The General Motors Assembly Plant in Arlington, which began production in 1954, has assembled over 13 million vehicles. In 1999, the plant began assembling the Chevy Suburban—it also assembles its “little” brother, the Chevy Tahoe, among other full-sized GM SUVs. In addition to being an iconic vehicle, the Chevy Suburban has an extensive movie and TV career—in fact, it also has a Hollywood Star in Arlington’s Entertainment District.

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Chevy Suburban

The Chevrolet Motor Company was founded in 1911, and by 1918, it had become part of General Motors. In 1935, Chevrolet introduced the Suburban model. It looked a little different back then—actually, it looked pretty cool if you ask me—but the intent was the same then as it is now: moving people and cargo, with style and comfort, in a vehicle with form and function.

Chevy Suburban Through the Years—Photo Credit: Chevrolet

Now, more than 85 years later, the Chevy Suburban still makes an impact. It’s an iconic vehicle and a workhorse. You’ve likely seen a Suburban on city streets, highways, or country roads. Its use varies from family road trips to hauling crews and cargo to being used by law enforcement. Maybe you’ve even owned one; my family had one when I was a kid, as they were quite popular in the 1990s. My dad recently bought a used one from his neighbor, and it now has over 200,000 miles on it. These things are built like tanks and made to last. And, Texans love our Suburbans—in 2020, more Suburbans were sold in Texas than in 20 other states combined.

Hollywood Star

Not only is the Chevy Suburban the longest-running vehicle nameplate still in production, but you’ve undoubtedly seen it in some of your favorite movies and TV shows. Indeed, anytime there is a montage of black SUVs furiously driving in formation and carrying important people or cargo, it’s usually the Chevy Suburban. But it also appears in less flashy scenes, and with strategic camera placement or other factors, you may not even realize that it’s a Suburban. Yet, since 1952, the Chevy Suburban has appeared in more than 1,750 movies and TV shows. Maybe it’s not as cool as the Batmobile or a time-traveling DeLorean, but it’s a hard-working Hollywood movie car that often goes unappreciated—until now.

Due to its long and distinguished movie and TV career, the Chevy Suburban now has its own Hollywood Star. Except, it’s not located on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles; it’s in Arlington’s Entertainment District. It’s the first time a vehicle has received the award, and it’s the first one presented outside of California. 

Chevrolet Suburban
Celebrating the Chevy Suburban and Tahoe for their cinematic excellence and
wide variety of roles in more than 1,750 films since 1952. Presented December 5, 2019.

The award, of course, is a testament to the Chevy Suburban’s movie and TV career. Yet, perhaps more importantly, it’s also a testament to the GM Plant’s impact on Arlington. While Arlington isn’t always known for our GM Plant, it’s there, quietly in the background and a significant part of our history. The same could be said for the Chevy Suburban and its movie career.

Arlington’s General Motors Plant

When the General Motors Assembly Plant arrived here in the 1950s, it forever changed Arlington. Arlington would be a much different city without it, as the GM Plant led to more jobs, a population boom, and huge growth from 1950 to 1970—actually, the growth never really stopped. Getting the GM Plant was a pivotal moment for Arlington, and it still helps define the city today. With more than 5,000 employees, it’s one of the largest employers in Arlington.

Since the first car rolled off the line at the Arlington Assembly Plant in January 1954, more than 13 million vehicles have followed. Today, the plant assembles SUVs—the Chevy Tahoe and Suburban, GMC Yukon and Yukon XL, and Cadillac Escalade. One vehicle in particular, the Chevy Suburban, is the star of the show and has its own Hollywood Star to prove it.

The next time you see a Chevy Suburban—either on the road or on the big screen—know there’s a good chance it came from Arlington, Texas. The Arlington Assembly Plant produces approximately 1,200 SUVs daily, approximately one every 60 seconds. Of the full-sized SUVs on U.S. roads today, 75% likely came from Arlington. There’s a sense of pride knowing that something from Arlington is working hard and making an impact.

Not the only Hollywood star from Arlington

While the Chevy Suburban is the biggest Hollywood star from Arlington, it’s not the only one from here. (The 2023 Chevy Suburban can seat nine adults—essentially a baseball team. I’d say that’s pretty big!) While born in Fort Worth, Morgan Woodward (1925-2019) grew up in Arlington and is buried here. Mr. Woodward was a character actor who appeared in over 125 movies and TV shows. He’s best known for his role as Boss Godfrey—The Man With No Eyes—in the 1967 film Cool Hand Luke, although he also acted on many iconic TV shows. Fielder Museum in Arlington has an extensive exhibit about him with photos, movie memorabilia, awards, and personal items on display.

Visit Fielder Museum at 1616 W. Abram Street in Arlington, or check out our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/FielderHouseMuseum.

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Blog post by Jason S. Sullivan, 09-30-23 (updated 12-01-24)