HAD A long ride. And from the web chatter this morning, we all thought it would last forever.
Cal Worthington, the colorful cowboy-hat-donning car salesman, who paraded about a menagerie of animals (referring to them all as “Spot”) and threatened to stand on his head until his ears turned red all only to bring customers the best deal has closed his last sale. Worthington died yesterday watching a football game at his ranch near Orland, California.
Anyone growing up in Southern California from the 1960s on got a glimpse of Worthington and his antics and that banjo riff behind the “Go See Cal, Go, See Cal” commercial jingles wormed it’s way through your brain for hours after. The 60-second spots got more and more outrageous as years went on — tigers, elephants, etc. He was a staple during mid-day television when I’d be home from with my sore throat and soup.
I’ve been sort of amazed by all of the varied memories that have come from all corners — one friend tossing out a memory of Worthington’s country music TV show, Cal’s Corral, which aired on KTLA until the early 70s. The tag-line is what I remember: “Get up off of that couch!”
What a different, plain-spoken era.
More video here.
RIP, Cal
image via Wikipedia
The character of Nevada Worthless in the Heathcliff and the Catillac Cats was the inspiration of Cal Worthington in the cartoon Trojan Cadillac! May his memory be eternal!
thanks for this detail. I did not know. And yes, I agree, Cal made a huge imprint.