Cadillac has been the preferred auto brand of celebrated people for more than a century. And its latest models, including the ATS, the CT6, and the Escalade, are intended to keep it that way. While a complete list of notable Cadillac owners would stretch for many pages, this article will focus on 10 of the greats, with attention paid to the special cars belonging to these very special people.
Al Capone's Armored Model 341 of 1931 When famed Chicago gangster and Public Enemy #1Â Al Capone was in the market for a fine personal luxury car, he chose a 1928 Cadillac Model 341 Town Sedan - a four-door, five-passenger beauty that was among the most luxurious cars available at the time. But given the risky nature of his work, Al insisted that several important modifications be made to the car by a local mechanic, including the installation of 1-inch thick bulletproof glass, steel-armored doors, a police siren, radio, and a "drop down" rear window for spraying lead at any pursuers. Al's armored Cadillac also received a hopped up engine and a tasteful custom black/green custom paint scheme (to disguise it as an official Chicago police vehicle of the era). In 2012, Al's famous car - lovingly restored - sold at auction for $341,000.
Liberace's 24 Karat Gold 1931 Coupe In the mid-20th Century Liberace was as famous an entertainer as Beyoncé is today. He loved flash, glitter, gold, and Cadillacs, and his 1931 355 Drop Head Coup, custom-adorned with 24 Karat Gold foil, recently came to auction. Unfortunately, bidding on this stunning failed to meet its $132,000 reserve price, which means this ultra-flashy car will probably show up on the auction block again sometime soon.
Shirley Temple's 1938 Series 90 V16 Formal Sedan Child actress Shirley Temple was at the very peak of her movie career when she acquired a black 1938 Series 90 V16 Formal Sedan to serve as transportation to and from the set. While there's no evidence she ever drove the big 7-passenger car (she was only 10 in 1938), she was photographed stepping into it during a much-publicized 1938 to visit the White House, and likely used it regularly during her final years of Hollywood stardom. The Series 90 of 1938 represented one of the last appearances of Cadillac's famed 16-cylinder engine. The highly collectible car sold for a modest $44,000 at auction in 2012.
Dwight D. Eisenhower's 1942 Series 75 Armored Staff Car Dwight D. Eisenhower, 34th President of the U.S., was a huge Cadillac fan who owned many in his lifetime, and famously travelled to his inauguration in a 1953 Eldorado. But Ike's most notable Cadillac was the armored 1942 Series 75 Sedan issued to him as a staff car by the War Department while he was serving as Supreme Allied Commander. Equipped with blackout lights, anti-reflective olive drab paint, and a red license plate adorned with five silver stars, this Cadillac faithfully ferried the General to fighting fronts in North Africa, France, and elsewhere in the European theater from 1942 to 1944. In the mid-1950s, the car, declared war surplus, was restored by some of Ike's friend and presented to him as a birthday present. Today it resides in the Eisenhower Museum in Abilene, Kansas, with 200,000 miles of travel under its belt.
Marilyn Monroe's 1954 Eldorado Convertible Marilyn Monroe was an authentic American original, as was the 1954 Cadillac Eldorado she was given by radio host Jack Benny as a token of appreciation for appearing on his program. Only about 2,150 Eldorados were produced that year, priced at $7,000 (about $64,000 in today's money) - far more than the struggling actress could afford on her own. One can only imagine the impression that Monroe made while piloting this rare beauty down Sunset Boulevard. While several few photos of Marilyn with her Eldorado have surfaced on the Web, no one appears to know what happened to the car, marking it as one of the great Lost Cadillacs of all time.
Fats Domino's 1959 Eldorado Biarritz Fats Domino (1928 -2017) was a beloved figure in Rock & Roll, and his prized, hot pink-colored 1959 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz was Fats' most beloved possession. He thought so much of this car that he even had a couch made from the back of another 1959 Cadillac, painted pink, that became the centerpiece of his New Orleans home (now that's Feng shui!). Fats died in late 2017 so it's not known what will become of his car. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and/or the Smithsonian would both serve as worthy final destinations.
