The Friday Flashback: Burt Weinman Ford

By Chuck Sudo in Miscellaneous on Feb 22, 2008 2:00PM

Now here's a blast from the past. It's Linn Burton of Burt Weinman Ford showing off the best used car deals that 1982 had to offer. How our family were able to resist buying the deathtrap that was the Ford Pinto, we have no idea.

Burton was one of the most recognizable faces on local screens growing up. His dulcet tones could sell you the shirt off your own back. Surprising, really, that he didn't break into broadcasting until he was 32. According to chicagotelevision.com, Burton's wife was working at the old WJJD (AM 1160) and the Chicago Herald-American as a movie critic. Burton would call the station occasionally and talk to manager Al Holland, who eventually got Burton an audition at WAIT. In his early days in broadcasting, Burton couldn't talk straight. He was prone to spoonerisms and mangling his lines. Eventually, under the guidance of legendary ad man Tom Moore, the man born Burton Offstein ultimately became a legend in local television.

Burton was the pitchman for Burt Weinman Ford for 26 years. Weinman's commercials were synonymous with late night and Sunday morning programming. We can't envision watching "The Cisco Kid," "The Lone Ranger," and "Flash Gordon" without those commercials.