Kenny Howard
Template:Short description Template:Infobox artist Kenneth Robert Howard (September 7, 1929 – September 19, 1992),<ref name="Los Angeles Times">Template:Cite news</ref> also known as Dutch, Von Dutch, or J. L. Bachs (Joe Lunch Box), was an American motorcycle mechanic, artist, pin striper, metal fabricator, knifemaker and gunsmith.
Early lifeEdit
As the son of a sign painter, Howard learned to letter and pinstripe professionally by the age of 10.<ref name="Williams1993"/> While attending Compton High School, Howard excelled in track and field and was referred to as "the fastest man in LA."<ref name="Williams1993">Template:Cite book</ref> Family members gave him the nickname "Dutch" because he was "as stubborn as a Dutchman," he added the "Von" prefix later as an artistic signature.<ref name="Williams1993"/>
WorkEdit
Howard started earning money in the 1950s by pin-striping along with fellow striper Dean Jeffries.<ref name=StAntoine-MT>St. Antoine, Arthur. - "Interview: Dean Jeffries, Hollywood legend" Template:Webarchive. - Motor Trend Magazine</ref> Von Dutch has been a major influence in the customizing of vehicles from the 1950s to today. Some of his famous works include the flying eyeball logo and the custom Kenford truck, along with numerous custom motorcycles and many award-winning custom cars. Among many custom car and motorcycle enthusiasts, he is thought of as one of the fathers of Kustom Kulture.<ref name="Williams1993"/>
His most lasting work is the creation of the special "pearlescent" color used to paint movie star Marilyn Monroe's car, known as Candy-Apple Red. Many automobile, motorcycle, bicycle and ATV manufacturers still offer a Candy-Apple Red on their vehicles today.
An avid gunsmith and knife maker, Von Dutch made numerous art knives and embellished firearms. Most of these were adaptations of existing items to which he added his artistic flair. In 1958, Von Dutch designed and produced the "Mare's Leg", a cut-down Winchester rifle for the television series Wanted: Dead or Alive.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Von Dutch completed pin striping the well-known "Blue Velvet" Pontiac Firebird in 1979, which is complete with two perfectly parallel pin stripes extending Template:Convert down each side of the vehicle. These pin stripes were completed by hand and attained a level of perfection that gave rise to the legend of Von Dutch as a pin striper.<ref name="Misiroglu2015">Template:Cite book</ref>
DeathEdit
Von Dutch's lifelong alcoholism led to major medical issues later in life. He died on September 19, 1992, from alcohol-related complications, leaving behind his two daughters, Lisa and Lorna. His ashes were scattered in the Pacific Ocean.<ref name="Smith2004">Template:Cite journal</ref>
Von Dutch Originals, LLCEdit
{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} After his death, his daughters created a clothing line because Dutch left all his prized possessions to the Bruckers. His daughters sold the clothing rights "Von Dutch" name to Michael Cassel and Robert Vaughn.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 2009, the then-CEO of Von Dutch, Tonny Sorensen, sold the company to Groupe Royer, a French footwear company.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Racism and anti-socialityEdit
In January 2004, an OC Weekly article alleged that Howard evidenced violent and racist tendencies. Robert Williams, a friend and fellow artist, said Howard was "...quite a racist; didn't like anybody. Howard was accused of having all the trappings of being a neo-Nazi. Another accusation suggested he could not tolerate black people."<ref name=":0">Template:Cite news</ref> The article alleges that a letter written shortly before Howard's death in 1992, when he was in the hospital, closed with “Bye, Heil Hitler.”<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> After the publication of the article, a number of retailers removed Von Dutch from their inventory despite its profitability.
In May 2004, Los Angeles Magazine profiled Howard similarly, describing his alcoholism and anti-social behaviour. Von Dutch clothing founder Ed Boswell described Howard as "...as an avid military enthusiast enamored of German Military esthetics. But he was not a white power guy. He hated everybody too much to be one of those. He was a provocateur."<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> In the 2021 documentary “The curse of Von Dutch: A brand to die for” (a three episode mini-series that aired on streaming service Hulu) Ed Boswell admits that he was responsible and now ashamed of “letting the cat out of the bag” about Howard's alleged nazi beliefs, in order to bring down the clothing brand that allegedly owed him money (“1%”).