Cal-Worthington-Obituary

Cal Worthington

Obituary

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Cal Worthington, who built a fortune from a series of West Coast auto dealerships and became a TV fixture thanks to folksy car lot commercials urging customers to "Go see Cal," has died. He was 92.

Worthington died Sunday after watching football with family at his Big W Ranch in Orland, Calif., north of Sacramento, said Dave Karalis, general manager of Cal Worthington Ford in Long Beach.

The cause of death has not been determined, family attorney Larry Miles said.

The Oklahoma native, who was a decorated bomber pilot during World War II, founded his first dealership in the late 1940s in Southern California and quickly took advantage of broadcast advertising.

As his business empire grew to other western states and Alaska, Worthington starred in a series of TV and radio spots that featured him in his ever-present big white cowboy hat and his "dog" Spot — which would turn out to be animals ranging from tigers to elephants.

He also wrestled a bear, handled a snake, rode a hippopotamus and a pig, and almost had his hand bit by a mountain lion. Viewers frequently saw him trying to stand on his head, including a stint atop the upper wing of a biplane that turned him on his head. All of it was set to a speedy banjo tune with the refrain, "Go see Cal, go see Cal, go see Cal."

At one point, Worthington owned more than 23 dealerships in five states, according to a family statement.

Born Nov. 27, 1920, Worthington joined the Army and became a B-17 bomber pilot, flying 29 missions over Germany and earning the Distinguished Flying Cross and other honors.

After the war he continued to fly a variety of aircraft, including a Lear 35, a twin-engine jet that he based at his sprawling ranch, which is a large producer of almonds and olives.

Last year, he addressed a Federal Aviation Administration seminar at the Aerospace Museum of California in McClellan, Calif., on how he managed so many years of flying safely. His last flight was from Anchorage, Alaska, to California, 10 days before his death, Miles said.

He is survived by six children and nine grandchildren.


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Guest Book

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Will always miss Cal and his dog Spot! What a full and amazing life! R.I.P. Cal Worthington!

I BOUGHT MY FIRST CAR FROM HIM IN SACRAMENTO, CA. GREW UP WATCHING HIS COMMERCIALS AND ALL THE ANIMALS HE USED TO HAVE ON THERE. GOD BLESS HIM

Cal Worthington was the best example of an American, fearlessly funny and actually quite daring, as observed wingwalking up in the sky.
Thank goodness we weren't saddled then with all the regulations we have today!

Thank you for your inspirational speeches at Long Beach State when I was a student there. You were very accomplished but seemed so humble. I had one of the laughs of my life when a younger guy that I worked with SWORE you were saying "horsey cow" in your commercials.

Cal was a amazing man . He will never be replaced. The world lost a lot when he passed on.

Jim Ketchum
San Dimas, CA
54 years in the car business in California

My thoughts and prayers go out to the Worthington family.
Forever grateful for his service to our country. Sincerely Mary Reese

So sorry to hear of his passing, he lived a good life and did more than any ten of us will ever do. He went sliding in with a Magnam PI Stop. We got to spend time with him at the Big W and flew with him in the Jet. Good times. Terry just talked to him about a month ago. Great conversation. We will miss you Cal. RIP. Love and Prayers to your family in this time of need.

Cal was an institution in Huntington Park where we moved to from Ohio in 1954. I got to know him from attending hundreds of the televised shows from the car dealership and ballroom there as well as the ones taped in Hollywood later.
He added so much to my life through these shows and country music. It was never boring on the weekends for the pre-teens and teenagers who got to rub elbows with stars like Glen Campbell (upcoming), Buck Owens, Barbara Mandrell (still in curls), the...