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.

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.

Oh How I remember this TV series as a Child( I think I was 5 or 6 years old) I use to try & sing the theme song every time it came on.I enjoyed the Adventures of the Two Truckers in this series & the Incredible Cab-over GMC,Tractor-Trailer Rig they Drove.GREAT SERIES.Was there any Merchandise available on this show??? Does anyone have Videos of any of the Episodes???? Will there ever be a DVD set available? I was told that there was a British Comic Weekly (TV Tornado) that had Cannonball Comic Strips in it??? Can anyone from ENGLAND or ???? Let me know? Thanks & You All Take Care,HAPPY HOLIDAYS Paul-SUPERCAR-Amato...Dec.12,06

It was over 40 years ago but the theme was one that stuck in my mind. I can remember most of the words to the theme which went thus - Cannon b a a a l, Cannon b a a a l, In any kind of weather, On any kind of day, When the rig is ready, He'll be on his way, He'll carry any cargo, He'll go any where, Just name the destination and brother he'll be there, Cannon b a a a l, cannon b a a a l.

The show always went out late in the U.K. "about 10pm". It was usually the last programme before the little white dot appeared in the centre of the screen. I can remember my mum liked Jerry the co driver. I wish it was back on. If anyone gets hold of the theme I would love to hear it again. Thanks.

My family moved to San Jose, Costa Rica in 1960. There were only about 2 hrs of programming on TV most days, but I remember this TV show. Dubbed in Spanish, the show was called Mike Malone. I remember the opening song. Tune may have been the same, but the words were "le dicen dinamita (they call him dynamite), se llama Mike Malone (his name is Mike Malone), le dan sus punetasos (he takes some hits), Mike Maaaloooone!" They were good shows, good solid, blue collar, good people, helping when they could! A few years later, I recognized Wm. Campbell (his partner) on Star Trek. Occasionally Paul Birch on other TV shows. If you google image search "Paul Birch as Mike Malone" you'll see some stills from the TV show.