Harley Earl taught Detroit how to get its Hollywood swing on. He’s credited for single-handedly igniting an automobile renaissance. His legacy has been compared to Leonardo da Vinci and even Steve Jobs. I mean, this guy created the Corvette, for God’s sake.
So, with a resume like that, why isn’t Harley Earl a household name?
It’s not like Earl was a slacker. He came to Detroit from Hollywood, where he was designing cars for movie stars. As General Motors’ top designer, Earl created iconic cars with unique, sweeping lines and features like tail fins and wraparound windshields.