Once Upon a Wheel

Once Upon a Wheel
Airdate	April 18, 1971
Written by	Tom Mankiewicz
Directed by	David Winters
Network	ABC
Style	60-minute documentary special
Company	Winters-Rosen
Origin	USA

Once Upon a Wheel was broadcast on televison in a 1971 It is a TV special, narrated by Paul Newman with many guest stars. It has been released on home video.

Racing enthusiast, Paul Newman narrated this hour long documentary on the history of auto racing. Joining narrator, Newman, is Mario Andretti, Kirk Douglas, Hugh Downs, Dean Martin, Cesar Romero, Dick Smothers and many others.

TV Guide featured an article on the program as well as Newman on the cover of the April 17, 1971 issue. The film was released to home video by Monteray

Winters and Newman on set

International

The show was released theatrically in Europe, with additional footage. The Italian title was I Giganti del Brivido, and in Spanish, Vertigo Sobre Ruedas.

Trivia

Behind the Scenes

• The director has stated it was Paul Newman's impression of the finished product that encouraged the extended version.

• The writer is the cousin of TCM host Ben.

Sponsors

Coca-Cola bottlers sponsored the show, and Mr. Newman appeared in magazine ads (wearing a Coke racing jacket). Viewers could order special collectibles related to the show: 8-track cartridges or cassette tapes of music from the show, a Coca-Cola jacket similar to Newman’s, and racing jacket style patches.

DVD Release

Title	Release Date	#
Once Upon a Wheel	September 14, 2004	1	purchase

External Sites

• Overview on New York Times Website

Further Reading

• Ormstein, Bill, "Winters-Rosen Triple Budgets",Hollywood Reporter,17, Nov, 1970: p1