Checker Marathon/Taxi

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Interiors were spacious and durable, featuring heavy-duty materials like linoleum floors.

Morris Markin was a Russian-born American businessman who founded the Checker Cab Manufacturing Company which later became the Checker Motors Corporation.  

Morris Markin

(1893-1970)

Markin was born into a Jewish family in western Russia.  He worked in a clothing factory during his young years, working his way up to supervisor by the age of 19.  At 22 he emigrated to the United States.  When he arrived at Ellis Island in November 1912, he spoke no English and couldn't afford to pay the bond required to enter the country.  A janitor at the facility loaded him the necessary twenty-five dollars.  From NYC, Markin went to Chicago to live with his uncle.  He held several jobs as an errand boy, the last for a tailor who taught him the trade. Eventually, Markin purchased the business on credit from the owner's widow.  He worked hard and saved enough money to bring seven brothers and two sisters to the United States.  Markin then partnered with one of his brothers and opened a factory which made pants under government contracts during WW1. The company prospered after the war.

In 1929, Markin purchased the Yellow Cab Company from John Hertz.

Sidenote:  John Hertz, Jr. married actress, Myrna Loy.

The average price of a Checker Marathon Taxi is $24,892.  The cabs were sold for model years 1961 to 1982.

If you watch essentially any film or television show from the late 1950s into the 1980s that has scenes of New York City, you can't escape seeing Checker Cabs.

The Checker Marathon is an automobile which was produced by the Checker Motors Corporation of Kalamazoo, Michigan between 1960 and 1982.  It was marketed as a passenger car for consumers. Marathons were produced in both four-door sedans, the four-door station wagons plus the six-door 9-seater and eight-door, 12 seater "Aerobus" sedans and wagons.

Checker Marathon Wagon

Aerobus

The Marathon was introduced in September 1960 for the 1961 model.  In 1963, the Marathon Town Custom, a limousine version appeared which seated eight passengers.  The Marathon remained virtually unchanged during its 21-year production run.  

The final Marathon was manufactured in 1982 when Checker exited the automobile manufacturing business.  For decades, Checker was the taxicab of choice for New York City and many other American cities.  The last New York City Checker cab retired in 1999, operated by Earl Johnson.  The Marathon covered nearly one million miles and had three engine replacements over the years. Many movies set in the 1950s and 1960s use Checker cabs.

A Checker taxicab is prominently featured in the movie Breakfast at Tiffany's in the opening scenes though not the 50s style as the film directed by Blake Edwards was produced in 1962. One specific scene involves her teaching Paul Varjak protrayed by George Peppard how to properly hail a cab. 

As Holly whistles for a cab Paul is heard to say ..

"I never could do that."

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Apart from taxicab use, Marathons were also bought by police departments, most notably in Kalamazoo, where Checker had its factory. 

Checker cabs, iconic for their sturdy build often featured simple, utilitarian steering wheels, but some custom or later models might have used unique wheels, while the trademark checkerboard pattern was usually on the exterior trim, not the steering wheel.  The "checker" theme was most prominent in the exterior paint schemes, often with checkerboard trim, not necessarity the steering wheel.

So while you might find modified or replica Checker cabs with custom checkered steering wheels for car show or themed events, it wasn't a factory feature. The iconic look came from the body shape and the checkerboard decals on the sides. 

The iconic front hood enblem

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