Re: packards in tv and movies
Posted by Joe Santana On 2012/1/8 10:15:45
The Last Convertible is a great story and the author, Anton (Tony) Myrer, was also an exuberant and friendly guy. I picked up the book when I saw it in a window display in Aspen, CO in 1978 because of the cover illustration.
What a great read.
Tony wrote several novels with WWII backgrounds. I wrote to him after reading the this one and he wrote back, telling me how the title was chosen and finding the car that was the original "Empress." That name was why I dubbed my '40 convertible sedan The Duchess.
I sent him a picture from 1978 when the Duchess was tan and he sent me a long letter and a photo of himself sitting in the original Empress, a car in storage and a bit worn near him in Malden, NY. For the color of the car in the book, a friend, Lee, gave him Packard paint swatches and he picked Berkshire Green. When Today and Newsweek and others came around prior to the book announcement and wanted photos and footage, he scrambled to find another 1938 convertible and located one in New Holland PA in perfect condition that he was told originally belonged to Mrs. Meriwether Post, the cereal heiress.
We exchanged 3 letters in all, and a very long letter on the making of the mini-series. (Not a good experience for an author, and 3 directors each wanting to put their own spin on the story made the experience even less enjoyable.)
I highly recommend the novel and mini-series. I've looked off and on for the TV series and couldn't find a source, though occasionally on some Euro blogs I saw mention of it. Thank you, Guscha, for posting the link for ordering EDIT on Page 13 of this thread.
Tony passed away in 1996. Once an Eagle is also an excellent WWII story he wrote.
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What a great read.
Tony wrote several novels with WWII backgrounds. I wrote to him after reading the this one and he wrote back, telling me how the title was chosen and finding the car that was the original "Empress." That name was why I dubbed my '40 convertible sedan The Duchess.
I sent him a picture from 1978 when the Duchess was tan and he sent me a long letter and a photo of himself sitting in the original Empress, a car in storage and a bit worn near him in Malden, NY. For the color of the car in the book, a friend, Lee, gave him Packard paint swatches and he picked Berkshire Green. When Today and Newsweek and others came around prior to the book announcement and wanted photos and footage, he scrambled to find another 1938 convertible and located one in New Holland PA in perfect condition that he was told originally belonged to Mrs. Meriwether Post, the cereal heiress.
We exchanged 3 letters in all, and a very long letter on the making of the mini-series. (Not a good experience for an author, and 3 directors each wanting to put their own spin on the story made the experience even less enjoyable.)
I highly recommend the novel and mini-series. I've looked off and on for the TV series and couldn't find a source, though occasionally on some Euro blogs I saw mention of it. Thank you, Guscha, for posting the link for ordering EDIT on Page 13 of this thread.
Tony passed away in 1996. Once an Eagle is also an excellent WWII story he wrote.
Attach file:
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(60.70 KB)
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