Ed Roth (1932-2001)

As I mentioned in a previous email I could fill a large document, say 80 pages of all the things Ed 'Big Daddy' Roth accomplished and influenced in his storied career. Needless to say I don't have the luxury of spending a whole week diving into his many business ventures from inventing the 'Rat Fink', customizing show rods, plastic models, decals, coloring books and the like.

However, people agree he made a big change in the way we wear our clothes, namely t-shirts with a picture on it. Sounds pretty basic, but before Ed Roth came along a t-shirt was mainly used to wear underneath your 'dress' button shirt for public. At home you'd walk around in your white tee (Hank Hill anyone?) which was considered underwear. Only outlaws and 'JD's (juvenile delinquents) wore white t-shirts. Marlon Brando in the movies, along with a whole slew of leading men started wearing t-shirts, which made it non-conformist and a bit edgy...

... enter Ed Roth, ever the opportunist to make a buck. He would sell his trinkets and Rat Fink paraphernalia at custom auto shows while having handy an airbrush or two (for extra colors) and quickly bang out a monster on a hot rod.