Friday, November 8, 2013

Remember Movin' On?

Remember the TV series, Movin’ On, that ran from 1974-1976? Here's a cool YouTube video showing the opening credits.

Source: Wikipedia  Movin' On stars Claude Akins as old-time independent "big-rig" trucker Sonny Pruitt, and Frank Converse as his college-educated co-driver Will Chandler. The theme song, "Movin' On", was written and performed by Merle Haggard, and was a No. 1 single on the Billboard magazine Hot Country Singles chart in July 1975.
The series was likened to Route 66, and Cannonball following a similar format. Episodes usually centered around Sonny and Will, always traveling, becoming involved in the lives of people they met (or met again) in the various places they found themselves.
The pilot episode was a TV movie originally titled In Tandem (a reference to the tandem axles on the tractor and trailer, as well as the fact that they drove as a team, or 'in tandem'.). It begins with Will sliding out of control in a truck he was driving, due to poor maintenance of the brakes. After he manages to get the truck stopped, he drives to a truck stop and calls the company to quit his job. He then meets Sonny, a "gypsy" trucker, and they decide to try driving as a team. Of course, this works out well.
The truck tractor featured on the pilot episode was a dark green 1973 Kenworth W-925, but was later changed to a 1974 model for the series run.[citation needed] Movin' On was filmed on location all over the United States including MobileAlabamaSedonaArizonaSan Diego and San FranciscoCaliforniaBuford and JonesboroGeorgiaDurham and CharlotteNorth CarolinaAstoriaThe Dalles and Hood RiverOregon.
Akins and Converse actually drove the trucks during filming, having been trained and obtaining their Chauffeur's Licenses (the forerunner to theCommercial Driver's License) prior to making the pilot episode. Executive producers for the series were Barry Weitz and Philip D'Antoni.


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