Characters who left a mark on us all
David Carradine, aka "Frankenstein," spends most of the time in 'Death Race 2000' (1975) behind the wheel of a Corvette tricked out like a Komodo dragon while taking part in a road race. Bonus points are accrued by knocking down innocent pedestrians along the way.
See also: The greatest French cars ever made
Is this the most iconic movie car? Marty McFly travels back to 1955 in the movie 'Back to the Future' (1985) thanks to this souped-up time machine, a vehicle that became as well known as the film's human characters.
Jeff Bridges, who starred in the biopic 'Tucker: The Man and His Dream' (1988), got behind the wheel of this classic American automobile.
While the Wagon Queen Family Truckster station wagon used in 'National Lampoon's Vacation' (1983) was created specifically for the film, its design is based on the popular all-American station wagon of the 1970s. In fact, the design itself lampooned the vehicle.
The 1980s action-comedy series 'The Dukes of Hazzard' featured The General Lee, an orange muscle car with a Confederate battle flag painted on its roof.
Former special forces unit turned soldiers of fortune, better known as The A-Team, took to the roads during the 1980s in this stylized van, the design of which has since become an enduring pop culture icon.
Remember that slick, stylish '80s show 'Miami Vice'? The first two seasons featured this sporty number. But did you know it was a replica built on a Corvette C3 chassis? A real Ferrari, a Testarossas, was later used.
A concept car built in 1955 and promoted by Ford's Lincoln brand, the Futura later became Batman and Robin's first set of wheels when a modified version of the vehicle was used in the classic 1960s 'Batman' TV series.
The movie that defined the cinema car chase, 'Bullitt' (1968) is famous for the Mustang driven by the king of cool, Steve McQueen—who featured at the wheel in all driver-visual scenes.
Scooby-Doo's "Mystery Machine" made its debut in 1969 as an animated mode of transport based on a VW or Corvair van. Others were plainly modeled on the Chevy G10. In the live movie version a Ford Econoline is used.
While a car is not usually the first thing that comes to mind when you think "Hollywood star," many creators use automobiles as movie and television characters themselves. Some cars are the stars of the show, as in the Pixar film 'Cars' (2006). A critical and commercial success, the movie featured dozens of talking vehicles and was praised by one critic as one of the "most imaginative and appealing movies ever."
Some cars have become Hollywood legends. Sean Connery's James Bond is forever associated with his gadget-laden Aston Martin DB5. Who can forget Steve McQueen's character burning rubber in his Ford Mustang Fastback in 'Bullitt' (1968) during one of the most famous car chase sequences ever made? And Batman simply wouldn't be the same without his Batmobile.
Cars have also made a big impact on the small screen. Some of television's most popular shows are distinguished by a set of cool wheels. Think 'The Dukes of Hazzard' and the General Lee screeches into view, horns blaring "Dixie." And what about that souped-up van those soldiers of fortune, the A-Team, used to get themselves in and out of trouble with?
Cars hit the screen as Hollywood flourished in the early 20th century. Mack Sennett, the King of Comedy, is especially remembered for his silent-era Keystone Cops movies and the slapstick car chases that always ended up in a collective wreck on the sidewalk. The success of these pioneering two-reelers coincided exactly with the rise of the mass-market automobile, and Hollywood quickly sought mileage out of this desirable new commodity.
Today, entire film franchises are based around cars (think 'The Fast and the Furious'). But it's the unique and singular appeal of a particular model that endures.
Take a drive through this gallery of some of the most iconic screen autos ever, and you'll get an idea of why cars are often just as important as actors.
The most iconic cars in cinematic and television history
From The Mystery Machine to The Tumbler
MOVIES Vehicles
While a car is not usually the first thing that comes to mind when you think "Hollywood star," many creators use automobiles as movie and television characters themselves. Some cars are the stars of the show, as in the Pixar film 'Cars' (2006). A critical and commercial success, the movie featured dozens of talking vehicles and was praised by one critic as one of the "most imaginative and appealing movies ever."
Some cars have become Hollywood legends. Sean Connery's James Bond is forever associated with his gadget-laden Aston Martin DB5. Who can forget Steve McQueen's character burning rubber in his Ford Mustang Fastback in 'Bullitt' (1968) during one of the most famous car chase sequences ever made? And Batman simply wouldn't be the same without his Batmobile.
Cars have also made a big impact on the small screen. Some of television's most popular shows are distinguished by a set of cool wheels. Think 'The Dukes of Hazzard' and the General Lee screeches into view, horns blaring "Dixie." And what about that souped-up van those soldiers of fortune, the A-Team, used to get themselves in and out of trouble with?
Cars hit the screen as Hollywood flourished in the early 20th century. Mack Sennett, the King of Comedy, is especially remembered for his silent-era Keystone Cops movies and the slapstick car chases that always ended up in a collective wreck on the sidewalk. The success of these pioneering two-reelers coincided exactly with the rise of the mass-market automobile, and Hollywood quickly sought mileage out of this desirable new commodity.
Today, entire film franchises are based around cars (think 'The Fast and the Furious'). But it's the unique and singular appeal of a particular model that endures.
Take a drive through this gallery of some of the most iconic screen autos ever, and you'll get an idea of why cars are often just as important as actors.