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The (new) Cadillac Database©

Miscellaneous Cadillac Stuff

 

Cadillacs of the Rich and Famous
(stars, presidents, kings ...and a few crooks too)

Part 2

Go back to Part 1
or return to the "Miscellaneous Cadillac Stuff" index page
or return to The (New) Cadillac Database© Index Page

Frflag.jpg (773 bytes)
(le résumé en français se trouve en bas de page)

 

 

Ladd, Alan
[screen star]

1930 custom Cadillac V16 sport phaeton

Here we see the popular film-star with the westernized
V16 he used in the movie, The Carpetbaggers.  The car
spent many years in a museum before being purchased and
restored ...on two successive occasions (currently it is red)

 

Str30lad.jpg (9554 bytes)

     

 

Lanza, Mario
[operatic singer and screen star]

1950 Cadillac Series 62 coupe

Enthusiast Joe Foerster wrote: Mario Lanza was an operatic singer in the 50's. He made a fairly famous  movie called The Great Caruso. He was murdered by, well, no one knows, but   people suspect mobsters. I didn't know he owned Cadillacs, but as a   successful star and signer, he would have had a fine ride.

 

50Lanza.jpg (13705 bytes)

 

Str75lef.jpg (10435 bytes)

 

Le Fever, Ric
[French pop star]

The car we see here does not belong to the French singer but to the late "Nudie", the colorful owner of  a Hollywood fashion house that caters to the Hollywood set.  It is a westernized Eldorado convertible model of circa 1975, that sports a pair of long horns on the front grille

 

 

 

Leopold, King of Belgium
[Father of King Baudouin]

In the archives of the Antwerp Gazette for 1957 was found this photo of what appears to be the 1953-54 custom PF roadster assumed to have been commissioned by Luigi Chinetti,
NY Ferrari importer. The accompanying article tells how King Leopold III of Belgium ran off the road [#SS51] on his way to Cortina d'Ampezzo in the Italian Alps. There is a photo of
the upturned car (below). I find it hard to believe that this is NOT the PF custom job; I doubt PF made TWO the same. In that case, did the King buy it from Chinetti (unlikely!); so we assume the
car was retrieved, restored and then sold to Chinetti. The other remaining question is this: why did the "royal" accident never make world headlines?  I imaginethe incident was kept very
hush-hush because the King was involved once before in a similar tragedy when a car he was driving went off the road near Kussnacht, in Switzerland, in 1934, killing Queen Astrid, his wife.  

 

 

StrCortina.JPG (8650 bytes)
The scene of the accident (upper red arrow)

StrCortinaS.jpg (4041 bytes)    StrCortina2.jpg (8942 bytes)    StrCortiPF.jpg (4229 bytes)
Left and center: the overturned car; that circular front grille opening is unmistakably PF
Right:  this is an upside-down view of the actual grille of the 1953-54 custom PF roadster

dr53pfbw.jpg (8384 bytes)
The PF roadster when new

 

 

Lewis, Jerry-Lee [1]
[Early exponent of Rock 'n Roll]

1958 Cadillac Series Sixty Special

In this rare photo we see the star with Myra, his 14-year-old
cousin and child bride astride Jerry's other favorite means of
transportation, a Harley-Davidson motorcycle

 

str58jll.jpg (8018 bytes)

 

 

 

Lewis, Jerry-Lee [2]
[Early exponent of Rock 'n Roll]

1970 Series 75 Limousine [or sedan?]

Offered for sale on eBay in March, 2006, this 1970 Cadillac Limousine is reported to have been used by Jerry Lee Lewis in the early 70's.  The car was bought new at Price Motors Pontiac-Cadillac in Morristown, TN, by racing driver Rod Long.

 

st70Lewis1.jpg (21419 bytes)    st70lewis5.jpg (11809 bytes)

st70lewis2.jpg (11613 bytes)    st70Lewis3.jpg (8451 bytes)    st70Lewis4.jpg (13061 bytes)

 

 

 

Liberace
[singer-entertainer]

 

 

str54li2.JPG (9378 bytes)    str54lib.jpg (9019 bytes)
The outspoken entertainer had this 1954 Eldorado
specially trimmed by George Barris, customizer to the stars

el54_liber2.jpg (8271 bytes)
Reported to be the Liberace car, this  one is no longer original; it does not appear to have the "piano keyboard"
upholstery and, in addition, has been decorated with ornate striping; it has also an ornate "Liberace" name on the door

64stjohn.jpg (10895 bytes)
This car was for many years in the Imperial Palace collection, Las Vegas, NV;
it was identified there as having belonged to both President Lyndon B. Johnson
and entertainer, Liberace [Photo:  Imperial Palace, Las Vegas]

 

 

StrLomGabl.jpg (12065 bytes)

 

Lombard, Carole
and
Gable, Clark

[screen stars]

1941 Cadillac Series 62 convertible

 

 

 

54eldc.jpg (21126 bytes)
NOT this car but one much like it

 

 

Lombardo, Guy
born Gaetano Albert Lombardo
[Canadian violinist and "Big Band" leader]

1954 Cadillac Eldorado

Guy's career began in 1924 and spanned some 50 years.  The band sold over 100,000 million records. "The Sweetest Music This Side of Heaven" was the logo of Guy Lombardo & His Royal Canadians.  By 1930 thne band had established themselves as America's top dance band.   Guy died in 1977.

 

 

 

eb5945b.jpg (5140 bytes)

 

Loren, Sophia
[sultry screen star ...at least I think so!]

Sophia is reported to have owned this 1959 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham; however, I have no official record nor any photo of her with such a car. The photo was supplied kindly by the car's current owner, Chris Bonzi.  It features neither of the two standard trim designs for the 1959 Eldorado Brougham, although the door panel and seat back design look correct (except that the seat back clock appears to be covered over with a piece of upholstery)

 

 

 

55WAG5.JPG (10397 bytes)
Only seven of these were built in 1955
[ NOT this particular car, but certainly one like it ]

 

 

Louis, Joe
[one time world heavyweight boxing champion]

He is reported to have owned a 1955 Custom Viewmaster station wagon
built by Hess & Eisenhardt, of Cincinnati, OH

 

 


MacArthur, Douglas (General) [1]
[WW2 hero]

1937 Cadillac Series 90 V16 custom town car

This car  was custom-built by General Motors for the first president of the (former) Commonwealth of the Philippines, Manuel L. Quezon [see below].  In 1938, the President gave the vehicle to General MacArthur as a gift for helping to train and organize the military of the (former) Commonwealth government.   MacArthur used the Cadillac throughout his tour of duty in the Philippines, until the outbreak of WWW2.    

After spending decades on display at Corregidor Islands, where it became much deteriorated from long exposure to sea air,  the car was shipped back to Quezon City to form part of the memorabilia collection honoring former president Quezon.

General MacArthur's 1937 Cadillac V16 town car was fully restored by the Vintage Car Club of the Philippines.   Only two such town cars cars were built on gthe "Sixteen" chassis in 1937.  the general's car is the only one still running today.  It was also said that GM funded part of the restoration during the mid 70s at a cost of $25,000.

 

 

mcarthur.jpg (7481 bytes)    v637fili.jpg (4642 bytes)
Facts and color photo supplied kindly by
Database user Irwin Kho of the Philippines

v637fil2.jpg (6630 bytes)     v637fil3.jpg (5951 bytes)
[ Photos: by Craig Watrous and Robert De Mott, CCCA ]

 

 

ST42MACA.jpg (3439 bytes)
This car is like the author's
own Black Pryncess

 

MacArthur, Douglas (General) [2]

1942 Cadillac Series 75 limousine

General MacArthur used this car to drive to the
battleship Missouri where Japan signed its capitulation

 

 

 

MacArthur, Douglas (General) [3]
[WW2 hero]

1941 Cadillac Series 62 parade car

General MacArthur got a hero's welcome when he returned from the Pacific. Here he is riding on the  parade boot of a 1941 Cadillac Series 62 convertible

 

41mcarth.jpg (8556 bytes)

 

 

Mack, Lonnie
[Guitarist, instrumentalist]

Various sixties Cadillacs

Lonnie is my favorite blues guitarist. I discovered him when I was a struggling
bass player for the Furax, Geneva's premier instrumental group (ha-ha!).
I place Lonnie up there with the best: B.B. King, Hank Marvin, Eric Clapton

 

Lonmack1.jpg (12770 bytes)    Lonmack2.jpg (8115 bytes)
These two snapshots from the CD, Lonnie Mack - Direct Hits and Close Calls, show Lonnie (far right in the RH photo)
and his band, Dave Byrd, Bill Jones and Ron Grayson, with their respective Cadillacs (two '60s, a '63 and a'64-60S)

 

 

 

36McQCp.jpg (10300 bytes)
[ Photo:  Internet ]

 

MacQueen, Steve
[
movie star]

1936 Cadillac coupe

 

 

Str51brw.jpg (12191 bytes)

 

Maharajah of Birwani
[former potentate of India]

1950 (?) Cadillac Series 62 convertible

 


Magsaysay, Ramon
[former Premier of the Philippines, 1953-1957]

1955 Cadillac Fleetwood Series 75 limousine

This car was retired from service in the sixties; it  was taking up too much room at the Malacañang Palace compound (the President's official residence). The National Museum eventually took custody of the car and displayed in the dungeons of a nearby, former 16th century fort, built by the Spaniards during that rule. It  remained there for the next thirty years until it was evicted once again in the late eighties.  Brute strength was used to lift the car out and the it suffered considerable damage. Thereafter, it was left to deteriorate in the open.  Eventually, the car was rescued by the Vintage Car Club of the Philippines and fully restored. 

The preceding facts and photos were supplied kindly by Database user Irwin Kho of the Philippines. 

 

 

Stmags3.jpg (6766 bytes)    St_mags1.jpg (11105 bytes)
(left) President Magsaysay's 1955 Cadillac practically begging for some attention before its scheduled restoration
(right)  A worker meticulously labors on the interior of the presidential car during the latter stages of restoration

Stmags2.jpg (8185 bytes)
Charlie Alvarez is all smiles as he presents to the public the latest
achievement of the Vintage Car Club of the Philippines

 

 

 

Maharajah of Gwalior
[former potentate of India]

1951 Cadillac Series 62 convertible

Although it has many features of the 1952 Golden Anniversary models, this is in fact a 1951 model.
It is a specially trimmed 1951 Series 62 convertible, style #6267XS [I have not seen this style number
before, on any 1951 Cadillac listings]. The "X" indicates it was fitted with power windows and the
"S" that it was probably a special order.  The car is still in India (4/2001]

 

 

52maha.jpg (7472 bytes)
The gilded "V" and crest of the 1952 Golden Anniversary Cadillac models
is confusing, as is the 1952 winged emblem below the headlight
s

 

 

 

Mansfield, Jayne
[screen star]

1959 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz convertible

She was known to love the color pink.  Her cars were pink, her  pool was pink, she bathed in pink
champagne.  Sadly, around 2.30 a.m. on  June 29, 1967 her driver lost control of the car in which she was a
passenger (no, not this car!) and she was killed instantly when it got embedded under a truck on U.S. route  90

 

 

Str59jma.jpg (15658 bytes)
Everything in Jayne's life was pink ...including her Cadillacs

 

 

 

Mariano, Luis
[ French operatic singer and screen star ]

1955 Eldorado

Car is reported to have been found in the South of France by enthusiast,
Philippe  Maillet. I understand from another source that the "remains" of the car are NOT for sale

 

 

55luis00.jpg (5368 bytes)    55luis01.jpg (4984 bytes)

55luis02.jpg (5741 bytes)    55luis03.jpg (7272 bytes)
The car is located in a salvage yard in France ; it is NOT for sale
[ Photos: © 2002, Philippe Courant, ACCF ]

 

 

 

70elwa2.jpg (10076 bytes)

 

Martin, Dean
[singer, actor]

1970 Eldorado Wagon

This custom station wagon was built by
Hollywood customizer, George Barris


This car, or one much like it, was offered for sale on EBay in November, 2007. Here are the pics from that Internet site:

69EldDean2.jpg (6661 bytes)    69EldDean1.jpg (5581 bytes)    69EldDean3.jpg (3194 bytes)

 

 

 

Mayor, the
[of Baltimore, MD]

1951 Cadillac Fleetwood Series 75

This photo is from the archives of the Chesapeake Cadillac Co., in Baltimore, MD [courtesy of my friend Dick Sunderland]; it was taken on the occasion of the inauguration of one of the cities new bridges. The Mayor is the big guy in the hard hat

 

str51govn.JPG (10646 bytes)

 


Str66mat.jpg (7692 bytes)

 

Matthieu, Mireille
[French pop star]

1966 Cadillac De Ville convertible

She was launched in the early sixties after winning a singing competition on TV.  France loves her, as I do too.  Her musical scores and the tone of her voice are reminiscent of the late and great Edith Piaf.  Mireille came home to her native Avignon one day with this spanking new 1966 Cadillac De Ville convertible.  In this press photo she is seen riding the parade boot, surrounded  by her numerous brothers and sisters

 

 

str20may.jpg (12301 bytes)

 

May, Ann
[screen star]

1920 custom Cadillac sport phaeton (Don Lee)

She was a star of the silent screen.  In the twenties
she bought from Don Lee, in Hollywood, this

exceptional sport phaeton with secondary cowl
and windshield designed by the great Harley Earl
who moved to Detroit in the late twenties

 

 

 

McQueen, Steve
[screen star]

1936 Cadillac V8 Coupe

The car on the right is purported to have belonged
to screen-star, heart-throb, Steve McQueen. 
His sons, Terry and Chad, disposed of many
of the actor's vehicles auction in Las Vegas,
in 1984.  This was lot #630. The collection
comprised 5 airplanes, 55 cars and 200 motorcycles.

 

St36McQ.jpg (10436 bytes)

 


Menjou, Adolphe
[French screen star of thirties, Hollywood]

1922 (?) Cadillac phaeton
1941 custom "Woodie" by Cantrell

 

 

Str_mnjo.jpg (10774 bytes)     41woody.jpg (8641 bytes)

StrAdMjou.jpg (14465 bytes)
Menjou owned this 1949 Series 62 Sedanet
In the latter part of his cinematographic career
[ Photo:  courtesy Howland Blackiston and the Self Starter ]

 

 


Mickey Mouse
[hero of the world's children]

1928 Cadillac sport phaeton

As part of Disney's Centenary celebrations,  opulent parades were staged at the
world headquarters in Disneyland, CA, where your favorite characters (and mine)
were  paraded in triumph aboard this 1928 sport phaeton

 

 

28micke2.jpg (8067 bytes)    28mickey.jpg (10254 bytes)
We saw this car in Orlando (at the Epcott Center), in October 2002
(it appears to run on electricity - no engine sound nor any exhaust fumes)

 

 

 

Mohammed V (1)
[ late King of Morocco ]

1959 Cadillac Series 75 limousine

The Moroccan Royal Family owned many Cadillacs.  This one was involved in a collision and subsequently abandoned.  It was photographed in Morocco by Jean-Michel Paris, a member of the American Car Club de France

 

st59moha.jpg (6591 bytes)
[ Photo: © Jean-Michel Paris ]

 

 

Mohammed V (2)
[ late King of Morocco ]

Stretched 1961 convertible sedan
on Series 75 chassis

This custiom job was created by France's Henri
Chapron to the King's own specifications

 

61moroco.jpg (4698 bytes)

 


Monroe, Marilyn
[legendary screen star]

1954 Series 62 convertible

I have nothing to add to all that has been said already about the legendary Miss Monroe,
her Hollywood career, the affection she bestowed on mainly the wrong people
and her mysterious and untimely demise in 1962

Marilyn also rode in husband Joe DiMaggio's black, 1954 Cadillac (their wedding car)
as well as a white (1960?) model that she used during the shooting of The Misfits

 

 

54monroe.jpg (12320 bytes)     st54 mar2.jpg (12712 bytes)
The story goes that this black over red 1954 Series 62 convertible was a gift to Marilyn from Jack Benny, after she appeared on his show
Mike Nicholl of Classic & Collectible Cars, Las Vegas, was contacted in 2007 by a customer of his
who claims to own this car; Mike is prsently trying to verify the authenticity of that clain;
Photo (right) was taken by Milton H. Greene on a Los Angeles street in 1954;
Marilyn is holding up a portrait of Abe Lincoln, one of her heroes
[ info from Cadillac enthusiast, Stephen Kirkwood ]

Str58mnr.jpg (10975 bytes)    Str62mnr.jpg (8131 bytes)
(Left) Marilyn parades in a top-down 1958 Cadillac model
(Right) this 1962 sedan said to have been hers was sold at auction in Australia in the eighties

 

 


Montalnan, Ricardo

[screen star]

1974 Cadillac Fleetwood Eldorado convertible

 

 

St74mtlban.jpg (13279 bytes)

 

 


Montgomery, Robert

[screen star]

1933 Cadillac V16 convertible Victoria

 

 

v65585f.JPG (7255 bytes)    MONTGOMR.JPG (8590 bytes)

 

 

 

Moore, Archie
[ World light heavyweight boxing champ, 1952 ]

 

1957 Cadillac Series 75 limousine
He used this car as his daily driver until 1981

 

 

Str57Moore1.jpg (7493 bytes)    Str57Moore2.jpg (7243 bytes)    Str57Moore3.jpg (4677 bytes)
[ the car was offered for sale on Ebay in 2008 ]

 

 

 

Mora y Aragón, Jaime (de)
[ Spanish aristocrat ]

This car was originally the property of Spanish aristocrat Jaime de Mora y Aragón. In more recent years it was used in a music video clip entitled Cadillac Solitario ("Lonely Cadillac") by Loquillo y Trogloditas.  My initial English translation was : Little Loco [crazy guy] and the Troglodytes.  However, a Latino visitor to the Database corrected me (in May, 2006), explaining that "Loquillo" was in fact cartoonist Walter Lantz' Woody Woodpecker ; so in simple English, the band's name would be Woody Woodpecker and the Cave Dwellers.  In August 2001, this car was on
display at Barcelona's Lilla mall, in Spain, with five other classics from the collection of Mr. Ramón Magriñá

STR53A~1.JPG (9401 bytes)

STR53A~2.JPG (7178 bytes)    STR53A~3.JPG (5379 bytes)

 

 

 

Morganthau, Henry P.
[ Secretary of the Treasury in the W. Wilson administration ]

1919 Cadillac custom Victoria

Offered for sale on eBay [Internet] in December, 2003, this car is said to have been custom built by the Wolfington Body Company of Philadelphia for former Secretary of the Treasury, Henry P. Morganthau.  It has several unique features including cowl-mounted running lights, nickel plated drum headlights with custom brackets and a plated grill shell with Mr. Morganthau's initials instead of the usual Cadillac emblem in that location

19VICB.JPG (8286 bytes)
[ Photo: Internet - eBay web site ]

 

 

 

Morlay, Gaby
[ French theater and movie actress ]

She is reported to have owned a 1928 Imperial sedan that is now the property of
the Keyaerts Cadillac Museum in Langeais, Touraine, France

 

[ photo needed ]

 

 

 

Mountbatten of Burma, Louis, 1st Earl
[ Last Viceroy of India, British admiral and Statesman
Chief of combined military operations in WW2 ]

1942 Cadillac Series 75 limousine, Fleetwood style 7559 (?)
this car currently (2000) is in Australia

 

 

42mtbatn.jpg (6875 bytes)
This Italian family, in Australia, 
owned the car in the sixties

 

 

 

"Munsters, the"
[sixties popular TV soap]

1937 Cadillac V-12 formal sdean

This car appeared in the series.  It was owned by Bob Moser, producer of the show.
It was featured with the late Fred Gwynn.  Although labeled a "sedan", nonethless the car
has a divider  (as did our 1942 formal sedan for 5 passengers); it has also a pair of opera seats. 
This car as offered for sale at auction on eBay, in June 2006

 

 

37frmlE.jpg (14871 bytes)

   37_12frmlA.jpg (11657 bytes)    37_12frmlB.jpg (11455 bytes)

37frmlD.jpg (9886 bytes)    37_12frmlC.jpg (7464 bytes)
[ Photos:  Internet, June 2006 ]

 

 

 

Nasser, Gamal Abdel (1)
[former Raïs (leader) of modern Egypt]

1947 custom Fleetwood Series 75 convertible sedan

In 1958, Syria and  Egypt were united under the banner of  the
United Arab Republic.  Syrians and Egyptians alike were called to vote
on February 21, 1958 for the creation of the new republic, with Nasser
as its president.  After the founding ceremony, the two leaders, Nasser
and Qu'watli, paraded through the streets of Damascus aboard this
custom convertible sedan. Unfortunately, the union of Egypt and Syria
as one great Arab nation was to last only until the summer of 1961
when  a Syrian military junta decided to beak away from the "republic"
and to create  a new and independent  Syrian Arab Republic,
free of any Egyptian control or influence

 

47nasser.jpg (8999 bytes)

 

58naser2.jpg (9141 bytes)

 

Nasser, Gamal Abdel (2)
[former Raïs (leader) of modern Egypt]

1958 Cadillac Series 62 convertible

Nasser led the army coup that deposed the late King Farouk [another Cadillac aficionado].  In May 1964, the Aswan high dam over the Nile was inaugurated in the presence of Nasser and Soviet Premier, Nikita Kruchchev (the dam was Soviet-designed, built and financed). As the parade Cadillac made its way slowly through the throngs of onlookers, a female admirer of Nasser threw herself across the hood of the car,  causing quite a panic among the security guards (photo)

 

 

 

Nasser, Gamal Abdel (3)
[former Raïs (leader) of modern Egypt]

Armored 1961 Cadillac

Hess & Eisenhardt of Cincinnati, OH, is reported
to have built an armored Cadillac for Egypt's leader
(like the one illustrated at the right)

 

Dr61h&e1.JPG (11062 bytes)
[ NOT this car, but presumably one much like it ]

 

strPolaN.jpg (4728 bytes)

 

Negri, Pola
[ Star of the Silent Screen and the Movies ]

1924 7-pass. sedan

The photo appeared in Theatre Magazine for January 1926.  In the caption the car is described as a Cadillac coupe.  In fact, it is a roomy sedan for seven passengers (style #5470);
in 1924, this model cost $3,585

 

 

 

Str58nmn.jpg (9381 bytes)

 

 Newman, Paul
[screen star]

1958 Cadillac Series 62 convertible
as used by the actor in the movie Hud.

 

 

Newton, Helmut
[renowned fashion photographer]

Unfortunately, this entry must serve also as an obituary notice. Sadly, the acclaimed fashion photographer died January 23, 2004 after he lost control of his silver Cadillac SRX in a Los Angeles hotel driveway; his car struck a wall and Newton died later in hospital; he  was 83.   His work appeared in Playboy, Elle and Vogue.  He was best known for his black-and-white studies of nude women.

Helmut Newton Web Sites

 

 

NEWTCAD2.JPG (8583 bytes)    NEWTCAD1.JPG (8030 bytes)

 

 

 

Nimitz, Chester
[former US Navy Admiral]

1936 Cadillac Series 75, style #8509
sedan for 5 passengers, Fleetwood  body

 

str36Nimitz.jpg (5573 bytes)    Str36nimitz1.JPG (9668 bytes)    str36nimitz2.JPG (9918 bytes)
[Far left]  Admiral Nimitz boarding a car that is NOT his 1936 Cadillac but more likely a later model Packard;
center and right: the Admiral's personal car
[ all photos:  Internet, 2008 ]

 

 

Nixon, Richard (1)
[former President of the USA]

1967 armored Cadillac Series 75

 

6775nixn.jpg (11474 bytes)

 

 

 

84lisbon.jpg (7653 bytes)
G-Men guard the presidential parade car in Lisbon, Portugal

 

 

Nixon, Richard (2)
[former President of the USA]

1984 custom White House security car
by Hess & Eisenhardt of Cincinnati, OH.

President Nixon used this car during his European tour in May, 1985

 

 

 

Nixon, Richard & Mrs.
[Former First Family, USA]

1974 Fleetwood Talisman

This text accompanied some photos of a car that was offered for sale on eBay in December, 2003:
I was told this 1974 Fleetwood Talisman  was purchased by President and Mrs. Richard M. Nixion [sic] after his resignation from the Presidency for their use and was kept at their home in San Clemente, CA. I have not
been able to verify this through the DMV, but there is a plaque on the dash board staiting
[sic] such.

 

 

NIXNTAL6.JPG (11230 bytes)    NIXNTAL4.JPG (9025 bytes)

NIXNTALI.JPG (3621 bytes)
I had a special plaque like this engraved for my '67 Mustang;
I could also have had it engraved "Custom Made for Elvis Presley"

 

 

 

Nitti, Frank
[Henchman of gangster, Al Capone]

Rumor has it that Frank owned a 1942 Series 75, style 7519, 7-pass.  sedan:
it was offered for sale on e-Bay in November, 2002. There were NO bidders,
possibly on account of the non-authentic restoration of the interior.

 

 

42NITTI.JPG (9475 bytes)

NITTI1.JPG (7759 bytes)    NITTI2.JPG (7140 bytes)
This model is almost the same as our car, except that ours has the glass division;
205 units were built, as against only 65 units for our "formal" version

(Hey, maybe OUR car is the Nitti car!)

 

 

 
Nixon, Richard
[former President of the USA]

1984 White House limousine by Hess & Eisenhardt
(read more about it under Dream Cars)

Car Life published an article in November 1956 that had a story on the Cars of the Candidates (to the 1957 presidential elections). There I learned about Mr. Nixon's official car (below); when he first became Vice President, he inherited an older Cadillac from his predecessor, Alben Barkley

 

 

DR83PRSD.JPG (11038 bytes)

DR83PRS2.JPG (8992 bytes)    st83nix2.jpg (12477 bytes)

 

 

 

STRNOVAK.JPG (6615 bytes)

 

 Novak, Kim (1)
[Screen star]

This 1957 Cadillac

 

 

 

St61nvak.jpg (7899 bytes)

 

 Novak, Kim (2)
[Screen star]

This 1961 Cadillac convertible for sale
on the Internet in 2001 was described as
having belonged to Ms. Novak

 

 

"Nudie"
[Tailor to the Stars]

1976 Cadillac Eldorado convertible

"Nudie" has passed on.  He was the colorful owner of  a Hollywood fashion house that catered to the Hollywood and variety set. Among his creations was Elvis Presley's gold lamé tuxedo in the late fifties.  His car was this wild, westernized Eldorado convertible model that  sported, inter alia, a pair of long horns on the front grille, Winchester carbines on the trunk and rear fenders, holsters and six-guns draped over the back of the front seats. Silver dollars studded the hard boot [see also Le Fever entry]

 

drnudie.jpg (5309 bytes)

 

 

Olav V
[ King of Norway ]

1952 Cadillac Series 75 limousine

The late king retired the car in 1981,   making room for a brand new "Royal Blue" 1981 Series 75 with the traditional "A1" license plates.  That one was later sold to a livery service and later still to a private owner. It was replaced a few years later by a downsized, 1985 DeVille limousine converted by Armbruster Stageway. King Olav V was a keen auto enthusiast with a penchant for American cars.  In addition to the "official fleet" he kept quite a few American "drivers".  On most non-public occasions king Olav drove himself;  his car
of choice for personal use was a 1967 Fleetwood that he kept until his death.   That car currently is in the hands of a private collector.

The information for this entry was supplied by CML member Tore Robert Klerud and supplemented by Fred Nissen, both members of the CML [the Cadillac Mailing List]

 

 

5275.jpg (9482 bytes)
[ not this car - excerpted from that year's product folder - but one just like it ]

 

 

st65orbi.jpg (7434 bytes)

 

Orbison, Roy
[singer]

1965 Cadillac De Ville convertible

This car was offered for sale on e-Bay in 7/2001;
it was said to have been the property of the singer

 

 

 

Owens, Jesse
[legendary U.S. sports figure]

1929 Cadillac convertible parade car

African-American sports giant, Jesse Owens won four gold
medals for the USA during the 1936 Olympics, held in Berlin,
Germany, just before the outbreak of WW2.  Adolf Hitler,
irascible Chancellor of  the Third Reich stormed out of the
tribune of honor after Owens beat Germany's allegedly
superior Aryan athletes.  Back home, Jesse rode a
Cadillac in this ceremonial ticker tape parade

 

 
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Paget, Debra
[screen star]

1955  Cadillac

You can't see it on this small, compressed digital image but the front of this car is  decorated (why and with what?)  It could be daisies; you can tell that the hood "V" is too wide.  Also there is an inscription over the crest; it could be "MGM"; it is difficult to say, even using a magnifying glass

 

 

 

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 Palance, Jack [1]
[screen star]

1937 Cadillac V12 formal sedan

 

 

 Palance, Jack [2]
[screen star]

1959 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz

I have an unsubstantiated report that this car,  photographed in the desert near Phoenix, AZ, was also in Jack Palance's collection.  Sold in 1999 by Chris 'Doc' Sabatino to Georg Pfeiffer, an Austrian collector, who had it completely restored [I recommend highly a visit to Georg's Web site].   Chris Sabatino had described thus: This is an extremely rare automobile. Only 1320 produced. This auto was #42 off the assembly line. Only 99 were offered with bucket seats [BTW, that number has never been officially substantiated], this is one of them! Of the 99, only half were produced with air conditioning [again an unsubstantiated statement], this is one of them! Of the approximately 45 cars that came with air conditioning, approximately 5 came with all options [unsubstantiated], yup, this is one of them! This car was originally purchased by actor, Jack Palance. It was sold in 1978, and then stored for 20 years!! This car is the one used by GM for their Eldorado commercials and their print ads [1999]! This is a pedigree car, that could be worth as much as $100,00-120,000, like they were in the late 80s and early 90s. Current market value (if you could find a restored '59 Eldo),  would be in $55,000-85,000 range.

Georg makes no reference to the Palance connection but adds: The car was delivered initially to a dealer in Phoenix, AZ. Originally painted Argent [Code #92] Chris Sabatino had it resprayed in red and did some minor cosmetic work on it.  A ground-up, perfect restoration was subsequently carried out in Austria by Rudi Kerschbaumer and his team from American Special Parts.

 

 

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The car as portrayed in a GM/Cadillac commercial in 1999

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The car as beautifully and perfectly restored in Austria for Georg Pfeiffer

 

 

 

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 Palmer, Arnold
[renowned professional golfer]

1973 Cadillac Eldorado convertible

Mr. Palmer now runs a Cadillac dealership in Charlotte, NC.  There is a HUGE, scintillating "Cadillac" sign, outside visible for miles  on I-77

 

 

Parton, Dolly (1)
[country singer, entertainer]

1964 Cadillac Series 62 sedan
[ ideal car, with more than adequate trunk storage space,
for a budding young country singer]

 

 

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Dolly is my favorite country singer of all time

 

 

 

Parton, Dolly (2)
[country singer, entertainer]

1974 Cadillac Talisman by Fleetwood
[the poor image is from a Kruse auction catalog]

 

 

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Pastorelli, Robert
[TV and screen star]

1959 Coupe de Ville

The actor is reported to have committed suicide, with a drug overdose, on  March 8,  2004.   According to police he was found by his personal assistant with a syringe in his right arm.  Friends said he had been off drugs for fifteen years, but had gone back to using heroin, probably after a falling out with his girlfriend, Charemon.

 

 

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Photos:  Internet (where the car was offered up for sale on eBay in April, 2005)

 

 

 

Patton, General George S.
[WW2 military leader, U.S.]

1938 Cadillac Fleetwood Series 75 style #7533 limousine

The General died on December 21, 1945 owing to complications resulting from a collision on December 9, 1945 when he was a passenger in a Cadillac similar to this one.  It  was near Mannheim, in Germany, on the N-38, that it was struck in the right  front end by   a 6x6 army truck that had veered sharply in front of it, following a moment of inattention by its driver (the General's driver was PFC Horace L. Woodring - photo, below).  The General's neck was broken and he died, later, in hospital. 

An article about the tragic accident appeared in Torque (magazine of the Michigan Region CCCA) in the issue for March-April, 1980.  Some mystery surrounds the tragic circumstances in which Patton lost his life; they are under investigation by a writer acquaintance who will be publishing a book on the General.

Cadillac enthusiast, W. Kline, wrote in December 2001 to inform me that a Cadillac reported to be the one in which Patton suffered his fatal injuries was still on display at the Armory Museum in Fort Knox, KY.  However, there is a consensus among the experts that the car shown there is really a 1939 Series 75, similar to the 1938 Patton car, but not THAT car; the genuine "Patton car" is believed to have been scrapped, in Germany, some time after the accident. This has been the conclusion of a number of Cadillac enthusiasts, including  Doug Houston Jr.,  who wrote a long article about the Patton car in Torque (magazine of the Michigan region CCCA) in the spring of 1980 and Matt Larson, acting as Cadillac Archivist for the GM Heritage Center in 2006.  Not everyone agrees with Doug or Matt, especially not Lawrence W. Lee Jr. who wrote (in May, 2006):

You say that the car at the Patton Museum is not the actual car used by Patton at the time of his death, which was scrapped soon after the accident. This is obviously incorrect, as a simple contact to the Patton Museum would have revealed [of course, Lawrence, it is in the interest of the Museum to have their patrons believe they DO have the RIGHT car].  The car has excellent documentation [it would be interesting if  we could see it, Lawrence], and was shipped to the Museum in 1951, after having been used by the Chief of Constabulary Forces in Germany during the U.S. occupation. According to documents I have previously received from the Patton Museum, a 1939 Series 75 car was located to use for spare parts.  The  General's car had all body parts from the firewall forward replaced, using parts from the 1939 donor car.  Two sections of the front grille were missing, and replacements were hand-made by a local craftsman who did not know they should be in the vertical position. In a 1982 examination of the car, two data plates were found - one from 1938 [possibly the ORIGINAL body tag?],  the other from 1939 (the 1939 plate is in French).  According to Col. Thomas Hauss,  who was an Ordnance Officer for General I.D. White (the last Chief of Constabulary to use the car during the occupation), the car's engine and transmission were replaced with units from an M24 tank [Doug interviewed Lt. Col. Hauss in the eighties and believes he has since passed on].

Well, Lawrence, Doug, Matt, in  French we say: de la discussion jaillit la lumière (i.e. discussion will cast light  on the issue).  That's why I asked Doug and Matt for their views on Lawrence's comments.  Doug replied (in May, 2006)  that he was of the opinion that s
omebody may have made up (new?) "documentation" in an attempt to "authenticate" the car as THE Patton car.  He restated that an army PFC by the name of  Woodring, who was in Germany at the time and was close to the car, had assured him that the Museum car was NOT the one in which the General was injured. Doug had also interviewed Lt. Col. Tom Hauss [mentioned by Lawrence] many years ago, on army business [Doug believes Hauss has since passed on].  According to Doug, Lawrence would have done well to talk to Woody; unfortunately, it
was about a year too late, as Woody too had passed on.  Again in Doug's opinion, it is obviously in the interest of the Patton museum to stick to its story, especially now that all the main actors in the drama have passed on. As for Matt, while acting as the Cadillac Archivist at the GM Heritage Center in 2006, he prepared a five-page report from which it transpires that the museum car definitely is NOT the car in which the general suffered that fatal injury. It would not be practical to reproduce Matt's findings here in extenso; however, should any reader wish to read the full the report, I am sure Matt would have no objection to my providing you with a copy as an Email attachment.  You may request such a copy here:

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I try to publish in the Cadillac Database only verifiable facts; often I must rely on statements like those of the afore-mentioned
three enthusiasts.  So, if anyone else can shed more light on the issue,  please do so.  Let's hear also what the Museum has to say !

 

 

 

Paul [King]
[former King of Greece]

The King is reported to have owned an armored Cadillac
built for him by Hess & Eisenhardt of Cincinatti, OH

 

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John-Paul VI (1)
[H.H. The Pope]

1969 Cadillac Series 60 Special

On Tuesday,   June 10, 1969 H.H. Pope John-Paul VI  paid a courtesy visit  to the European office of the United Nations at Geneva, Switzerland.  After celebrating a mass at the city's Parc de la Grange, he had time to meet also with Ethiopia's Emperor Haile Selassie at the Headquarters of the International Labor Organization (ILO)

 

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John-Paul VI (2)

[H.H. The Pope]

1999 Ceremonial Cadillac "Throne" car

 

 

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This car was on display at the 2001 Cadillac-LaSalle Club Grand National meet in Denver, CO

 

 

 

Penniman, Richard
[aka Little Richard - American pop star]

1956 Cadillac Series Sixty Special

He sold more than 32 millions records including titles like Good Golly Miss Molly, Lucille, Long Tall Sally and Tutti Frutti.  The royalties from his first hit song, Tutti Frutti, enabled him to buy his first car ...even though he did not yet have a driver's license. 

He bought it in Hollywood.   It was a mildly customized, white 1956 Cadillac Series Sixty Special with gold trim and matching interior.  Leopard skins were used for the upholstery.  The car is reported to have cost about $8000, at a time when the standard Sixty Special carried a price tag of $4300. The story goes that he hired a white chauffeur to drive him back home to Macon, Georgia. At that time there was only one other Cadillac in town; it belonged to the local undertaker.  Little Richard joked, "Before I got my car, you had to be dead to get to ride in a Cadillac!"  He called his car Miss Ann; it became the title of one of his later hit songs.

The week after Tutti Frutti hit the stands he drove through town, blowing kisses to his female fans ...and became so distracted that he had a front fender-bender.  He recalled being arrested, in El Paso, Texas, while driving home with $50,000 in cash from record sales. The police was convinced he had stolen the cash AND the Cadillac.  He was thrown in jail and refused bail.  He had to wait for his lawyer to fly in from California before he could be released.

He wanted to keep Miss Ann but all his star friends (Fats Domino, Check Berry, etc.) were buying the latest models and so he followed suit.  He bought a '57 model, painted purple.  he said, I used to wear the purple suits before Prince was even born!

 

 

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Gen. John Pershing

1919 Cadillac limousine and 1929 La Salle sedan

The 1917 Cadillac touring car was selected by the combined armed forces as the standard officers car
high ranking officers were assigned a more luxurious limousine style.  To thank him for leading the allied
troops to victory in Europe, in WW1, Cadillac employees pooled together to build for him the dark
blue, 1919 Cadillac Suburban (below, left); it was later presented to him as a gift.  Six thousand workers
participated in the project; all the parts were labeled for General Pershing's car and carried a small
American flag; the interior was trimmed in gold plate and the grille carried the General's four stars.
The 1929 La Salle (below, right) was used also by the General; this one carries only two stars

 

 

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[General Pershing also used (owned?) the 1929 LaSalle on the right]

 

 

 

Petain, Philippe
[Field marshal, Premier of France's Vichy regime during WW2]

1939 Cadillac Series 75 limousine

Accused of collaborating with the German invader, Pétain spent his last two days of freedom in Switzerland,
on April 24 and 25, 1945.  The day after celebrating his 90th birthday (April 24), he drove to the French border
crossing at Vallorbe, where he was arrested at 7 p.m. by the new French authorities and jailed in Paris'  Fresnes
prison. He was court marshaled and sentenced to death but the sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment

 

 

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(left) A squad of Swiss soldiers stands to attention as the Field Marshal's
Cadillac car leaves the safety of Switzerland's neutrality

(right) this car is claimed by the owner to be the Petain car; it was sent to me by
William Benoit,  a French friend and Cadillac aficionado; the non-original, small, round
parking lights on the lower front fenders certainly don't belie the car's Swiss origin

 

 


Philip [H.H. Prince]
[Duke of Edinburgh]

1954 Cadillac

While on a state visit to India in the late fifties, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, rode in this 1954 Cadillac.  Its owner had hoped to have the Prince ride in it again when he visited the country again in the late eighties.  However,  protocol did not allow it.

 

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Pius XII
[H.H. The Pope]

1938 Cadillac Series 90 V16 town car, style 9053

This 16-cylinder Cadillac town car was NOT one of  His Holiness'
private cars, it simply had its place in the Vatican garage, amid many
other cars of state. This one came from Cardinal Spellman of New York
who got it as a gift from the daughters of the first owner, Countess
Rosario De Larrechea De Schiffner, when she passed away in 1948.

 

 

Pius XII
[H.H. The Pope]

1940 Custom-built Series 75 "throne" car

Fleetwood converted this standard Series 75 limousine with a special interior for Pope Pius XII. A New Jersey press cutting of July 14 (1940?) recorded that "a black Cadillac limousine was trucked through this city [in New Jersey] a few days ago, bound for the Vatican for Pope Pius XII; according to General Motors it was a conventional Series 75 priced at $14000". The car was described as having chrome, gold and walnut trim, a single back seat with a radio on one side and a writing shelf on the other.

 

 

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Interior of Papal 1947 Series 75 limousine

 

 


Poland [Council of Ministers of]

[Government official car]

1933 Cadillac Series 370 all-weather phaeton;
The photo was sent to me by a Cadillac enthusiast

 

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Polnareff, Michel

[French pop star]

1959 Cadillac Series 62 convertible

French pop star and composer/singer of the haunting Love me, Please Love me hit song of the sixties is featured here on the trunk of a '59 convertible.  Michel left France after the French
government had objected to his naked butt being exposed all over Paris to advertise one of his shows.  Polnareff was not known for  good taste!

 

 

 

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Power, Tyrone

[Movie star]

1948 Cadillac Series 92 convertible

 

 


Presidential Limousines

[various]

2001 armored Cadillac

 

 

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n the topic of presidential parade or security Cadillacs, I understand from Cadillac enthusiast,
Erik Calvino, Tokyo (1998) that the Smithsonian Institute warehouses near Dulles Airport
are home to dozens of rare Cadillacs.  Can anyone
confirm this?

 

 


Presley, Elvis (1)
[The King of Rock 'n Roll]

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The cars that Elvis bought and gave to his family and friends largely outnumber those he bought
for himself. I once heard it said that if all the Elvis Presley cars were put end to end, they would
reach twice around the globe!  For want of space we shall show only a handful of them in these pages.

[to view some Cadillacs with Presley connections, click here and here]

 

         

 

Qatar, Emir of
[Arab potentate]

1960 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham

The Emir was an occasional neighbor of mine,
in Versoix, near Geneva, Switzerland.  There, he
kept a garage full of exotic cars, in the mid-seventies.
When he was in Qatar, the Swiss chauffeur would
let me in to look at them.  The most impressive, to me,
were his 1959 and 1960 Eldorado Brougham models

 

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H.H. Queen Elizabeth II (1)
[Queen of the U.K.]