That would be the reknowned black and white cinematographer of Hud (the pink Cadillac reference) and winner of two Oscars out of 10 nominations, James Wong Howe. The car must be his Coachcraft-built 1939 Ford, one of the first hardtop convertible/coupes, "The Howe Coupe".
Incidentally, Howe filmed your favorite martian, Ray Walston, in 1967's Satan's Waitin'...