Salt Walther: Actor

[Andrew Longman]

So I'm killing a little time today watching an old (1979) Rockford Files episode and I see Salt Walther in the credits. He had a bit part as a race driver. I guess he tried to get into acting late in his career. IMdb shows he did a Duke of Hazzard the same year. (or more likely racing buff James Gardner was throwing/returing him a favor)

Interesting bit in the story line... Another driver in the plot had his hand permanently disfigured because it had been smashed by a crooked businessman. Of course Salt had the tips of his fingers amputated on one hand and the other hand permanently mangled from his wreck at Indy in 73. That seems like something put in there for Salt's benefit.

Also, nice little scene of CanAm cars running at old Riverside. Kinda made me happy and sad at the same time.

[theunions]

He has recently mentioned that an autobiography - and a movie based on the same - were in the works. Maybe he plans on appearing in the latter. Anyone hear an update?

[Andrew Longman]

He has recently mentioned that an autobiography - and a movie based on the same - were in the works. Maybe he plans on appearing in the latter. Anyone hear an update?

I thought it odd that Salt would merit an autobiography (he's not exactly ZANARDI and is best known, some would say, for causing one of the worst wrecks at Indy), but I Googled him and found he raced boats too, his brother was killed in 74 in a hydrofoil, and his dad gave critical testimony for Bruce Simon against the IRS that established the precedent that sponsoring motorsports could be a legit business expense.

Hmmm

BTW Rockford was the best show ever made IMO

[Spicoli]

I thought it odd that Salt would merit an autobiography (he's not exactly Zinardi and is best know for causing, some would say, one of the worst wrecks at Indy), but I Googled him and found he raced boats too, his brother was killed in 74 in a hydrofoil, and his dad gave critical testimony for Bruce Simon against the IRS that established the precedent that sponsoring motorsports could be a legit business expense.

Hmmm

BTW Rockford was the best show ever made IMO

ZANARDI.



You're welcome. ;)

[theunions]

I thought it odd that Salt would merit an autobiography (he's not exactly ZANARDI)

I dunno...a lot of others who have already been published aren't exactly Zanardi either (most obvious example from the past year: Danica) but that doesn't exactly stop them/the publishers/the writers (in cases of biographies) either...

Make what you will of Danica, but she accomplished in one year in the "majors" (get such a book deal, manuscript written and published) what it took Janet Guthrie decades to get done from start to finish (took her forever to find an interested publisher). And Danica's book, even though it's presumptuous to assume it's warranted after one season, is actually more complete (and thus satisfying) than Janet's, which even though published a quarter century after she last raced competitively, stops abruptly after the 1978 USAC season (no mention of her two remaining Indycar seasons or anything else).

But I digress. While by all estimates Salt was a mediocre driver, I'd say his recovery from his '73 injuries, and how that's affected him personally and professionally ever since, makes for a compelling (and not well publicized to date other than the sporadic police blotter items) story I want to know more about. And I'd like to hear his side of the story about the open glee others took in his not making the show in '77 and subsequent failure to buy his way back in.

That said, I don't see publishers/producers knocking down his door for rights to his story either, which may explain why there's been no buzz/news about either project since he annouced it (on his eBay auction finally trying to unload his wrecked McLaren tub, of all places).

[Andrew Longman]

That said, I don't see publishers/producers knocking down his door for rights to his story either, which may explain why there's been no buzz/news about either project since he annouced it (on his eBay auction finally trying to unload his wrecked McLaren tub, of all places).

The tub from the 73 wreck? He hung onto the thing that nearly killed him all this time? That's a little wierd, but I've been known to do weird things.

I agree, he had an incredibly tough rehab, lots of skin grafts, lots of PT, nearly lost at least one hand and was back at Indy the next year. And a month later his brother dies racing, yet he continues to race. Its a tough story.

BTW he claims he was hit from behind and that's what started the wreck.

[theunions]

The tub from the 73 wreck? He hung onto the thing that nearly killed him all this time? That's a little wierd, but I've been known to do weird things.

I recall in the late '80's (before he showed up in his surviving brother's Penske PC-17 and nearly made the show again in '90) ABC did a where are they now type segment in which he was interviewed in his living room, and there was the tub propped up against the back wall.

I guess recently he's been more hard up on money (I seem to recall one of his more recent stints in the clink had to do with non-payment of child support) so that was apparently enough incentive to finally part with the thing. Dunno if there were any takers though (ditto for a Porsche 944 or the like).

He was at the 500 Collectors' Show this May signing autographs (not sure if he was selling anything specific per se), but I didn't get to go.

[Rus'L]

Also, nice little scene of CanAm cars running at old Riverside. Kinda made me happy and sad at the same time.

I remember that episode. When it was first on!

[Rus'L]

Make what you will of Danica, but she accomplished in one year in the "majors" (get such a book deal, manuscript written and published) what it took Janet Guthrie decades to get done from start to finish (took her forever to find an interested publisher). And Danica's book, even though it's presumptuous to assume it's warranted after one season, is actually more complete (and thus satisfying) than Janet's, which even though published a quarter century after she last raced competitively, stops abruptly after the 1978 USAC season (no mention of her two remaining Indycar seasons or anything else).

That's because Guthrie's first manuscript topped out at over 1,000 pages! No publisher would touch it. She then cut it down to 700 pages. Publishers told her to cut it again. Guthrie resisted for quite a while.

No disrespect to Guthrie, but the time it took for her book to get published was mostly her fault.

[Cam]

Was Jim Rockford tracking him down for Grand theft Golf Cart? ;)

[theunions]

Was Jim Rockford tracking him down for Grand theft Golf Cart? ;)

:rofl: