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Gasoline, oil and paint make a volatile mixture!

Kickin’ around the ad game in the Motor City was a lotta fun until kickin’ around felt more like kicked around. Airbrushing cutaways of shock absorbers is about as fun as waiting up to see what the milkman brings. I was burnt out and tired of being paint-stained and marker-fume high so I figured I would try a different racket.

It’s a short hop from drawing commercials to acting in them. What the heck, the pay was good selling soap to the swells. To quote Robert Mitchum, “It beats workin’.”

When it comes to the acting racket all roads lead to Los Angeles. So-Cal, The City of Angels, sunshine, Hollywood and hot-rods! Perfect for a motor-head, Detroit ex-pat like me.

These cats out here drive them rods all year round. Not like back east. Those poor suckers can only drive their customs and rods for about five minutes between winter and bad sledding weather.

There was something stirring inside me...something besides low-rent Mexican food...something that could only come out through a paintbrush.

Dangerous dames and goons with big trunks and bad intentions are all part of my world. One part hot-rod, one part Film Noir and one part pulp fiction. Where the roulette wheel of life can find you dining with movie stars or takin’ your last ride to the big dirt nap.

Maybe someday I’ll see you down some dark painted alley. I’ll be the one in the chopped Hudson trying to look inconspicuous.

Hey, where is that saxophone music coming from?

James Owens
www.car-noir.com

Gasoline, oil and paint make a volatile mixture! Kickin’ around the ad game in the Motor City was a lotta fun until kickin’ around felt more like kicked around. Airbrushing cutaways of shock absorbers is about as fun as waiting up to see what the milkman brings. I was burnt out and tired of being paint-stained and marker-fume high so I figured I would try a different racket. It’s a shor... More