7/9/2009:
In the summer of 1981, Hollywood descended upon the Bob Iwen farm in rural Cass County. Located three and a half miles north of Arthur, the farm was deemed the "perfect location" for filming an automobile commercial. The Ford Mercury Corporation chose Bob Iwen's farm simply for its wheat fields. To the "Hollywood Eye," the green, unripe wheat fields waving in the North Dakota breeze would resemble tall prairie grasses when seen on television.
A crew of 35 people moved into the area, bringing with them cameras, trailer houses, trucks, cranes, 2 lynx, and a hand-made $250,000 red 1981 Mercury Lynx car. The crew spent six days at the Bob Iwen farm, putting in 12-14 hour work days.
But things did not go quite as planned. While a crane slowly lifted the 1981 Mercury Lynx, placing it in the middle of a wheat field, the cable snapped. The car came down hard, smashing the windshield. A replacement windshield was flown in from Detroit on a Lear Jet, at an expense of $5000.
The commercial's concept was simple: a zoom-shot of a lynx peeking out of a car window. The camera slowly pulled back to reveal the car surrounded by a field of long green prairie grasses. However, neither of the lynx cooperated. With the director desperate to move things along, young Tim Iwen was asked if his pet rabbit could "excite" the lynx enough to perform. The rabbit was provided, but the lynx found the 1981 Mercury so cozy, he simply fell asleep.
The one-minute commercial was finally completed. The 1981 Mercury Lynx, which sold for $6200, had run up a tab of over $15 million for its promotion.
Dakota Datebook written by Jill Whitcomb
Source: 100 Years with Arthur- 1882-1982-Arthur Centennial Book committee (Iwen, Ross, Lincon et al)