Harley Earl - GM Designer Extraordinaire

Harley Earl, the larger than life, first head of styling for a major automobile manufacturer gave the world the joy of excess in color, chrome and steel. Recruited by GM in the late 20s to transform its drab autos and make them stand out from the offerings of its competitors, Earl transformed the industry and the American psyche.

He invented the annual model change over, the concept car and put swagger and some Hollywood panache into a staid industry. While its hard to defend his buoyant designs as fine art, he captured the imagination of millions worldwide, especially in Post WWII America, who embraced the outlandish vehicles as proof that there will be a big and better tomorrow. He knew how to create and sell dreams. Which is what he learned from his neighbor, C. B. DeMille.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• Harley earl
• GM
• general Motors
• Alfred P. Sloan
• GM art and color section
• LeSabre
• Cadillac LaSalle
• Buick Y Job

[opfredet]

This clip was made by GM Design in the 1980s. They were going thru some hard design times then. The dept head who chose the cheesy old musical score to accompany this short documentary on Detroit's modern master was surely a looser.

If you want to know more on the creator of Detroit's dependency on design, search "official Harley Earl website" or "Harley Earl Americana" to see excellent 6-min mini documentary clip on Earl up at youtube.

[mrpitv]

@opfredet Thanks for the comment and the suggestion.

[MegaBoots10]

Unfortunately, there will never be a designer like Harley. It's too bad because the cars made today are safer and more dependable but can't they design cars that are both beautiful and efficient? A pretty design does not cost anymore than these shapeless orbs we have today. I'm a car buff but I have trouble distinguishing the various makes, both foreign and domestic.

[mrpitv]

I have to agree to a point. I think what Ian Callum is doing at Jaguar is quite remarkable. Also Henrik Fisker at his own car company has style and performance. The Bentley Continental GT is beautiful and timeless. The Lamborghini Gallardo is nearly perfect. The Porsche 911 is another timeless design and then there's Ferrari. The VW concept car, the UP Lite, a diesel hybrid, has both efficiency and beauty. We'll see if it comes to fruition. but I agree, Harley Earl was the best.

[feedoggie]

WELL DONE!  However, I'm sure Harley is rolling over in his grave with the goings-on at GM, not to mention the bland designs of the auto industry as a whole.

[sociablyclussy]

What a great American !!!!

[PissofCanada111]

THe cars today are shit. People are driving aorund these tiny little "Smart" cars. Every car back then had style and was amazing.

[samkennydesigns]

@opfredet uhhhhh.....your film is just a promotion for a movie. as a young automotive design student I find this video much more informative.

[DougCameraMan]

what a great documentary about Harley Earl. His styling department designed some of the greatest cars ever made.

[mensupportcenternepa]

@bosse3554-Billy Mitchell was the chief designer of all GM cars from 1960 onwards-Earl retired in late 58 after designing the 59 caddy

[yourallbrainwashed]

thanks for posting ! when chip foose is asked what car is his favorite, he always says 'the next one'. now i know where he got that from. harley earl is the first chip foose!

[JBC814]

My favorites of the GM designs was the '55 Chevy and the '57 Cadillac, which had the best looking tail-fins of any car. If only they could bring back some of those great designs today. Ray Lowery's '53 Studebaker was years ahead of everyone else, but the car was a bucket of bolts mechanically. Pinanfarina's '52 Nash was very impressive as well. I believe the '49-'51 Ford was a landmark design also, but the '52 Ford was a step backward.

[quakebox]

he designed the corvette

[bosse3554]

Hi.A great american whos had influid me. i have 2 cadillacs 1963,one cab and one sedan six windows hardtop. this i have get from us by my self.i like them. I wonder why the 60 cars are so sheep in us still today and it looks like you don't understand the value and history in the sixtiens car. Brg Bo from Sweden.