In the 1960s, there was no shortage of superheroes. Superman had come on the scene some years earlier and Batman was already putting everyone at the edge of their seats.
Then the Green Hornet came along, starring Van Williams as the superhero and Bruce Lee as the sidekick. It was a little different from the usual superhero stuff people were used to because the sidekick, Kato (Bruce Lee) was the better fighter. But then, Money is also a superpower and the Green Hornet (Van Williams) had a lot of that, so no problems. But there was a third role, so important it is still alive today - the role of the superhero ride, conveniently and appropriately dubbed the "Black Beauty."
It's alright to know Bruce Lee, or even Van Williams, but, come let us discuss 15 amazing things about the Black Beauty.
15 The Original Black Beauty Car Was A Heavily Modified 1965 Imperial Chrysler Crown
Do you see any resemblance? You should. The Imperial Chrysler was the king of the roads at that time and so it seemed very good that a car everyone could relate to was used. Dean Jeffries said the filmmakers wanted a real car for the heroic duo, not a tank or something.
14 The First Black Beauty Was Customized For $50,000 By Dean Jeffries In 1966
Dean Jeffries was a legend in the world of car customization. Back then, they did not have all the effects and technology that we have now and he was also given 30 days to get the job done. Well, he still managed to pull the Black Beauty off. Therefore, the 50 grand price tag was well deserved
13 The Interior Of The First Black Beauty Was Loaded, For A Car In 1966
A cell phone, several knobs that controlled the car features, and the Green Hornet symbol on the steering all stood out in this car interior. The filmmakers also requested a spacious rear to accommodate some extra controls and then there was a pocket too for his Green Hornet gun and for filming too.
12 The Black Beauty Had Sweeping Brooms To Cover Its Tracks. What Stealth!
Simple brilliant innovation; a pair of brooms that came down behind the tires to actually cover tire tracks. When used, it was supposed to prevent enemies from following the Black Beauty during a chase. We might laugh at this, but it made a lot of sense. The only issue is that this feature was actually never seen on the show.
11 The Black Beauty Had Green Headlights For Night Vision And Regular Headlamps In The Day
The Black Beauty had regular headlamps which were usually flipped to the green when it was time for action. Paparazzi called it 'infra-green' lights and Kato was supposed to use a sort of filter while driving to enable him to see clearly at night. Well, please, don't try this at home. Green lights are not for night driving!
10 The 2011 Black Beauty Had An Interior With As Many Knobs And Switches As A Fighter Jet...
Ok maybe not, but... the dash was intimidating, especially when viewed at night. Kato sure had a very nice time switching knobs and changing controls. It is not unexpected for a 2011 movie since there was now more technology and effects at their disposal. They also had great cameras to capture the interior of the vehicle when all the action was going on.
9 In The 2011 Movie, There Were Actually Car Auditions For The Black Beauty Car Role
Yeah, you read that right, a car audition. And then after deciding to use the same Imperial Chrysler, guess how many they used? 29! They used 29 Black Beauties for filming and you know how many survived? 3! Just 3! The rest of them were destroyed in production. The stunts required a lot of cars and they could not do any less. How many do you think would be required for a sequel?
8 The TV Series, The Green Hornet Was So Short-lived
Yes, it was just 26 episodes. So short-lived that some extra features of the Black Beauty like hidden pockets for the hornet's sting and other weaponry were never displayed on-screen. It was also a sort of revelation of Bruce Lee to the American audience, helping to catapult him into superstardom.
7 As Expected, The New Black Beauty Added Some Awesome New Features
NIJ III-A body armor, butterfly suicide doors, bean bag launchers were some of the things added. It also had hood-mounted retractable 30 caliber machine guns, a flame thrower, a revolving hornet license plate, and 12 sting missiles at the front and rear bumpers. Don't forget the two front-wheel anti-riot spokes. Interestingly, this car is up for auction and all these features are still intact.
6 The Elevator And Front-wheel Drive Stunts In The Movie Were Actually Real!
To pull this stunt off, they had to use three cars. From the elevator scene where the Black Beauty was cut into two and then the front-wheel-drive where the Black Beauty had to move on just two tires. This scene was like the climax of the movie and it also provided some of the nicest views of the interior of the Black Beauty at night.
5 05. Dennis McCarthy, The Man Behind Fast And Furious Cars, Pimped The 2011 Black Beauty Up To Superhero Status.
Just like Dean Jeffries, Dennis McCarthy was the man for this task. When you have created all sorts of cars for a franchise like fast and furious, well there is nothing you cannot do, really. After choosing to use the same Imperial Chrysler, getting the car was not too difficult. But getting the car parts was quite a challenge and then they had to make 29! but yeah, he did it!
4 There Were Originally Two Black Beauty Cars: 1 And 2
Dean Jeffries originally made two Black Beauty cars. Number 1 and 2. Number 1 was the hero car and was used majorly in the TV series. Number 2 served as the driving car and now, it is nowhere to be found. Probably it is in some junkyard decaying right now. Poor number two. See why they always say you should come first in class?
3 The First Black beauty reigned In The Time Of Other Superhero Cars, Like The Batmobile
The picture tells it all. This hero cars took everyone by storm in heir day and eventually they had a spinoff in which the Green Hornet and Kato acted as anti-heroes to batman and Robin. Well, the Batmobile which also had different versions was also a war machine on its own and so it was a good time for both heroes. Which do you think was tougher, Batmobile or Black Beauty?
2 The Black Beauty Was In Exile For A While Rotting Away
The black beauty was an eyesore for some years. Even as a classic car, it went from junkyard to junkyard before a buyer contacted Dean Jeffries who then restored it to its former glory. Before then, it had moved from FOX to a woman's parking lot. After several years, someone else bought it and kept it with little or no maintenance, before Dean worked on it again.
1 After A Life Well Spent, The Original Black Beauty Lies At The Peterson Museum Today
If you carried a superhero and his sidekick, rolled with other supercars like yourself in the 1960s, you really do not need to stress yourself again in your old age. The original Black Beauty lies in the Petersen Automotive Museum with all its features. You can go there to check it out, but remember not to mess with the controls!
Sources: ABC, Forbes, Motor1, Petersen, Greenhornetfandom, Autoblog.