Hummer Heritage Collection: BJ and the Bear

Hummer Heritage Collection: BJ and the Bear

 

Beginning in the 1970s, the United States saw a dramatic rise in the popularity of trucker culture. Many television shows and movies highlighted the adventures of life on the open road. The next truck featured in the Hummer Heritage Collection harkens back to this era. BJ and the Bear (NBC, 1978 - 1981) premiered in 1978, running on the heels of the success of Movin' On (1974), Smokey & the Bandit (1977), and White Line Fever (1975).

 

The show follows the adventures of BJ and his copilot, Bear, his chimpanzee. 

• In the first season BJ drives a red and white 1978 Kenworth K-100 Aerodyne Cabover. 
• From 1956 - 1976 tractors and trailers could only be 65' long. This is why truck manufacturers removed the hood of the tractor to accommodate a full-size trailer while maintaining a legal length.
• The original truck used in the series was found in an overgrown field in 2007. 
• A father and son from Wisconsin purchased and restored the cabover to its original glory.
• Bear was named after Bear Bryant, a famous University of Alabama football coach. 
• A main character in BJ & the Bear, Sheriff Elroy P. Labo, was played by Claude Akins. Claude Akins also starred in the Movin' On television series.
• Glen Larson wrote the theme song of the same name for BJ and the Bear. The star of the show, Greg Evigan, was the original singer. 
• Greg Evigan performed many of his own stunts and driving scenes.  
• The show ended in 1981 after three seasons.

May 8, 2007, Mike Johnson, Source: Big Mac Trucks Article

 

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