

Season 1 • Episode 5
LatestBased on the 1971 novel by Arthur Hailey, Wheels is about the automobile industry and the day-to-day pressures involved in its operation. The plot lines follow many of the topical issues of the day, including race relations, corporate politics, and business ethics. The auto company of the novel is a little-disguised Ford Motor Company and some of the characters are recognizable to company insiders.
Acting
Rock Hudson's final major role, all weathered charm and barely contained panic
Production
Authentic Detroit location shooting, factories humming with actual era machinery
Costume
Widest lapels in television history, no notes
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Hailey's novel sold 3 million copies; Ford allegedly bought copies to see who was recognizable.
The factory scenes used real assembly lines—workers kept thinking Hudson was there to announce layoffs.