STORY OF THE DAY: Black Beauty gives the Green Hornet a darker edge

In 1966, Black Beauty appeared as the signature car of The Green Hornet television series. Used by the Green Hornet and Kato during their covert campaign against criminals, it belonged to television fiction rather than motor racing. Its restrained menace distinguished the programme from the brighter comic style of contemporary superhero shows.

Black Beauty functioned as more than transportation. Concealed behind a revolving garage floor, it carried communications equipment and an array of fictional defensive devices that supported the heroes’ secretive operations. The car’s formal proportions and dark finish suited characters who cultivated the appearance of outlaws while working against organised crime.

The screen cars were based on Chrysler Imperial Crown sedans and customised by Dean Jeffries. Their elongated bodies, concealed lighting and heavily altered front and rear styling created a purposeful silhouette while preserving the substantial scale of the underlying luxury automobile.

The Green Hornet is the masked identity of newspaper publisher Britt Reid, played in the series by Van Williams. His partner Kato was portrayed by Bruce Lee, whose speed and martial-arts ability became a principal attraction of the programme. Black Beauty remains important because it visually united Reid’s public wealth, hidden mission and technologically equipped alter ego.