REO Motor Car Company - REOs in Popular Culture

REOs in Popular Culture

• The band REO Speedwagon took their name from the REO manufactured REO Speed Wagon light delivery truck, an ancestor of pickup trucks.

• An REO is mentioned in a humorous 1933 short story by James Thurber entitled, The Car We Had to Push. It tells the story of Thurber’s family car, which would only start if pushed a long way. After several odd adventures, the car is destroyed by a trolley car.

• In the John Wayne movie Big Jake, the Texas Rangers were traveling in REOs, which were later destroyed by the bandits. (The cars destroyed were replicas, rather than the actual vehicles).

• The song "The Incomparable Mr. Flannery" by band Clutch from their 2005 album Robot Hive/Exodus mentions the REO Speed Wagon.