I’m sure all of you have at least heard of Arthur Miller’s famously grim 1949 play, Death of a Salesman, perhaps having even seen it, or had to read it in school, or, like me, having absorbed a sort of collage of what it must be about by countless references and parodies and clips of various performances seen across every manner of media possible. I think I even have vague memories of playing an Atari 2600 Death of a Salesman game? Regardless, or perhaps even irregardless, there’s an all-new production of the play happening now, and much of the advertising is centered around an interesting two-door car.
But what exactly is that car? Fellow Autopian Peter emailed us to ask just that, and that was how I found out about this new Broadway revival of the play, and was clued into the various bits of promotional materials that make extensive use of what looks to be some manner of ’60s-era American iron.
Also, Nathan Lane is starring in it! Who doesn’t love Nathan Lane? Sickos, that’s who. Let’s take a look at this car and how it’s being used in these promotional materials:
The car seems to be the visual focus of the promotional/advertising campaign for the play; it shows up all over the website, in television and online videos like the one above, and on printed materials as well, like the cover of Playbill:
In print materials, the car is mostly shown in profile; in video, the car seems to be a full 3D model. You can see bits of it here at the beginning of this video with the cast (below), as well as in the promo video above:
So, of course, the big question is what is this car, exactly? Well, I have some idea what it must be based on:
I think the original source car must have been a 1965 Ford Galaxie 500. There are differences, of course; the turn indicators are integrated into the sides of the grille, the rake of the hood over the stacked headlamps is a bit more pronounced, the greenhouse is lower, and some other detail differences, but it still feels very Galaxie 500-like to me.
The taillights aren’t exact, either, but do seem inspired by the Galaxie 500’s lights, at least:
The profile view differs a little more drastically from an actual Galaxie 500:
The shape of the greenhouse is quite different, being less sharply angular than the actual Ford, especially around the C-pillar. The beltline also kicks up a bit just ahead of the rear wheelarch, where the actual car is as straight as uncooked spaghetti. The wheelarches themselves are a different shape, and, really it’s quite different.
Actually, hold up; I think the profile car image is entirely different than the 3D model of the car! So what is the profile car based on? It’s definitely not a Galaxie 500. It may not even be a Ford! It feels sorta GM to me.
It’s not quite an Impala, not quite 442? Chevelle? Not quite. Malibu? Not exactly. Hmm. Oh, wait! It’s still a Galaxie 500! Just a year newer, and the XL one:
I think the wheels were even stock ones:
Yep, looks like a ’67 Ford Galaxie 500XL. Why two different Galaxies?
I reached out to the company that seems to have done the graphic design for this campaign to ask about these cars. Why did they choose them? The play was originally written in 1949, and is set around that time, too. So does this new production move the setting to the mid to late ’60s? If so why? I’m not complaining, I’m just curious.
Also, the car used here feels a little too, well, cool for the character of Willy Loman, the protagonist of the play and a man who feels more sad and broken than this tough-looking coupé with aftermarket-looking wheels would suggest. I always pictured Willy trundling around in something like a used Hudson until maybe “upgrading” to a Henry J around 1951. This car just seems too cool for a sadsack like Willy.
If and when the creative team gets back to me with some answers, I’ll update the post. I think overall the campaign looks amazing, with its unflinching simplicity and starkness. The color palette I think is fantastic, too. I just have questions about this car.
I’m excited to see a car used in this context, though! I hope they don’t think I’m ungrateful. I just want some answers.
Top graphic image: Winter Garden Theater
I’ve got nothing to say except man I love an old Ford Galaxy 500.
I feel this is the perfect car for a sad and broken Willy Loman. Just one more bad decision. I had an uncle who was rather feckless, and he was always buying flashy cars he didn’t need or afford. Guess it temporarily made him feel better. He once bought a brand new car and parked it around the block thinking his wife wouldn’t know.
I’d like it set to 1986 and Loman’s driving a Chrysler LeBaron convertible. There’s no better casting of a car (and salesman).
That’s a good looking Ford.
I like the taillights rotated 90 degrees.
“I always pictured Willy trundling around in something like a used Hudson until maybe “upgrading” to a Henry J around 1951.”
The play clearly states he used to own a ‘20s Chevrolet, and drives a Studebaker in the play’s current day… I always saw his car choice as a metaphor: He starts out his American Dream in a red Chevrolet, with the goal of progressing through GM’s brands into a Cadillac once he was top dog salesman. When he abandons his dream and gives up on life, he switches to the less popular, independent Studebaker which was also struggling financially around the time of the play.
I’m a Gen-X er, but that top shot screams ’60s Ford to me.
Generic “car”, a bit of this, a bit of that. But that front sure screams Ford.
Newborn me was brought home from the hospital in a 4dr Galaxie 500, black on red. There are pictures. I was *adorable*.
Said car famously soured the Old Man on Fords for *decades* because one night the rear bumper fell off in the driveway due to rust when it was only 4-5 years old. Didn’t buy another Ford product until the ’95 Windturd. Oops.
The front fender emblem looks almost identical to the ’67 Ford Galaxie 500 XL 3-bar 428 emblem, just without the red-orange color.
they should have used a Packard 110 business coupe.
Can’t believe I’m the first to note this, but they still actually do make Simoniz wax.
Soon as I read your comment the phrase “Simoniz your shorts” jumped in my head. I have no idea where that’s from.
I confess to thinking first of Darren McGavin’s bemused reaction to his presents in A Christmas Story.
Poor car casting, olds 88 could have been amusing or another late 30s early 40s salesman trunk sleeper.
Definitely 2 Galaxies. 1966 for the video, 1967 on the Playbill.
The 500XL is one of the inspirations for my screen name, along with Fireball XL5 (I had the lunch box).
Ah. Not a ’65, then:
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54268360153_0681f5aa2c_c.jpg
I could see Willy Loman driving a mid sixties Galaxy. The badge on the lower front fender reminds me of a 390 badge, which I couldn’t see him springing for. More like 260 or 289 with a 3 on the tree.
I’d say it is hard to tell because it’s at least 2 different cars. On some pics on the driver’s side front fender it says Galaxy but others it doesn’t. I’d say some pictures are of a Galaxy and the other it is a Fairlane
What garbage AI did they use to come up with that rendering?
Like Abraham Lincoln said, don’t believe everything you read on the internet.
Yeah, not sure why we are giving this slop the time of day.
Modern day Willy Loman would be driving a beige Daewoo Leganza with a dent in the passenger side front fender.
He’d drive a Dodge Stratus
And he’d aspire to a first-gen Chrysler 200, just like George Clooney’s character in “Up in the Air”.
And be a division manager.
Or maybe a Sebring drop top, the chariot of legendary businessman Michael Scott.
Re why late 60’s? I would guess because whoever had the final say in marketing this called for something “vintage but not that old!!” after seeing something actually appropriate. If a car appears onstage and the play hasn’t been re-set in the late 60s, I bet they will have an accurate car onstage.
In 1949 I could mostly picture Willy Loman driving a ’46-8 Chevy, Ford or Plymouth. Most likely a company car so most likely Big 3.
I figured he’d still be nursing along a 1939 Plymouth P8 he bought used in 1941
I;m also going for the 1966 Galazie 500 XL as inspiration.
Then the trim works.
This is 1966 Galaxie without a doubt. Even matches the tail lights and wheel covers perfectly. However the roofline is from a ’67
’bout time, where’s 500XL?
Yup, that’s what it is. My folks had a 7 Litre, I can spot one in the dark.
Too cool for the play though. I picture more of a tired 51′ Chebby for our hero.
Damn right. Nathan Lane is a national treasure.
And thank you for the link to the New Yorker piece!
Gotta love Nathan, him and Robin Williams in The Birdcage is the best theater show/movie ever. I would have loved to see them do a remake of the Producers.
At first glance, I thought Andrew Dice Clay was preparing a Broadway comeback.
In regards to two classic Fords combined as one, just go browse the 3D models on Turbosquid or Vray’s Cosmos browser for a bit and you may find your answer.
Glad I wasn’t the only one that thought it might be a Fairlane.
Do my dishes!
Galaxie is the first thing that come to mind when I see that front fender.
The front fender that says Galaxy? Good call.
The square tail lights are more like the 1966 Galaxie. The 65 lights (as shown in your convertible image) were more rectangular.
The taillights look to me like a very modern LED-DRL interpretation of (whichever year) taillights. In a poor 3D render.
https://images.fineartamerica.com/images-medium-large/1966-ford-galaxie-500-convertible-taillight-jill-reger.jpg