Warning. Lots of F words, NSFW.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3D56u-bZwexyU&ved=2ahUKEwj6nJa1s4ngAhW1FTQIHWI8BeIQjjgwAnoECAgQAQ&usg=AOvVaw3ffi35DGkFrV6Mh9g2gHWQ
We moved fro just outside Baltimore, in June 1966, to the San Fernando Valley. Had to spend the first week in a hotel in the Valley before our new house in Canoga Park was ready. The first thing I see on the TV is a Ralph Williams car commercial. I think to myself we sure didn’t see commercials like this back in Baltimore. For my two years in the Valley his commercials were everywhere.
Parents moved to San Diego in 68 and got a reprieve from seeing him down there. Then they moved to the Bay Area in 72 yet I spent my college years and then some in San Diego till the late 70s and rarely saw Bay Area TV commercials but Cal Worthington does ring a bell. What was it… here’s Cal and his dog Spot???
In the same vein as this and the Winnebago outtakes, Google “Big Bill Hell’s” if you want another (very NSFW) joke commercial featuring early ’90s GM cars.
Always was puzzled why car dealer owners, with little talent other than running the dealership, thought it would be a great idea to star in their own commercials. Some were entertaining, but most were dreadful. In the Baltimore area Scott Donoho was funny, as is “Jack says yes!” Antwerpen. All others, not so much.
Cal Worthington was actually inspired by Chick Lambert and his dog Storm. Chick’s commercials always featured Storm, and Cal’s always featured his dog Spot. Which was never a dog……
My father bought our 1977 Plymouth Gran Fury Sport Suburban wagon at this dealership.
I remember Chick Lambert, Ralph Williams and Cal Worthington commercials back in the 1960 and 70s. Lambert and Williams were quite the obnoxious motormouth hard sell salesmen. I also remember Ralph Williams having a Ford dealership. Cal was kinda folksy, but don’t underestimate him.
I remember hearing this in so.cal. on tv. Hi folks , Ralph Williams for Friendly Ford here in beautiful down town Encino. He was every where. Late 50s early 60s.