Casa de cadillac
Encyclopedia
Casa de Cadillac is a Cadillac
dealership
located on 14401 Ventura Boulevard
, in Sherman Oaks, CA. Due to its classic Googie architecture
and tenure in the area since 1949, Casa de Cadillac has become an architectural landmark in the San Fernando Valley
.
, including major cities such as Fresno
, Sacramento
, Oakland
, San Francisco, Pasadena
, and Los Angeles
. Despite efforts by General Motors
to convert several of Lee's holdings into factory stores, Casa de Cadillac remained in the Lee family.
Ownership of Casa de Cadillac passed from Lee to Martin Pollard
in the early 1950s. Pollard was influential in local business and an active member of the San Fernando Valley community. He served at various times as the President of Valley Presbyterian Hospital
, President of the Sherman Oaks Chamber of Commerce, the first chairman of the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority
. In 1959, Pollard was the first ever recipient of the "Fernando Award" in 1959, awarded by the Fernando Award Foundation, Inc. in recognition of outstanding community volunteerism in the San Fernando Valley. Upon Pollard's death in 1970, the Sherman Oaks branch of the Los Angeles Public Library
was named in his honor.
After Pollard's death, James Wilson became president of Casa de Cadillac and was active in its daily operations from 1963 until 2008. During that time Casa Automotive Group (the parent company of Casa de Cadillac) acquired several additional franchises (Buick
, GMC
, Saab
, Subaru
, Hummer
, and Kia
).
In 2008, Wilson passed ownership to his daughter and son-in-law, Susan and Howard Drake. Howard Drake currently runs daily operations for Casa Automotive Group and Casa de Cadillac.
in 1948, Casa de Cadillac is now considered a prime example of Googie architecture
. It has been included in modern architectural walking tours organized by the Modern Committee of the Los Angeles Conservancy and Los Angeles Times
and has become a popular location for photography and filming.
's Transformers (film), the character Jazz drops down from the roof of the Casa De Cadillac dealership before transforming into vehicle form and meeting with the other Autobots and Bumblebee's location.
- In the 1985 Arnold Schwarzenegger
action film, Commando (film)
, the character Cooke commandeers a Cadillac and drives it through the display window.
- In Tom Petty
's "Free Fallin" (1989), Casa de Cadillac stands prominently across the street from the pink Future Dogs hot dog stand.
Cadillac
Cadillac is an American luxury vehicle marque owned by General Motors . Cadillac vehicles are sold in over 50 countries and territories, but mostly in North America. Cadillac is currently the second oldest American automobile manufacturer behind fellow GM marque Buick and is among the oldest...
dealership
Car dealership
A car dealership or vehicle local distribution is a business that sells new or used cars at the retail level, based on a dealership contract with an automaker or its sales subsidiary. It employs automobile salespeople to do the selling...
located on 14401 Ventura Boulevard
Ventura Boulevard
Ventura Boulevard is one of the primary east–west thouroughfares in the San Fernando Valley, USA; as it was originally a part of the El Camino Real , Ventura Boulevard is one of the oldest routes in the San Fernando Valley. It was also U.S...
, in Sherman Oaks, CA. Due to its classic Googie architecture
Googie architecture
Googie architecture is a form of modern architecture, a subdivision of futurist architecture influenced by car culture and the Space and Atomic Ages....
and tenure in the area since 1949, Casa de Cadillac has become an architectural landmark in the San Fernando Valley
San Fernando Valley
The San Fernando Valley is an urbanized valley located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area of southern California, United States, defined by the dramatic mountains of the Transverse Ranges circling it...
.
History
Casa de Cadillac opened in 1949 at 14401 Ventura Boulevard, and it has operated continuously in the same facility since that time until today. The original dealership was part of the Don Lee Cadillac operations, a dealer group that operated Cadillac dealerships throughout the state of CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, including major cities such as Fresno
Fresno
Fresno is the fifth largest city in California.Fresno may also refer to:-Places:Colombia* Fresno, TolimaSpain* Fresno, a ghost village in Nidáliga, Valle de Sedano, Burgos* Aldea del Fresno, Madrid* Fresno de la Vega, Ribera del Esla, León...
, Sacramento
Sacramento
Sacramento is the capital of the state of California, in the United States of America.Sacramento may also refer to:- United States :*Sacramento County, California*Sacramento, Kentucky*Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta...
, Oakland
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
, San Francisco, Pasadena
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
, and Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. Despite efforts by General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
to convert several of Lee's holdings into factory stores, Casa de Cadillac remained in the Lee family.
Ownership of Casa de Cadillac passed from Lee to Martin Pollard
Martin Pollard
Martin Lee Pollard is an English cricketer. Pollard is a right-handed batsman who bowls right-arm medium-fast. He was born in Shotley Bridge, County Durham....
in the early 1950s. Pollard was influential in local business and an active member of the San Fernando Valley community. He served at various times as the President of Valley Presbyterian Hospital
Valley Presbyterian Hospital
Valley Presbyterian Hospital is a 350-bed hospital located in Van Nuys, Los Angeles, California. Architect William Pereira designed the original 1958 building. Valley Presbyterian is one of the largest acute care hospital in central San Fernando Valley. The facility specializes in maternal and...
, President of the Sherman Oaks Chamber of Commerce, the first chairman of the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority
Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority
The Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority was a public agency formed in 1951. Its original mandate was to do a feasibility study for a monorail line which would have connected Long Beach with the Panorama City district in the San Fernando Valley via Downtown Los Angeles.The agency's powers...
. In 1959, Pollard was the first ever recipient of the "Fernando Award" in 1959, awarded by the Fernando Award Foundation, Inc. in recognition of outstanding community volunteerism in the San Fernando Valley. Upon Pollard's death in 1970, the Sherman Oaks branch of the Los Angeles Public Library
Los Angeles Public Library
The Los Angeles Public Library system serves the residents of Los Angeles, California, United States. With over 6 million volumes, LAPL is one of the largest publicly funded library systems in the world. The system is overseen by a Board of Library Commissioners with five members appointed by the...
was named in his honor.
After Pollard's death, James Wilson became president of Casa de Cadillac and was active in its daily operations from 1963 until 2008. During that time Casa Automotive Group (the parent company of Casa de Cadillac) acquired several additional franchises (Buick
Buick
Buick is a premium brand of General Motors . Buick models are sold in the United States, Canada, Mexico, China, Taiwan, and Israel, with China being its largest market. Buick holds the distinction as the oldest active American make...
, GMC
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
, Saab
Saab
Saab AB is a Swedish aerospace and defence company, founded in 1937. From 1947 to 1990 it was the parent company of automobile manufacturer Saab Automobile, and between 1968 and 1995 the company was in a merger with commercial vehicle manufacturer Scania, known as Saab-Scania.-History:"Svenska...
, Subaru
Subaru
; is the automobile manufacturing division of Japanese transportation conglomerate Fuji Heavy Industries .Subaru is internationally known for their use of the boxer engine layout popularized in cars by the Volkswagen Beetle and Porsche 911, in most of their vehicles above 1500 cc as well as...
, Hummer
Hummer
Hummer was a brand of trucks and SUVs, first marketed in 1992 when AM General began selling a civilian version of the M998 Humvee. In 1998, General Motors purchased the brand name and marketed three vehicles: the original Hummer H1, based on the Humvee; and the H2 and H3 models that were...
, and Kia
Kia Motors
Kia Motors , headquartered in Seoul, is South Korea's second-largest automobile manufacturer, following the Hyundai Motor Company, with sales of over 1.4 million vehicles in 2010...
).
In 2008, Wilson passed ownership to his daughter and son-in-law, Susan and Howard Drake. Howard Drake currently runs daily operations for Casa Automotive Group and Casa de Cadillac.
Architecture
Designed by Randall DuellRandall Duell
Randall Duell was an American architect and art director. Duell attended the University of Southern California School of Architecture and graduated in 1925...
in 1948, Casa de Cadillac is now considered a prime example of Googie architecture
Googie architecture
Googie architecture is a form of modern architecture, a subdivision of futurist architecture influenced by car culture and the Space and Atomic Ages....
. It has been included in modern architectural walking tours organized by the Modern Committee of the Los Angeles Conservancy and Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
and has become a popular location for photography and filming.
Popular culture
- In Michael BayMichael Bay
Michael Benjamin Bay is an American film director and producer. He is known for directing high-budget action films characterized by their fast edits, stylistic visuals and substantial practical special effects...
's Transformers (film), the character Jazz drops down from the roof of the Casa De Cadillac dealership before transforming into vehicle form and meeting with the other Autobots and Bumblebee's location.
- In the 1985 Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, and politician. Schwarzenegger served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011....
action film, Commando (film)
Commando (film)
Commando is a 1985 American action film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Vernon Wells, Rae Dawn Chong, Alyssa Milano, Bill Duke, Dan Hedaya and James Olson. It was directed by Mark L...
, the character Cooke commandeers a Cadillac and drives it through the display window.
- In Tom Petty
Tom Petty
Thomas Earl "Tom" Petty is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He is the frontman of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and was a founding member of the late 1980s supergroup Traveling Wilburys and Mudcrutch. He has also performed under the pseudonyms of Charlie T...
's "Free Fallin" (1989), Casa de Cadillac stands prominently across the street from the pink Future Dogs hot dog stand.