Tubemobiles! Local cars that came straight from Hollywood movies and TV shows

General Lee in KC!

Kansas City isn't exactly the entertainment capital of the world. Not many movies are made here. It would be unusual to see Tom Cruise in the local Starbucks. They don't tend to block off the streets to film car chases. If you can make it here, you might not be able to make it somewhere else.

But if you go to enough car shows around town, so start to see a distinct Hollywood influence. Real and recreated TV and movie cars are all over the place, and you can really have a brush with fame when you see these cars for real.

In case you hadn't noticed, I'm a total sucker for old car-related movies and shows. So when I see one of these celebrity cars around here, I notice it. I mean, the General Lee can clear a barn by hitting a ramp made from hay bails. Who wouldn't want to see something like that in person?

Starsky saves North Kansas City

There have been some genuine celebrities in our midst. The Branson Car Museum has displayed actual movie cars from Doc Hollywood, Men in Black, Robocop, Transformers, and more. The stunning DiDia Dream Car made an appearance at the Art of the Car Concours at the Kansas City Art Institute. And authentic versions of the Knight Rider cars and Pixar Cars vehicles have been at the Kansas City World of Wheels.

There are plenty of great replicas, too. Starky and Hutch, the Duke boys, and Jim Rockford are but a phone call away.


Rockford goes to Gladstone

Clearly, these are not cars for people who wish to go unnoticed. But for anyone who loves seeing their favorite big-screen rides in person, they can be a real treat.

I've sifted through a bunch of pictures and came up with mostly local cars that either are, or remind me of famous studio machines. Can you think of any others? Leave a comment and let us know!

And in the meantime, enjoy the slideshow below. And if you click on the little dialogue balloon in the bottom left corner, a caption will magically appear. You can also click this link for a nicer version.