Fort Worth Star-Telegram from Fort Worth, Texas • 33

Sunday February 9 1997 Var-Telegram I Section A Page 3 '10-4 over and out' Avid fan of 1950s TV series recreates car and character made famous in 'Highway Patrol' Gary Goi Itz: Fan of Highway Patrol recreates Crawford's character Goltz spent $25000 on his 1955 Buick Special to paint and equip it like the car driven by actor Broderick Crawford in the 1950s TV sho Patrol The series chronicled the cases of fictional character Chief Dan Mathews of the California Highway Patrol I Bv BOB POOL Los Angeles Times LOS ANGELES Everybody lows down when they see Gary poltz coming and not just because black-and-white car that he Orives sports a red light and siren It's because his beefy Buick is the image of the car that Broderick Crawford drove in the classic :19505 TV series Highway Patrol Sporting a dark suit a fedora and his best scowl Goltz is the spitting image of the late actor too Jaws dropped and thumbs went up on the streets of Inglewood recently when Goltz took retired California Highway Patrol officer Frank Runyon for a spin Just to make sure nobody missed the sight a loudspeaker behind the car's front grille blared the old show's theme song Runyon served as technical ad- 'viser to the show during its 1955-59 run Now 82 he sized up the car and its driver "Authentic" Runyon said Goltz who runs a judo school in Claremont and owns a health care sales consulting firm in Upland is an authentic Highway Patrol fan He grew up watching reruns of the show each day after school in Pittsburgh When he was asked as a first-grader to draw a picture of what he wanted to be when he grew up he sketched a Crawford look- alike standing next to a Highway car "The good guys always won and the bad guys got what they deserved on the show There were no lawyers bail bondsmen or even Miranda rights" said Goltz 43 "There was Broderick Crawford" When he moved to California in 1985 Goltz was amazed to find that the California Highway Patrol used 'black-and-whites just like Crawford's "I said 'Oh my God they're real' It was like getting pulled over by the CHP would be an honor" he said Soon he was collecting video- tapes of the show and eventually tracked down all but seven of its 156 episodes Then he set out to collect soniething bigger "I wanted a 1955 Buick Special like Broderick Crawford drove" he said Through an antique car publication he found one in Sacramento Then he spent $25000 to paint it and equip it just like Crawford's Goltz met Runyon through Highway Patrol video collector Because the show was filmed in black-and-white Runyon loaned a snapshot that showed the colors of the generic crest-like Highway Patrol logo on Crawford's car so Goltz could duplicate that too The California Highway Patrol initially gave its backing to the show in hopes that it would do for --'the patrol what Jack Webb's Drag'- net had done for the Los Angeles Police Department's image Goltr said "They weren't that pleased when they saw Broderick Crawford playing the lead" Goltz said "They'd wanted Mike Connors someone clean-cut and lean In fact there's a Mike Connors pilot I have it" But Crawford who had won an Academy Award in 1949 for All the King's Men was picked by ZIV Television Programs to portray gruff-talking burly Chief Dan Mathews Crawford died in 1986 Goltz has painted the words Crawford Special" on his car's dashboard Crawford's fictional radio call sign "Unit 21-50" is painted outside He has put about 4000 miles on 1 the old Buick in the last year He keeps its red lights covered when he drives it A sign saying "Not in Service Since 1955" on its side windows keeps anyone from thinking 'it's a real police car But he creates a stir when he arrives in it wearing his fedora to pick up clients for business lunches or A Beautiful Combination of Fresh Flowers to Complete a Romantic Evening (Price Without Card $2988) vivItt CM1 Gary Broderick Crawford: Late actor played Chief Dan Mathews when he uses the car for errands That's when he is likely to flip on the loudspeaker and play a tape of the Highway Patrol theme or announcer Art Gilmore's memorable introduction to the show: "Whenever the laws of any state are broken a duly authorized organization swings into action It' may be called the state police state troopers militia the rangers orthe highway patrol These are the stories of the men whose training skill and courage have enforced and preserved our state laws" Goltz's wife Sharon said her husband "was obsessed with the show when I met him 22 years ago but I never thought it would get to this extent He's even bought hats like his for our two boys He'll have the siren on or get on the PA and talk to people he knows Sometimes my daughter and I want to hide on the floor" Goltz was stopped once by a San Bernardino County sheriff's deputy who suspected Goltz was impersonating an officer was a young guy who had never seen the show" Goltz said) but his car has received rave reviews from the real California Highway Patrol It's a hit at the agency's open houses and similar events On the freeway passing highway patrol officers have offered friendly waves "It's amazing It's an exact replica with music that plays out the front bumper It's something a lot of people remember" said Deputy Chief Edward Gomez the California Highway Patrol commander for Los Angeles County "I grew up in that time I remember that show" In Sacramento California Highway Patrol spokesman Jose Vasquez said car restorers who want to put the agency's authentic star logo on the side of a vehicle must have written approval from the patrol's commissioner Also those cars cannot be driven unless the logo and red lights are covered "It can't be misunderstood by the public" Vasquez said "10-4" said Goltz in his best Broderick Crawford voice 336-STIIR ttIhl Highway i 011 4 A Agt A gek1 Exquisite Elegance Rose Arrangement A Gorgeous Dozen Roses to Show What a True Romantic You Are $299 ea) ACCEPI ED FOR ALL YOk IR PURCHASES Advertised Seleaed One Dozen Premium 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