By Andrea Rizzo
Let’s face it - the Golden Age of television has long since passed. Gone are the days when the whole family gathered to learn morality lessons with Walt Disney, suspend disbelief through "Alfred Hitchcock Presents," or hear about the woes of the world from Walter Cronkite. Now it’s almost all reality television, detailing every aspect of somebody’s life or extreme situation that you would probably rather not know about.
The trucking world has also had its share of the spotlight on the small screen. Starting off with some fun romps in the 70s that enhanced trucking cinema of the time, there are currently two television shows that continue to make an impact: "Trick My Truck" and "Ice Road Truckers." This Trucking Pop Culture Series will explore these two shows, along with three others that have made an impact on television, as we know it.
1. "Movin' On" (1974-1976): "Movin' On" was the story of an independent trucker set in his ways, starring Claude Akins as Sonny Pruitt, along with his book smart copilot Frank Converse, played by Will Chandler. This series was instrumental in the rise of the CB boom, successfully merchandising walkie-talkies to fans of the show. It’s also of note that during July 1975, country star Merle Haggard went to the Billboard Magazine No. 1 "Hot Country Singles" chart with the same-titled theme song.
2. "Flatbed Annie and Sweetiepie: Lady Truckers" (1979): Although this made-for-TV movie never became an actual series, it deserves a mention because of the gender-bending nature of the show. It starred Annie Potts as Flatbed Annie and Kim Darby as Ginny LaRosa (a.k.a. Sweetiepie), two trucker women that find misadventures on the road. Annie’s hardened nature and street smarts play off of Sweetiepie’s naiveté, making this an easy to watch piece of late 70s fiction.
3. "B.J. and the Bear" (1979-1981): This dramatic comedy starred Greg Evigan as B.J. McKay, along with his partner Bear, a pet chimpanzee that favored wearing a helmet. B.J. worked as an independent trucker who took his hauls through the national highway system while being constantly pulled by Claude Akins, from "Movin' On" fame, known as Sheriff Elroy P. Lobo. Akins’s role was so endearingly annoying that he continued on to yet another series, "The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo."
4. "Trick My Truck" (2006-Present): Country Music Television (CMT) hit the reality TV ground running with "Trick My Truck," a series all about making trucker dreams come true. Originally known as the Chrome Shop Mafia, the cast is a crew of trucking specialists that help overhaul the rigs of the truckers that need it most. Each contestant is chosen through a hard luck story submitted by family members or friends, and the crew "steals" the driver’s rig to give it a makeover. They generally redo the trucks in a theme that means something special to the contestant, including former military service symbolization, cancer awareness or even favorite movie.
5. "Ice Road Truckers" (2007-Present): The History Channel’s take on the trucking profession is one of extraordinary adventure and extreme conditions. This reality series follows specific stories of truck drivers that brave the ice roads across the Northwest Territories in Canada - and now Alaska - to transport valuable goods. The ever-present dangers due to the hazardous weather and possible truck malfunctions make this show a nail biter.
Although the influx of truckers on television is sure to have an effect on how people view the occupation as a whole, it can certainly be debated as to whether the publicity shines a realistic light on the profession. But like many of the industry-themed movies, TV truckers are a fascinating bunch to watch - and we can leave it at that.
