Words and photos courtesy of AUITOart
The Green Hornet is one of the oldest and most enduring characters in the American pantheon of crime-fighting heroes. The radio drama that began in 1936 became a film serial in the 1940s, a short-lived 1960s glam-culture TV series, and a 2011 feature film. It follows the adventures of playboy media mogul Britt Reid, the owner and publisher of The Daily Sentinel. As the masked Green Hornet, Britt fights crime with the assistance of his martial-artist partner Kato and his weapons-laden car, the green-eyed Black Beauty, sporting license plate “V-194.”
The single-season TV series premiered on September 9, 1966, and ran through March 17, 1967, lasting 26 episodes. It starred Van Williams as both the Green Hornet and Britt Reid, and Bruce Lee as Kato. Lee was the first Chinese national cast to a major role in Hollywood and afterward became the international Kung Fu legend.
The Black Beauty in the TV series began as a 1965 Chrysler Imperial Crown sedan before falling under the torch of iconic Los Angeles customizer Dean Jeffries. In the series, the Black Beauty lived underneath Britt Reid’s garage, and a set of switches on a secret control panel behind a tool wall would sequentially: 1) lower the lights; 2) attach clamps to the axles of Reid’s personal car (also a Chrysler); 3) rotate the floor of the garage to hide Reid’s car and bring up the Black Beauty; and 4) unclamp the Black Beauty’s axles. The Black Beauty would then exit the garage through a hidden rear door and enter the street from behind a billboard.
Able to fire explosive rockets from tubes hidden behind retractable panels below the headlights, the seemingly bullet proof Black Beauty had a full arsenal on board, including a deploy-able nozzle for knock-out gas hidden in the grille, and a small flying audio/video surveillance device called “the Scanner” that presaged today’s aerial drones. It launched from a small rectangular panel in the middle of the trunk lid, which had its own phalanx of rockets and gas nozzles.
As with other famous vehicles from television and film, AUTOart has faithfully reproduced the Green Hornet’s Black Beauty in meticulous 1/18th scale. All the weapons are there, revealed when you open their secret doors in the bumpers and grille, and the Scanner drone emerges from the trunk. The hood rises to expose an accurately replicated Chrysler 440 V-8, and all four doors swing out so you can peer into the interior, reproduced in every detail from the wood door trim to the Black Beauty’s many extra console buttons and switches.
Behind the rear wheels are the brushes deployed to erase the car’s tracks on sandy or muddy roads and thus elude pursuers. The Black Beauty is one of the greatest crime-fighting cars in superhero lore, and will make an “explosive” addition to your collection.
Nice model, but the show was way before my time. Wouldn’t mind if Autoart had made an original Imperial Crown coupe version though. I’d be interested as a big Mopar guy.
The purpose of this post is a little perplexing. It reads like a press release from the manufacturer (or advertisement) introducing an upcoming model. If this is the case it’s odd to have posted this now since the model has been out for quite a while.
Slow news day I guess…
Press Release from AUTOart.
It’s not a big deal, but the period photo is of Dean Jeffries’ Beauty 1, the first of the two. Since each car was, in effect, handmade and done at breakneck speed, each with a different purpose within the production of the TV show and show circuit, each is a bit different. This wonderful model is a representation of Beauty 2, which was restored not too long ago. Interestingly, Beauty 2 is a bit older than 1, based on their serial numbers. Irrelevant to the overall picture, but a quirk. My great-aunt was personal secretary to George W. Trendle, creator of The Green Hornet [and Lone Ranger, plus two other characters].
The only 2 movie, or tv cars I’ve ever had an interest in are the Danbury 007 silver A. M. DB5 which had a tornado of functioning features ! I did manage to get one at a reasonable number with everything working….That was a while ago , it’s tough to now get one for under a buck and a half that functions. Unfortunately, the little boy in me couldn’t keep my hands off it. We all know what happens then Not so functioning anymore. The other car that interests me is ” Black Beauty” Green Hornet”s superb ride and I hope someone who knows this model can answer a couple of questions about the panels that open and CLOSE. All photo’s of the car I’ve ever seen, show the trunk panel always open, does it close ?? Also which other weapon’s panels close up to show this sleek black form’s lines un interrupted and incognito…..I’d love an answer before I buy , Thanks
Micheal,
I f you are thinking about the actual 1966 custom Chyrslers made by Dean Jeffries Automotive Styling in California.
The real 1 to 1 scale cars each 23 ft. long.
The front rocket doors open & close electricly. Ditto, for the 2 rear rocket doors. And they used to shoot out charges, blanks fire works. The rear deck of the trunk has a little trap door built into it which had a cheap device that blinked and lit up. Kyle Kritscher restored his number 2 Black Beauty to the way that it was originally done by Dean and his team in the 60s’ The doors all 4 of ’em opened up electrically with little push buttons built on the doors. And they would just be popped open or closed by the actors Van & Bruce Lee. The car had rotating green to regular head lights. Depending on which were needed in a flash. Only the green head lights were used during the course of filming the TV Series though. It had 2 rams in front, and 2 rams in back that could protrude out or in depending on what they wanted.
They’re was a gun gas cannon that was located in the nose of the front of the car which could open or close electrically too. And a gas,oil, ice gun in the rear where the gas cap originally was. It had little pocket doors on the rear window that was supposed to be built proof that you could shoot the hornet gas gun out of the car or shoot the hornet sting. IT had green headlights that were supposed to work in conjunction with the fold down visors that were located on the driver’s side, or the passanger’s side door of the car. It had hidden by the rear doors little pockets of controls that had hidden buttons that you could push on both sides. It had a hidden fold down pannel that the Hornet could activate the front, or the rear rockets to shoot at the bad guys/criminals. It had a silent mode engine so that the bad guys couldn’t hear Kato & the Hornat coming. It had broom to sweep away the tire tracks. And a hidden closet so that Britt Reid could change into his Green Hornet outfit/disguse in a pinch!
regards,
Green Hornet 18
Micheal the diecast replica all 4 doors to open up so that you can see the detais, front wheels do turn left,and right. The gas grill is molded in the open position only. It does not close though. The grren head lights do not rotate like the real cars do. The green and red rear lights do not light up. The hood opens to reveal the 1:18 Chrysler stock engine. and the back small ting twin doors are molded in the open position and so is the rear gas, oil,ice gun too! The model has I think rubber tires with all plastic chasis and plastic wheel covers. Still its a very nice replica that is 13 inches and a 1/4 in length. And its well worth the money that they are charging for it. And it is most probably 1/12 scale I am told by Scott Fleming.
regards,
Mark Dobzyn