User:DanTD/Sandbox/Oldsmobiles in popular culture

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This should be restored to the Oldsmobile article, in one way or another.

Music

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The Oldsmobile is notable for having inspired numerous popular songs:

  • "In My Merry Oldsmobile", a 1905 song with music by Gus Edwards and lyrics by Vincent P. Bryan; the song enjoyed a second round of popularity in the 1920s. This music is available in a short cartoon (1932) with same name by Fleischer Studios.
  • "Rocket 88", a 1951 song by Ike Turner said by many to be the first rock and roll record.
  • In the 1974 Tom Waits song "The Heart of Saturday Night," the subject of the song drives an Oldsmobile.
  • In Tom Waits 1992 song "goin' out west" a "olds 88" is mentioned as the protagonist's car.
  • "You're Gonna Get Yours" from Public Enemy's 1987 debut album Yo! Bum Rush The Show, an ode to the Ninety-Eight.
  • "This Is Your Daddy's Oldsmobile," a 1990 song by Ray Stevens.
  • The song by The Men "Church of Logic, Sin and Love" mentions an Oldsmobile. The music video contains a 1971 Oldsmobile Cutlass.
  • "455 Rocket", a 1997 song by Kathy Mattea.
  • Elliott Smith's song "Condor Ave." from album Roman Candle begins with the line, "She took the Oldsmobile out past condor avenue."
  • A line in the Wreckers song "My, Oh My" goes, "This parking lot used to be a field, I parked here in my Oldsmobile."
  • In Kanye West's song, "Drive Slow Homie" an Oldsmobile Aurora is mentioned in the line, "They got them Lincolns and Auroras we be beatin' 'em all."

Movies and Television

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Oldsmobile cars can also been seen in several popular movies and television series:

  • Oldsmobile was a sponsor of the TV version of Michael Shayne (NBC, 1960-1961). Therefore most of the cars in the show were Oldsmobiles, including the police cars and taxis. As the title character, actor Richard Denning drove a 1960 Olds 98 convertible.
  • The Enforcer (1976) - When Clint Eastwood And John Mitchum appears in this film, driving A light red orange metallic 1973 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royale Brougham 2-door coupe.
  • The Gauntlet (1977 film) (1977) - Clint Eastwood stars as Ben Shockley, Sondra Locke stars as Gus Mally, Bill McKinney stars as Constable And Al Silvani stars as Police Sergeant that destroys the interior of A light blue 1975 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser Brougham 4-door station wagon.
  • The September 29, 1979 "CHiPs" episode "Valley, Go Home" contains rival surfer gangs who battle each other in a turf war at the beach, one of whom drives a retired 1970 Oldsmobile 98 ambulance.
  • Every Which Way But Loose (1978) - When Clint Eastwood, Sondra Locke, Roy Jenson And Al Silvani appears in this film, driving A champagne gold 1970 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Brougham 2-door coupe.
  • Escape From Alcatraz (1979) - Clint Eastwood stars as Frank Morris, Fred Ward stars as John Anglin, Ross Reynolds stars as Helicopter Pilot And Eugene Jackson stars as 7th Inmate that destroys the interior of A champagne metallic 1975 Oldsmobile Toronado GT 2-door coupe. Betty Field stars as Stella Johnson.
  • Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1978): A stretch Toronado Limo is used.
  • The Blues Brothers (1980) - During the famous chase scene inside the Dixie Square Mall, the Blues Brothers skid through the windows of an Oldsmobile showroom filled with 1980 models. As they pull away, Elwood remarks, "New Oldsmobiles are in early this year."
  • Actor Bruce Dern drove an Olds 98 4-door sedan in the movie Middle Age Crazy (1980). The car is mentioned in the movie's title song.
  • Any Which Way You Can (1980) - When Clint Eastwood arrives in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, for the big fight, his opponent and friend William Smith is driving a brand-new, red 1980 98 Regency sedan which is featured prominently in the end of the film.
  • Bronco Billy (1980) - When Clint Eastwood And Sondra Locke arrives in Los Angeles, California, driving A satin silver metallic 1980 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser Brougham 4-door station wagon. The grille was misspelled "Oldsmobile" to spell out SLOB MODEL. Actor Betty Field appears in this film.
  • Honkytonk Man (1981) - When Clint Eastwood And Roy Jenson arrives in Memphis, Tennessee, driving A navy blue 1980 Oldsmobile Toronado Brougham 2-door coupe.
  • Firefox (1982) - When Clint Eastwood And Warren Clarke arrives in Baghdad, Syria, driving A light blue 1977 Oldsmobile 98 Regency 2-door coupe.
  • Director Sam Raimi features a yellow 1973 Oldsmobile Delta 88 in many of his films, particularly the Evil Dead films where it is driven by main character Ash. In Raimi's Spider-Man, the car is driven by Uncle Ben. This vehicle was personally owned by Raimi.
  • A Christmas Story (1983) - Ralphie says, "Some men are Baptists, others Catholics, my father was an Oldsmobile man."
  • Sudden Impact (1983) - Clint Eastwood's co-star and real life girlfriend Sondra Locke squeals the front tires while driving away in a then-new Olds Firenza hatchback.
  • City Heat (1984) - When Clint Eastwood And Burt Reynolds appears in his film, driving A satin silver metallic 1982 Oldsmobile 98 Regency 2-door coupe.
  • Tightrope (film) (1984) - When Clint Eastwood, Dan Hedaya, Jamie Rose And Genevieve Bujold appears in this film, driving A black cherry 1982 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royale Brougham 4-door sedan.
  • Heartbreak Ridge (1986) - When Clint Eastwood And Eileen Heckart appears in this film, driving A dark maple red metallic 1979 Oldsmobile Toronado Brougham 2-door coupe.
  • Bird (1988 film) (1987) - When Clint Eastwood And Betty Field appears in this film, driving A bright red 1977 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Brougham 4-door sedan.
  • Lethal Weapon (1987) - Murtaugh (Danny Glover) drives a 1986 Oldsmobile Delta 88. 1985 Oldsmobile 98 Regency is seen as the villain's vehicle.
  • The Dead Pool (1988) - Clint Eastwood's character, Harry "Dirty Harry" Callahan, is pursued by a remote controlled bomb disguised as a radio controlled car through hilly San Francisco in a 1985 Oldsmobile 98 Regency .
  • Lethal Weapon 2 (1989) - Murtaugh is driving his wife's brand new Custom Cruiser station wagon, which is slowly and methodically destroyed throughout the movie. Later in the film, he drives a 1989 88. A 1989 Cutlass Ciera coupe is one of the vehicles driven by the villans in the chase seen.
  • Parents (1989 film) (1989) - When Randy Quaid And Mary Beth Hurt appears in this film, driving a blue metallic 1958 Oldsmobile 88 Brougham 2-door convertible.
  • Pink Cadillac (1989) - When Clint Eastwood And Geoffrey Lewis appears in this film, driving An autumn maple red metallic 1982 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera Brougham 2-door coupe.
  • Turner and Hooch (1989) stars Tom Hanks as a police officer who is in charge of a dog that destroys the interior of his 1989 Oldsmobile 88 Royale Brougham.
  • King of New York (1990) - A 1978-80 Ninety Eight Regency is used as an undercover vehicle by crooked NYPD narcotics where they pursue Frank White (Christopher Walken) in a mid-1980s Cadillac Fleetwood limousine. The Ninety Eight was totalled.
  • The Dark Half (1993) - The villain, George Stark (played by Timothy Hutton), is seen driving a jet-black 1966 Toronado in several scenes.
  • Demolition Man (1993) - Set mostly in the year 2032, a bright red 1970 Olds 442 is discovered by police officers John Spartan (played by Sylvester Stallone), Lenina Huxley (played by Sandra Bullock) and Alfredo Garcia (played by Benjamin Bratt) in the slums beneath San Angeles. Using an old elevator, the car bursts up through the floor of a modern-day Oldsmobile dealer, and Stallone's character drives it out of the showroom onto the street, beginning an extensive car chase scene. Many other GM cars and concept vehicles were used in the film including the GM Ultralite, which was featured prominently. Ironically, since Oldsmobile folded in 2004, the Oldsmobile dealer set in the year 2032 is now an anachronism. The dealer was also still using the early-90s version of the Oldsmobile logo, which was replaced only three years after the release of the film.
  • Get Shorty (1995) - John Travolta's character is incredulous at being given an Oldsmobile Silhouette minivan for a rental instead of his requested Cadillac, to which the rental clerk responds, "You got the Cadillac of minivans," a line oft-repeated outside of the movie.
  • Fargo (1996) - late 1980s Oldsmobile cars including the Cutlass Ciera and Ninety-Eight Regency Brougham were featured, as William H. Macy's character was general manager of his father-in-law's Oldsmobile dealership.
  • The X-Files (1998) - an Oldsmobile Intrigue was heavily used by the characters as part of a promotional tie-in between General Motors and the movie's producers. Earlier on in the series, Oldsmobile Cutlass Cieras were featured.
  • That 70's Show (1998-2006) features a 1969 Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser driven by lead character Eric Forman, and many scenes take place in or around "the Vista Cruiser".
  • Reindeer Games (2000) - a 1989 or 1990 Cutlass Ciera sedan is used as a getaway vehicle.
  • An Oldsmobile 88 is featured on the cover art and opening sequence of the video game Driver 2.
  • Auto Motives (2000) - a short film montage contains one story line where a hustler tries and fails to pick up women at Washington Square Park in a full-size Oldsmobile convertible from the late-1960's.
  • Spiderman (2002) - Uncle Ben owned an Oldsmobile 88 and tells his nephew Peter Parker in the car With great power comes great responsibility. He was eventually carjacked and killed.
  • Barbershop (2002) The character played by Ice Cube drives a maroon 1987 Cutlass Ciera and tries, unsuccessfully, to sell it at a used car lot in a desperate attempt to get cash to pay off a debt.[1]
  • 8 mile (2002) - Eminem "B-Rabbit" and his friends were riding around in a worn-out Oldsmobile 98. They shoot a paintball gun at a police car, and the police give chase. During the chase, the electrical system shorts out, and the car shuts down, forcing them to evade the police by coasting into an alley.
  • Cheaper By The Dozen (2003) - Tom Baker (Steve Martin) gives his son Charlie (Tom Welling) a well-worn early 1980s Olds Cutlass Supreme.
  • Memphis Bleek (2003) - 'Round Here' music video produced by Def Jam.
  • The Matrix Reloaded (2003) - many Oldsmobiles are used as cameo vehicles, especially during the famous highway chase scene. Even though the characters never drive an Oldsmobile in the film, there was interaction between Oldsmobiles in the scene. There is one part when Agent Johnson jumps on top of the front of an Aurora, completely destroying the front end and causing the car to do a front flip and land on its roof. Another scene involves the Twins gunning down an Intrigue and shoving it into the divider wall, causing it to do a barrel roll and land on its roof.
  • Common (2005) - The Corner (song) music video features a blue 1980s Oldsmobile 88. He even raps "So we can cop clothes & roll in a Rolls / Now I roll in a Olds with windows that don't roll."
  • Cars (2006): Piston Cup Championship Sportscaster Bob Cutlass, voiced by Bob Costas, is a 1999 Aurora.
  • Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny (2006): A Blue 1987 Cutlass Supreme sedan is used in the Car chase scene, and is also referenced in one of the songs during the movie.
  • Dead Silence (2007): The Main Character drives a 1970 442 Cutlass Supreme Convertible. In which a chase scene with the ghost happens in it.
  • Four Brothers (2006): Mark Wahlberg's character drives a 1986 442 Cutlass Supreme, in which is destroyed during a high speed chase after two hired killers.
  • Superior Donuts (2017): Sarcastically described by one of the characters.

References

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