Cannonball

I remember these shows best from when my local CBC-TV affiliate rebroadcast them on Saturday mornings in the early to mid 1970s. Growing up on a farm, I preferred spending rainy Saturday mornings in the summer watching "Cannonball" over throwing around bales of hay. The concept was easily summed up as being the continuing adventures of two long distance truckers.

The product of busy Normandie Productions (Canadian-based creators of "Hawkeye & Last Of The Mohicans" and "Tugboat Annie"), "Cannonball" starred American actors Paul Birch (Mike Malone) and William Campbell (Jerry Austin). The supporting cast was largely made up of Canadian thespians. Besides its Canadian run, the show was also syndicated to Britain, United States and Australia.

The show was hard for me to classify, because of how highly formulaic TV had become by the 1970s."Cannonball" wasn't a crime show, a comedy, a drama, wasn't news, current affairs, or soap opera, but it was watchable. As I recall the truck driven was marked as follows "C & A TRANSPORT - TORONTO - MONTREAL - WINNIPEG - NORTH BAY - NEW YORK". U.S. networks created the following shows that ripped off the concept: "Movin' On" (1974-76), "B.J. And The Bear" (1979-81) and "Lobo" (1979-81).

William Campbell gained notoriety later in life when he was implicated in the "Paul Is Dead" Beatles rumor of the late 1960s. Also Judith Exner, notorious ex-lover of both mob boss Sam Giancana and President John F. Kennedy, was wed to Campbell until 1958.

Thanks for your memories, Andrew. This is one show I really would like to see again. All I have are the two versions of the theme on reel to reel tape, circa 1961. Did the boys operate between Canada and the US? I just can't remember, alas.

Another one of those great 1950s tv series which have never been seen in syndication. A whole host of adventures (usually surrounding the rold of friendship) of the main characters (Mike and Jerry) helping their friends, the authorites, and each other. One episode stands out in my distant mind; during a power failure Mike and Jerry transport in their rig a polio victim dependent on an iron lung for survival, to a hospital for treatment. All the while, Jerry is in the back of the truck manually operating the iron lung machine until the girl is safe. Another example of wholesome 1950s entertainment.

I liked the cannonball television show. It opens up with the truck going along the queen Elizabeth highway near hurontario ramp in Mississauga Ontario . the truck was loaned by General motors Canada. The filming was done in Toronto, oakville and Bolton Ontario.the truck terminal that was used was kingsway transport Toronto. William Campbell had a hard time at first backing the truck into the dock. The truck became a rental after the show and was sold later to Stone cartage Toronto Canada. Thanks rob.

Although I am still trying to track down the male singer of the theme song I have a music sheet from ITC and the song was written by Joe and Marilyn Hooven. All credits list Merle Haggard as composer and singer. He had not started his singing career till 1962, however 20 years later he did write and sing the title song to the similar truck driving series "Movin' On"(74-76). Raoul Kraushaar appears in the end credits on some end credits, but no mention of the song. The series was very good for it's time and covered various issues. It's a shame it hasn't been issued on DVD along with "Hawkeye" etc. Anyone remember who actually sang the song to "Cannonball"?