George Barris, creator of TV's original Batmobile, has died
Source: Associated Press
George Barris, the legendary custom car builder who created television's original Batmobile and helped define California's car culture with colorfully designed vehicles ranging from the stunningly beautiful to the simply outrageous, died Thursday. He was 89.
Barris, who had been in declining health, died at his Los Angeles home with his family by his side, said Edward Lozzi, his longtime publicist and friend. No cause of death was given.
Barris customized cars and buses for TV shows, movies, celebrities and heads of state and was a pioneer in designing small, plastic models of those customized cars. The models popularized his wildly imaginative vehicles all the more when they were assembled by millions of American youngsters in the 1950s, '60s and '70s.
"He was the man who started the American pastime for Baby Boomers," Lozzi said. . .
Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/2d039bf17b3f4403a90ac100bf35d364/george-barris-creator-tvs-original-batmobile-has-died
RIP, not just the Batmobile.
= new reply since forum marked as read
...based on a coffin.
Seemed like a great guy. RIP George.
...so I brought a concept drawing (below) for a dune buggy kit car that I found for $20 at a thrift shop in Silverlake CA, and had him take a look at it.
He confirmed that it was authentic, and I later sold it to a guy who had one of the same actual kit cars.
R.I.P. George...
Edited to add vintage matchbook with same car shown.
