Folks Of Interest "To Tell The Truth", Don Garlits

The things we recall at times, I vividly remember seeing the old game show in my youth, "To Tell The Truth" back in the 60s. There was an episode that had Don Garlits as one of the contestants with 2 others, and the beginning "My name is Don Garlits" was such an obvious rip off to me. My youthful mind saying "everybody knows who Don Garlits is!". I've googled and youtubed and can't seem to find that episode. What I didn't realize is that much like the HAMB today drag racing was a fairly small percentage of the population. I poured over every issue of Dad's HOT ROD mags and he was a household name as I was growing up. Well, maybe growing older, still haven't grown up! Who else remembers that one? I can't be the only one, right? If anyone's a better searcher and can find it please post it here.

In what likely still exists with the media drag racing seemed and seems like it still suffers from a negativity related to unlawful street racing and an activity engaged in by common hoodlums. Unless someone suffers serious injury or a fatality you never see drag racing covered by regular sports outlets. It's not in the paper, the sports coverage in local news, etc. The last positive coverage I recall was when Kenny Bernstien topped 300 MPH. Another milestone was John Force as "Driver of the Year" a few years back. Past that we don't get much with the exception of dedicated network shows with few repeats. And why drag racing here on the HAMB? Think about it, the majority of hot rod styles always have and always will emulate drag or salt racers. We don't see NASCAR styles on the streets, or it's very very rare that a car gets dressed that way with the exception of the occasional promo car. Anyways, who else recalls Garlits on that old game show?

 

I never saw that episode but would have had the same reaction as you if I had. Us guys that were in it thought the whole world revolved around it. Sucks to grow up and realize the world you thought it was, wasn't !

 

Looks like it was in the 71 season. Episode 865 or 86-5 Could not find the actual show but he is listed as professional drag racer and drunk driving tester.

 

I don’t recall seeing Garlits but I did see Mickey Thompson on the show, it was still televised in black and white at the time. I’m thinking they went to color in about ‘67 or so.

 

Is that the year he had that nasty clutch explosion???? Or was it in late 1970??

 

Like you saw that and thought who the hell doesn't know who Don Garlits is .when we were teenagers me and my brothers worked at Lorain county speedway at the time the same guy owned dragway 42 we used to get free passes to the drags at that time they used to have some big events there seen Garlits run many times so when I saw that I thought that would be like having the president on there. But then we were all gear heads.

 

Who knew he ran for Congress?

 

I donated to his campaign. Also Richard Petty. It never hurts to have a racer in the government.

 

Never heard about the Old Man being on a TV show, but Art Arfons was definitely on "To Tell The Truth".

 

I remember Garlits being on. Mickey Thompson was also on, see 19:00 mark here:

 

I though all the cam shaft talk seemed familiar,
Just like here.

 

Just finished reading Erik Arneson's book on him. Would enjoy seeing the Art Arfons segment.

 

Craig Breedlove was also on the show.

 

I remember AJ Foyt and Breedlove but not Garlits. I feel lucky remembering that much!

 

Art Arfons , first guest

 

The real question here is ........How many cans of hair-spray did it take for Kitty Carlisle to get that hair-do?

 

Ray Harroun was on I've got a secret. And AJ.

 

Last week I was looking at Drag Cartoons (August 1965-number 18). lo and behold ,on page 43 is the jist of the To Tell The Truth program with Garlit's, so it had to be around then.

 

Nice wake up call here. I forgot about Arfons, was likely too young for him and Mickey Thompson but sure knew their names. I remember reading and the pictures of Arfons setting the record. As replied above, I thought the whole world was in to racing. Jimmy Clark as also a household name in our house, same with A.J. Foyt and Mario Andretti. In NASCAR it was all the "big" names, Petty, Yarborogh, Ruttman, and more. Maybe I'm just a dick like this but I'm sort of glad we weren't as mainstream back then as some things are now. Glad the HAMB community is small relative to the market. I mean sure, we're quite a slice of the pie but not the whole thing. Good? Bad? Indifferent? I kinda like that myself.

 

Not to hijack the OP's thread but a little known fact outside the hot rod world.
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/art-linkletters-house-party-top-fuel.478824/

 

OK Jocko, now I understand where the Art Linkletter reference came from. Nice work Denny.