I think it is quite a sight to see the car driving in the Jerry Lewis CinderFella movie. To bad it shoot was at night... but still an amazing sight to see it on the street. Skip to 7:35 min to see the car. <object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Q9eK2ImZBxo&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Q9eK2ImZBxo&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object> And here are some screen shots I made of the DVD...
Hey, The picture of the chick serving up the hooch & the young cat with the smile..................Is that a young Skonzakes/Street? " The very core of fanaticism is its indifference to things of the mind "
Hey, Did Skonzakes/Street get driving credits in the film? It looks like him at the wheel in the motion shots, but doubtful it's Lewis with him ridin' shotgun, as I doubt the studio would sign off on nighttime shots with Lewis in the car at speed. The GSII does look good on film, and Anna Maria Whats her name is pretty hot too! I'd forgotten what a talent Lewis was on screen. " Your head would look good on a pike "
Jerry Lewis produced and directed his own films and probably could do whatever he wanted in the production. My guess is that Lewis got in the car, then they cut, and then all the driving scenes were Jim Street driving with an actor taking Lewis' place..
I wonder if Bill DeCarr is still around and if he would tell the true story of the Golden Sahara. He would be in his eighties like Barris. It is amazing how a story like this can get you hooked and I find myself coming back every day to find out if any new info is available. I have a hard time believing the Barris and his wife went down to the butcher shop and sorted through the sardines to get the golden hued pearl, but I do remember the smell of pearl from the day and it was awful, so somebody had to grind it into paint. I think when Barris gets going in these interviews, he has a tendency to embellish.
Hey, True Murano Pearl, as used '' back in the day " didn't come from any butcher shop! Murano Pearl is basiclly crushed glass & abalone shell suspended in lead salts. The real shit came from Italy, the island of Murano, known for its' glass blowing since the 9th century. The EPA outlawed true Murano pearl in the 70's on account of the high lead salt content. I can't remember the smell of pearl, but I remember the smell of preminum lacquer thinner and retarder used to slow its' drying, kinda like over ripe bananas! '' All great truths begin as blasphemies ''
There was a small announcement article in the Feb 1955 issue of Rod & Custom magazine that the car was just finished for Jim Skonzakes... The same photo of the wrecked car was used in the May 1953 issue of Hop Up Magazine in the Barris story...
They built it in just 5 weeks, Would of been a great TV show. You can see why George is lucky to be alive today. And they say some cars are n`t worth saving.I wonder how many miles it had on it when wrecked, and how many miles are on it now. this thread just keeps getting better-THANKS.
1980 was the last time I heard it was out, everyone was making fun of him for it falling into bad shape so he got pissed and hasnt had it out since.
There must be photos of it then.... Somebody must have photos of the Golden Sahara from those years.... Why are we not seeing those here???
Back when i was starting the first KOOKIE car ,I became good friends with PAT GANAHl so we corresponded back and forth. He called me one day to tell me that he got ahold of MR.STREET and said he was going over to see the Sahara and the kookie car. Well long story short ,when Pat got to Mr. STREETS house He asked to see the cars. Jim opened the garage door and there was the Sahara, Pat told me it was A mess all the gold was tarnished and it would take a total restoration. Pat then asked if he could take any picks. for the mag. Rod and Custom at the time. MR.Street's answer was, NO WAY. so Pat asked him to see the Kookie car and Mr.Streets answer was people will only see these cars when I finish restoring them and the way i did them is the best way ...... Pat told me at first he was pretty nice up until Pat Questioned him about the Kookie car.............Another attempt to see the cars, was about 10 years ago, A friend of mine, BRUCE MYERS offered Mr Street. money to see the cars and he hung up on him..........
Would your friend be Bruce Meyers of Meyers Manx fame or Bruce Meyer the car collector. Probably Bruce Meyer who already owns many famous cars. I wish Bruce Meyer could get ahold of these cars and restore them. What a TV show it would make if we brought in the best craftsmen and documented the restoration of these cars. My guess is that Jim Street is nearing eighty and like me is running out of time.
The driver was character actor Norman Leavit.If you look up his credits he had a long and varied career.
I think you are right about the first shot when Jerry Lewis enters the car and the close up of the driver. In the actual drive scenes, I would bet the it is Jim Street doing the driving. This car had three steering systems and I doubt Street would let a character actor drive the car.
Maverick: Substitute Gun [TV Series] as Ezra Gouch 1961 Bonanza: The Blood Line [TV Series] as Bert 1960 The Andy Griffith Show: The Manhunt [TV Series] as Carl 1960 Leave It to Beaver: Beaver's Monkey [TV Series] as Veterinarian 1960 One Step Beyond: The Day the World Wept: The Lincoln Story [TV Series] as Noah 1960 Perry Mason: The Case of Paul Drake's Dilemma [TV Series] as Ballistics Expert 1959 Young Jesse James [Movie] as Folsom 1959 Did I miss something? Maybe my search was not accurate? Stu
Is this confirmed? I was under the impression that you had heard from Mr Street before and that he said he drove it in the movie. Just wondering is you have talked to him again.
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