1967 to 1968 Imperials, in Movies and Television

Imperial Home Page -> Screen Stars -> 1967-1968

If you encounter any more sightings, please let us know! I'm also interested in expanding these listings with further juicy gossip, tidbits, trivia, scandal, or whatever else that will make these movies more enticing. Thanks!

Big Bounce, The (1969) - Ryan O'Neal, Leigh Taylor-Young, 1968 convertible.  Gen Aris has been kind enough to add a clip of the film to his site.  You can see the small version here in Real Media format (player version 5 & up needed). Or you can see a larger version here (56k modem or better!)

From Alan Horwitz:

Wasn't there a 1968 movie called, "Wild in the Streets", about young people taking over the government and changing the constitution so that anyone over 30 would be dispatched? I'm not sure whether or not Hal Holbrook played the senator, who campaigned to lower the voting age to 14 so that he could attract the younger voters in his bid for the presidency. I do remember him being chauffeured in either a 1967 or 1968 Imperial. It's been 23 years since I've seen the movie, so I don't remember all the details.

From Jay McKe:

Folding invitations to my upcoming wedding last night, I was listening to the TV as it was tuned to TBS. They were airing a movie called Tick-Tick-Tick. Stars Jim Brown, George Kennedy and Burnie Casey. Not sure when it was made, but my guess is 1967-1970. Set in a rural small town in Calosa County, Alabama in the late 60s.

Newly elected Afro-American Sheriff is given a hard time by the Anglo townfolk. The son of a neighboring county's prominent official is placed behind bars for DUI manslaughter. When daddy shows up and tries to free his son using his clout instead of bail, we pulls up to the Sheriff's office driving a light blue '68 Imperial. I missed it actually pulling up to the curb, so I don't know if it was a Crown or LeBaron or if it was 2 or 4-door. There is definitely no mistaking the right-front fender of the Imperial (Where the corner marker lights used to be on the '67). An inter-county race war looks eminent when the official fails to free his son. I'm learning to "listen" for Imperials on TV and movies. While listening to the storyline, if I hear that someone rich, prominent or famous is about to make an appearance, I will stop what i'm doing and step over to the TV to see if they enter with an Imperial. It has worked more than once!

Hellfighters (1968) - John Wayne and Jim Hutton are Texas oil well fire fighters; Wayne's wife drives a 1968 Imperial in one airport scene.

Helicopter Spies (1967) - 1967

National Lampoon's Vacation (1983) - Chevy Chase, Beverly D'Angelo, 1967

Point Blank (1967) - Lee Marvin, Angie Dickinson, 1967 Crown Convertible.  Lee Marvin stars as Walker in this organized crime thriller.  There's an excellent scene in which Lee Marvin nearly thrashes to death a new 1967 Imperial convertible, and the car dealer who's trying to sell it (Stegman, played by Michael Strong).  A black 1967 Imperial 4-door hardtop also makes a brief appearance.

Prescription: Murder (1968) - Peter Falk, Gene Barry (TV movie), 1967 convertible

PJ (1968) - George Peppard, Raymond Burr, 1967 LeBaron

Live a Little, Love a Little (1968) - Elvis Presley, Michele Carey, 1968 convertible and 1968 Crown 4dr?

Marlowe (1969) - James Garner, Rita Moreno, The girl played by Rita Moreno drove a white 1968 Imperial Convertible but more than that early on in the movie a 1968 Imperial Limo appears.

Charlie Varrick (1973) - Walter Matthau, Joe Don Baker (Joe Don's car), 1967 Crown - The Imperial duels with Walter's crop duster. Trivia question: "They'll go to work on you with a pair of pliers and a blow torch" is a line from this film that was recycled in what recent box office hit?

Answer: Pulp Fiction. Charlie Varrick is Matthau's character's name. Time frame 1972 - 1974. Filmed in Reno NV, and a small town 40 miles south called Genoa NV. Genoa's claim to fame is "Nevada's Oldest Bar". A few scenes were shot in this bar near mid-film. Matthau's character is a con-man or hit man - something like that.

How to Commit Marriage (1969) - Bob Hope, Jane Wyman, 1968 Imperial Sedan Bob has a '68 Imperial, Jane drives a '68 Town and Country wagon.

Crooks and Coronets British - comedy; 1969, with Dame Edith Evans and Telly Savalas. It had a sequence incorporating a 1968 Imperial Crown taking an extended drive after Savalas was released from jail.

Dick Benjamin's 1968 Imperial, in a Genuity TV Ad (2002).

The 1968 Imperial 4-door was used in the Batman TV series in 1968.

Last night I sat down to watch my video (Beta) of the "Bad News Bears." - I haven't seen this listed on the Imperial Web Pages, so I thought I'd share it with the group. In the beginning of the movie, just after the singing of
the, "Star Spangled Banner," there is a camera shot of the parking lot near the baseball field. In the parking lot is a gold-colored '67 or '68 Imperial (4-doors with vinyl top). I couldn't tell which year it was, or if it was a LeBaron or not. But I knew, as soon as I saw that medallion in the rear of the car, it was an Imperial. Don't trip over yourselves rushing to the video store to rent the movie. The film was made in 1976, and debuted in 1977, which means that the car would have been between 8 and 9 years old at the time of shooting. I've watched this movie for years, and only now did I notice the car (probably because until 5 or 6 years ago I was only familiar with the Fuselage Imperials). It was a quick take, anyway.