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This documentary series explores an audacious 1970s auto scam centered around mysterious transgender entrepreneur Elizabeth Carmichael, who rose to prominence when she released the Dale, a fuel-efficient three-wheeled vehicle during the 1970s gas crisis.
“In the 1970s, one entrepreneur took America for a ride.”
2021
Meet Liz Carmichael, trailblazing promoter of the fuel-efficient car of the future: The Dale. Just as publicity for the three-wheeled automobile reaches its peak, Liz, a trans woman, is outed as a fugitive who's spent the last several decades running from the law with her wife Vivian and their five children. As Liz's family and friends guide us through her chaotic yet riveting life, we learn how it all came to a crashing halt with the 1974 rise of The Dale.
With Liz at the helm, the 20th Century Motor Car Company launches The Dale, which soon takes on a life of its own. Investigative reporters question the operation and its leader, leading to government attempts to reign in Liz's sales practices, upheaval at the company, and a fatal shooting.
Just as Liz moves the company to Dallas, news breaks of a murder at the 20th Century Motor Car Company showroom. As the press turns on her and law enforcement begins to close in, Liz once again goes on the lam. But she's soon found and subjected to mounting media scrutiny, transphobia, and a lengthy, unpredictable trial.
Liz's legacy as a trans woman, entrepreneur, and parent is contextualized within the broader history of transphobia.
Elizabeth Carmichael
Self (archive footage)
Susan Stryker
Self
