The Hirohata Merc appeared in what 1955 film?

The Hirohata Merc appeared in the 1955 film Running Wild.

The film is an American crime drama directed by Abner Biberman and starring William Campbell, Mamie Van Doren, Keenan Wynn, and Kathleen Case. Its story follows a rookie police officer who goes undercover inside a juvenile auto-theft ring, making a famous custom car a natural fit for the movie’s automotive setting.

For its screen appearance, the Hirohata Merc was painted gold over its original ice-green finish. That temporary change is one reason photographs and recollections of the car can look different from the restored version most enthusiasts recognize today.

The Merc’s film appearance came only a few years after Barris Customs created it for Bob Hirohata. By then, the car had already attracted attention through hot-rod magazines and was establishing its reputation as a defining custom of the 1950s. It should not be confused with later hot-rod films such as Hot Rod Girl or The Choppers; those are separate productions.