Emergency the Milner Coupe Has A Flat

During it's time with Universal Studio's Milner's Coupe would make a few appearance's on screen. Too bad the Bitchiness Car In The Valley had been type cast in American Graffiti and never landed another staring role.

During Season Six Episode Eight of the television show Emergency we find the Coupe back working.

Filmed in Little Rock California, this originally aired on November 20th 1976.

See the rear slicks by the tire machine?

Look there is the new rear tires for Milner's old ride.

Look at the Coupe acting all cool.

This Guy's not Milner. Get him out of here!!!

As they leave the camera pans across the entire top of the car. 

Look at the size of the hole in the slick. Maybe the size is movie magic? But that's the reason the car was in the shop to have the tire replaced. Instead of replacing the slicks they opted for something with  a little more tread on it.

I have heard several stories about why they had to replace the rear slicks. My favorite is the one about some studio employees out hot rodding the Deuce on lunch. (doubt it!)

The story that makes the most sense is that while prepping the coupe for display on Universal's tour they clipped the coupe's rear tire with something. Being the frugal bunch they were at the studio they enlisted the coupe to work off the debt for the repair??? 

I know everything your dirty little mind is thinking.....It shows.











So you saw the Emergency pictures and your thinking wait where were the nurses? Aww C'mon.... If you are graffiti nuts enough to be spending your time reading my blog you have probably seen these next photo's somewhere before. Ever wonder where these pictures were from and what's the back story?

Doug Bjorn ran these pictures thru a scanner at a drug store around 1998. Where did he get them? Jeff from Norco. Doug helped put me in touch with Jeff to get the story first hand.

(After Jeff gets done laughing at some strangers list of questions about some old photo's he had)

Jeff shared that
"In the late 70's someone had got the 32 off the Universal tour and used it in a TV show. It was just used in background shots as a car on a lift. A buddy of mine had a dental office next door to the garage they were shooting in he recognized the 32 and went over with a few gals from his staff and took a few pix. That's it. No big story. Just a silly thing really" Jeff from Norco.

Well Jeff to us out here in Graffiti Land It's huge!!!!!

Jeff is a cool customer, but would you expect anything less from a guy who currently owns a 32 and a 55 and who has had a white 58 Impala and also a 51 Merc?

Check out Jeff's 55. Too bad his Coupe was unavailable for the shoot.
http://youtu.be/oDI0HhfarJA


Thanks Guy's
.....................And now you know the rest of the story. JH

American Graffiti Publicity Still # 5144 - 47

Kurt (Richard Dreyfuss) leans against the Pharaohs Merc between shots in this original American Graffiti publicity still 5144 - 47

Penthouse December 1973 - Shows - American Graffiti

Really I do just buy Penthouse for the ARTICLES!!!!!!

Focus on Film 1974 - American Graffiti

Focus on Film questions Lucas' choices for cars and dialogue for the film saying it wasn't period correct and that was in 1974. No one seems to question it now. I think that's odd. I do think it's a movie not a documentary. Sometimes I think people forget that.
Jeff

Once Was Enough 1997 - Wolfman Jack - American Graffiti

Wolfman Jack thought he would have to pay to appear in the movie American Graffiti. This is the first time I ever heard this story. Just goes to show there is always something more to learn about American Graffiti.

Jeff

Seventeen March 1973 - On Location with George Lucas

Thats right more vintage American Graffiti articles. This week I am bringing you back to 1973 for an interveiw with George Lucas in Seventeen Magazine.Who Says you can't stay 17 forever? As I read more and more of the older articles it is pretty cool how many little things you learn that they just don't cover in more recent articles. I still find it funny that as a child Lucas grew up on Ramona Steet (Carol's street in American Graffiti) and that his childhood phone number was 849-1138 or should I say "THX 1138"

 Enjoy

 Jeff

  

Chevrolet Small-Block V-8 2005 - Movie Star Car

American Graffiti gets a nod from Chevy Small Block for using Chevrolet engines in Milner's Coupe and Bolander's Impala.
Jeff

Circus Weekly September 18 1979 - More American Graffiti

A little look into "Toad"  Growing up Charles Martin Smith.
Jeff

American Graffiti Publicity Still # 5144 - 24

Bob Falfa hangin out at the corner of Petaluma and Western with one of his many "Chicks"
 "Wimps get all the Chicks" in this original American Graffiti Publicity Still # 5144 - 24

American Graffiti Coupe - Will Work For Storage

After American Graffiti wrapped filming Universal Pictures tried to sell the movie cars. Thinking that the movie would bomb they were just interested in recovering some of there investment. All of the cars slowly found new homes with the exception of the Pharaoh's Merc and Milner's Coupe. These cars were then shoved into the transportation garage.

Universal then started filming another car movie. Would they use the Graffiti Coupe again? Sadly No.. Turns out by 1974 there was a new "Kid" in town

an producer Howie Horawitz knew who he wanted as "The California Kid"

Pete Chapouris had recently built the car.

Martin Sheen would play Michael McCord

Maggie would be played by Michells Phillips (Mackenzie's Stepmother)

This movie was different than graffiti. This movie would have lots of twists and turns not to mention playing some bumper tag. So when casting this film it would required a star who could do his own stunts. "The California Kid" was born

Looks like they were none to easy on the Kid.

Reports say they had to replace the tires by the end of filming.

Buzz Stafford tells Sheriff Roy Childress that he has everything under the hood EXCEPT for the kitchen sink.
The Sheriff doesn't bask in that glory for long.

 When Sheriff Roy stops Mr McCord he asks if he can have a look under the hood? He acts impressed and says looks like everything AND the kitchen sink. Well if you notice the motor in the 1934 does everything it should do but it doesn't look good doing it. Thanks to the editing department looks like it's time to bring in the heavy. As they cut to the close up what do we see?

 Yep that's right. Milner's Coupe appearing in her second movie. They spray painted cardboard black and held it up behind the Coupes engine during filming to give it the look of being under the 34 hood.

The engine in the real California Kid '34 Ford was just a plain looking 302 Ford with a single four barrel carb. In the movie they wanted to make the 34 appear like more a hot rod so the Graffiti Coupe's motor is actually shown to Sheriff Roy Childress.

Like seeing the Graffiti Coupe's motor is not cool enough. During filming the speedometer they show is also from the Coupe.

Like knowing of this Graffiti factoid is not enough another little know Graffiti Coupe fact is that the miles work but the trip odometer is inoperative. Someone should check this!!! Jeff

P/S
I don't know what's funnier? Is that I noticed that or that if you check the speedo in the Coupe it still has the same mileage as it does in The California Kid. Someone never put the cable back. Still.

Newsweek August 13 1973 - Drag-Strip Dance

Describing Wolfman Jack as "the father-confessor-guru deejay" and Paul Le mat (John) as "the drag king in his sawed-off green hot rod. I like reading the early articles. The later articles all seem to read the same. This one also delves a little deeper in to MacKenzie Phillips life and career.
Jeff