George W. Walker
Encyclopedia
George W. Walker was an industrial and automotive designer. His most notable work was the original Ford Thunderbird
.
His father worked for the Erie Railroad
and the family moved several times, settling in Cleveland, Ohio
when Walker was in his teens. He played semi-professional football and held down odd-jobs, but his interest in art led to art school in Los Angeles. He began his professional career as an illustrator for department store advertising, initially as a student in LA and then as an independent in Cleveland, Ohio.
He broke into the auto business doing illustration work for the failing Peerless
automobile company in the late 1920s. He went on to a brief stint working for Harley Earl
and John Tjaarda at General Motors, then to Graham-Paige
. In 1929 the stock market crash spelled the end for many companies, including Graham-Paige, and Walker went looking for work. He found it with a hardware supplier, Dura. This company supplied several automakers with parts.
This job led to contact with József Galamb, the primary designer for Ford Motor Company
. Walker's firm did substantial design work for Ford parts, then in the late 1940s began styling work for some Ford cars. In the early 1950s he joined Ford at the behest of Ford executive Ernie Breech, bringing colleagues Elwood Engel
and Joe Oros
(later a primary designer on the Mustang
. Walker became corporate vice-president of Ford Motor Company
for design in 1955. He stepped down from all his positions at Ford in 1961 after reaching the company's mandatory retirement age of 65.
On October 15, 1959, he appeared as a guest challenger on the TV panel show To Tell the Truth
.
Walker's career also included industrial design for clocks, bread boxes, chemistry sets, bicycles, and roller skates among other products.
He moved to Gulf Stream, Florida
where he later became mayor in 1976. He died on January 19, 1993 in Tucson, Arizona
at the age of 96.
Ford Thunderbird
The Thunderbird , is an automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company in the United States over eleven model generations from 1955 through 2005...
.
His father worked for the Erie Railroad
Erie Railroad
The Erie Railroad was a railroad that operated in New York State, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, originally connecting New York City with Lake Erie...
and the family moved several times, settling in Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
when Walker was in his teens. He played semi-professional football and held down odd-jobs, but his interest in art led to art school in Los Angeles. He began his professional career as an illustrator for department store advertising, initially as a student in LA and then as an independent in Cleveland, Ohio.
He broke into the auto business doing illustration work for the failing Peerless
Peerless
Peerless was a United States automobile produced by the Peerless Motor Company of Cleveland, Ohio from 1900 to 1931. The company was known for building high-quality, precision luxury automobiles. Peerless' factory was located at 9400 Quincy Avenue in Cleveland...
automobile company in the late 1920s. He went on to a brief stint working for Harley Earl
Harley Earl
Harley J. Earl was first Vice President of Design at General Motors. He was an industrial designer and a pioneer of modern transportation design. A coachbuilder by trade, Earl pioneered the use of freeform sketching and hand sculpted clay models as design techniques...
and John Tjaarda at General Motors, then to Graham-Paige
Graham-Paige
Graham-Paige was an American automobile manufacturer founded by brothers Joseph B. Graham and Robert C. Graham , and Canadian Ray Austin in 1927. Automobile production ceased in 1940, and its automotive assets were acquired by Kaiser-Frazer in 1947...
. In 1929 the stock market crash spelled the end for many companies, including Graham-Paige, and Walker went looking for work. He found it with a hardware supplier, Dura. This company supplied several automakers with parts.
This job led to contact with József Galamb, the primary designer for Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
. Walker's firm did substantial design work for Ford parts, then in the late 1940s began styling work for some Ford cars. In the early 1950s he joined Ford at the behest of Ford executive Ernie Breech, bringing colleagues Elwood Engel
Elwood Engel
-Early days:Engel first joined General Motors as a student under Harley Earl's watchful eye at GM's school of design. In 1939 he met classmates Joe Oros and George W. Walker at the school. During World War II, Engel served four years in the U.S. Army as a mapmaker, in both the European and Pacific...
and Joe Oros
Joe Oros
Joseph E. Oros was an automobile stylist for Ford Motor Company over a period of 21 years — known as the Chief Designer of the team at Ford that styled the original Mustang, and for his contributions to the 1955 Ford Thunderbird.Oros was born to non-English speaking Romanian parents...
(later a primary designer on the Mustang
Ford Mustang
The Ford Mustang is an automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company. It was initially based on the second generation North American Ford Falcon, a compact car. Introduced early on April 17, 1964, as a "1964½" model, the 1965 Mustang was the automaker's most successful launch since the Model A...
. Walker became corporate vice-president of Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
for design in 1955. He stepped down from all his positions at Ford in 1961 after reaching the company's mandatory retirement age of 65.
On October 15, 1959, he appeared as a guest challenger on the TV panel show To Tell the Truth
To Tell the Truth
To Tell the Truth is an American television panel game show created by Bob Stewart and produced by Goodson-Todman Productions that has aired in various forms since 1956 both on networks and in syndication...
.
Walker's career also included industrial design for clocks, bread boxes, chemistry sets, bicycles, and roller skates among other products.
He moved to Gulf Stream, Florida
Gulf Stream, Florida
Gulf Stream is a town in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The population was 716 at the 2000 census.and ranked as the 11th highest-income place in the United States. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 746.-Geography:...
where he later became mayor in 1976. He died on January 19, 1993 in Tucson, Arizona
Tucson, Arizona
Tucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The city is located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116 with a metropolitan area population at 1,020,200...
at the age of 96.
External links
- http://www.autolife.umd.umich.edu/Design/Walker/walkeri.htm TBird retrospective
- http://www.autolife.umd.umich.edu/Design/Walker/walkeri.htm George Walker oral history interview