Cal Worthington poses with a tiger for a TV ad. His popular “Dog Spot” commercials always featured an animal that was, without fail, not a dog. (Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images)
Cal Worthington’s TV pitches with his ‘dog,’ Spot, made him a cult celebrity. His colorful showmanship built a California-based car dealership empire that grossed billions of dollars.
Cal Worthington, in the entry of his Learjet, pets one of his real-life dogs at his 24,000-acre Northern California ranch. (Randi Lynn Beach / For the Los Angeles Times)