Route 66 and all that

We often think that shows w wh hich feature cars as the star are a relatively recent phenomeno on n, like Knight Rider or the Dukes of Hazzard, but the truth is that these shows had forerunners in the shape of TV shows like Route 66, which ran on CBS from October 1960 to March 1964 over 116 episodes. It was actually a spin-off of another American crime drama, the Naked City; whereas Naked City was set in New York, Route 66 was filmed at various locations and it was this ‘on the road’ feel that gave it part of its appeal.

Lead character Tod Stiles, after discovering that his late father had gone through most of the family fortune, hits the eponymous trans-America highway in his Corvette in search of adventure with friend Buz Murdock, a survivor of New York’s mean streets. The two work odd jobs as they meet and interact with colourful characters and find themselves plunged into one situation after another, some of them romantic, some of them dangerous. Later, Lincoln Case, a Vietnamwar hero trying to find himself, takes over as Tod’s travel companion.

While the actors playing the lead characters remained relatively unknown, the show had plenty of big-name guest stars, such as Boris Karloff, Buster Keaton, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Barbara Eden, Lee Marvin, Julie Newmar, Leslie Nielsen, Walter Matthau, Robert Redford, Stefanie Powers, Rod Steiger, William Shatner and Dick York to mention but a few. Of course, for many the real stars were the Corvettes, which were supplied by General Motors (product placement at its finest!), starting with a 1960 model in the first episode and then upgrading to the new model each season. Because the show was filmed in black and white, lighter coloured cars were used, such as those painted in Cascade Green, Fawn Beige or Horizon Blue. Amazingly the complete box set is now available on DVD on Amazon and other good media retailers.