1929 Model J 2285 Murphy Dual Cowl Phaeton
Chassis number:
2285
Year:
1929
Modeltype:
J
Body:
Murphy Dual Cowl Phaeton (current)
Murphy Dual Cowl Phaeton (current)
Wheelbase:
Long
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Information
This 1929 Duesenberg Model J, chassis 2285 with engine J‑264, wears one of the most elegant and desirable body styles ever created for the Model J: the Murphy Dual Cowl Phaeton. Built by the Walter M. Murphy Company of Pasadena.
The car was delivered new to John J. McCarthy, president of the Cracker Jack Company, who selected this Murphy‑bodied phaeton as his personal automobile. Over the decades, 2285 passed through the hands of some of the most prominent collectors in American automotive history, including:
- William F. Harrah, the legendary Reno casino owner whose collection became the National Automobile Museum
- J. B. Nethercutt, heir to the Merle Norman cosmetics fortune and founder of the Nethercutt Collection
Chassis 2285 also has a notable public history. It served twice as transportation for the Grand Marshal of the Tournament of Roses Parade, first in the early 1930s and again nearly fifty years later, in 1980, demonstrating its longstanding prestige and appeal.
Perhaps its most famous appearance came in the 1982 John Huston film Annie, where it features prominently in one of the movie’s key action sequences, chasing down villains in a dramatic effort to rescue Little Orphan Annie. Its sleek lines, commanding presence, and powerful engine made it a natural choice for Hollywood.
Provenance
1929 - ???? John J. McCarthy
???? - ???? William F. Harrah
???? - ???? J. B. Nethercutt
???? - present Lyon air museum
???? - present Lyon air museum
Highlights/prizes
Featured in the 1982 movie Annie.