![]() ![]() sold millions of Big Daddy Roth model car kits, from which Mr. The character's wise-guy, street-smart attitude lives on in such descendants as Bart Simpson, Ren & Stimpy and the foul-mouthed "South Park" kids. Rat Fink's sinister glare, razor-sharp teeth and bulging, bloodshot eyes became ubiquitous on T-shirts, posters and car decals in the 1960s. Roth developed Rat Fink in the 1950s as the underground culture's response to Mickey Mouse. Roth worked on custom cars in his garage-studio near Los Angeles, youngsters across the country broke out the airplane glue to work on intricate scale plastic models of his "Outlaw" roadster, bubble-topped "Beatnik Bandit" or futuristic "Mysterion." One of his cars was featured in the recent exhibition "Made in California: Art, Image and Identity, 1900-2000" at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Roth's works are on display in "Customized: Art Inspired by Hot Rods, Lowriders and American Car Culture." ![]() He had a "huge" influence on the culture of Southern California, said Ellen Fleurov, museum director at the California Center for the Arts in Escondido, where Mr. Roth was considered a genius and visionary, not only for his radical designs, but also for his pioneering use of fiberglass in car bodies. He gained fame with the "Beatnik Bandit" custom vehicle in 1958 and a fiberglass hot rod called the "Outlaw" in 1959. ![]() The cause of death has not been determined. Ed "Big Daddy" Roth, 69, a sign painter turned car designer whose outrageous automotive creations and grungy cartoon alter ego, Rat Fink, made him an icon of Southern California pop culture in the 1950s and 1960s, was found dead April 4 in his workshop near his home in Manti, Utah. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |