0American CarsAs General Motors prepares to file for bankruptcy, Stephen Miller—obituary writer for The Wall Street Journal—on the colorful and tumultuous life of the once-dominant 101-year-old American company.Updated Jul. 14, 2017 1:01PM EDT / Published May 30, 2009 5:45PM EDT AFP / Getty Images FATHER AND SCIONAFP / Getty Images JUST MARRIEDPaul Schutzer, Time & Life Pictures / Getty Images MAKING MAGICPopperfoto / Getty Images KING OF HOLLYWOOD Hulton Archive / Getty Images CLEAN LINESRalph Morse, Time Life Pictures / Getty Images COMMANDER-IN-SEATKeystone / Getty Images TINKERINGNina Leen, Time & Life Pictures / Getty Images A COMIC AND HIS CARJohn Kobal Foundation / Getty Images AUTO APPRENTICESRoberts, Retrofile / Getty Images HER FIRST RIDEHulton Archive / Getty Images LETTING GO OF SOME GREENHart Preston, Time Life Pictures / Getty Images CELEBRATING SUCCESSAl Fenn,Time Life Pictures / Getty Images MEETING OF THE MINDSHerbert Gehr, Time Life Pictures / Getty Images AGGRAVATED ASPHALTH. Armstrong Roberts, Retrofile / Getty Images GOLDEN COUPLEAP Photo
FATHER AND SCIONAFP / Getty Images JUST MARRIEDPaul Schutzer, Time & Life Pictures / Getty Images MAKING MAGICPopperfoto / Getty Images KING OF HOLLYWOOD Hulton Archive / Getty Images CLEAN LINESRalph Morse, Time Life Pictures / Getty Images COMMANDER-IN-SEATKeystone / Getty Images TINKERINGNina Leen, Time & Life Pictures / Getty Images A COMIC AND HIS CARJohn Kobal Foundation / Getty Images AUTO APPRENTICESRoberts, Retrofile / Getty Images HER FIRST RIDEHulton Archive / Getty Images LETTING GO OF SOME GREENHart Preston, Time Life Pictures / Getty Images CELEBRATING SUCCESSAl Fenn,Time Life Pictures / Getty Images MEETING OF THE MINDSHerbert Gehr, Time Life Pictures / Getty Images AGGRAVATED ASPHALTH. Armstrong Roberts, Retrofile / Getty Images GOLDEN COUPLEAP Photo