Merry Movin’ On Christmas

Posted on December 16, 2016December 16, 2016 by Mark Rathaus

Movin’ On Christmas Card 2016

Merry Christmas Movin’ On fans!

2016 has been a great year with many significant steps forward for our beloved TV show.

2016 Highlights

Movin’ On is now streaming on Hulu, Yahoo View, PROClassicTV. Youtube is streaming four episodes with more being added regularly!
Movin’ On merchandise is available at our own Zazzle Store
The Movin’ On / In Tandem Museum is open in Wake Forest NC and has already attracted 200 visitors
Our Facebook page continues to grow. We now have almost 3000 followers.
Barry Weitz attended his first Trucking Show this past summer and had a great time.
Barry and Mark were interviewed on Sirius/XM Radio on Freewheelin‘ and The Jay Thomas Show. Re-listen to them by accessing our blog posts
Movin’ On was featured in articles by Overdrive Magazine, It’s About TV, and Television Obscurities. You can find them on the blog page as well (except for The Overdrive article. That link will be posted soon)
Bill Bazen remains “Amazen”! He continues tracking down locations, fan photos and stories, and vintage Movin’ On newspaper clippings and posting them on the Official Historian Facebook page
And of course, Barry continues to publish his memories and random thoughts on Movin’ On. All of which can be read on this website’s Episode Guide.

Upcoming in 2017

I’m going to take a risk here. I’m going to break one of my rules because I’m so excited about Movin’ On’s future. I expect Producer approved DVDs of Movin’ On will finally be available in 2017. I also anticipate that the success of those DVDs will allow us to remaster In Tandem, Movin’ On’s TV movie pilot! If everything works out, we will be thrilled to present In Tandem to fans for the first time in over 40-years, at the quality you deserve.

We are also looking forward to new dramatic audio production of the classic shows. Some details are still to be worked out with our partner, Colonial Radio Theater, but if all goes as planned, fans, both old and new, will be downloading Movin’ On audio dramas and listening to them on the road in 2017. To be clear, these will be brand new productions of the existing episodes. That means new actors, sound effects, and except for Merle Haggard, new music. We hope truckers everywhere will enjoy content specially created with them in mind. I look forward to the day when a trucker can listen to Movin’ On at the wheel of his rig all day, then curl up comfortably in his sleeper at night and watch Movin’ On on DVD.

Because of Barry’s incredible experience and Brad Wike’s Southern Classic Truck Show, we are striving to arrange appearances for Barry and the Big Green Kenworth at a show or two in 2017. We are aiming for The ATHS National Convention in Des Moines, The Mid-Atlantic Truck Show in Louisville, and The Great American Trucking Show in Dallas. Maybe we’ll even make it back to Brad Wicke’s with the rig this time! Stay tuned for details.

Lastly, thanks to Bill, I’ve been in touch with a photographer in Astoria, OR who found a box of large format pictures he shot in 1974, when Movin’ On was in town. This means there are new, never before seen high quality images from the episodes filmed around Astoria. We are working to bring them to the fans.

That’s it for now. Barry, Bill, and Mark wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy New Year.

Movin’ On Zazzle Shop

Posted on November 27, 2016November 27, 2016 by Mark Rathaus

Movin’ On Kenworth design by Bill Bazen

– Movin’ On has opened a new Zazzle Shop –

Movin’ On has several new designs on hats, tee-shirts, kids apparel, and mugs! Click Movin’ On Zazzle Store to see “Amazen” Bill Bazen’s designed Movin’ On Kenworth products. We also have designs incorporating the Movin’ On Logo based on the Movin’ On belt buckle that was a gift from the producers to the film crew!

– New Movin’ On Caricature –

Kiddie Caricature designed by Movin’ On art department

Back in the day, one of the art department film crew created an original caricature of Sonny & Will and the big green Kenworth and silkscreened it on shirts! Those shirts were given out as gifts to the entire crew. It’s a very different caricature than the one we all know and love but is wonderful none-the-less. This one is very kid friendly. We call it the “Kiddie Caricature”. Using Barry’s 40-year old shirt as our guide, we have reproduced the “Kiddie Caricature” on children’s apparel and offer it for sale at Movin’ On’s Zazzle Store!

Barry Weitz at The Movin’ On Museum –

Posted on October 13, 2016October 13, 2016 by Mark Rathaus | No Comments

Barry’s Emotional Visit To The Movin’ On Museum

Barry visited The Movin’ On Museum that Bill Bazen opened recently. The Museum is located at 14917 Creedmore Rd. Wake Forest, NC 27587. It is open Saturdays from 12 pm to 3 pm and Monday – Friday by appointment. Sorry, we are closed Sunday. For appointments to visit the museum on a weekday please email MOVINONFAN@YAHOO.COM or call Bill at 919-282-2372 and leave a message.

A look inside the Movin’ On Museum

The extensive collection of Movin’ On items at the museum left Barry a little dazed. On the phone to me later in the day, Barry had a difficult time describing the emotions he experienced meeting Bill and finally realizing how deeply Movin’ On, his creation, touched people. Claude Akins had once told Barry that his part as Sheriff Lobo was a job, done for a paycheck; his role as Sonny Pruitt was for love, he’d have done it for nothing! At the Museum, Barry saw a letter Claude had written repeating the same story.

Barry is used to actors saying things like that. He believed Claude completely, but after all, Claude was in show biz. At the Movin’ On Museum, and earlier in the week at The Great Southern Truck Show, Barry was hearing from people – regular people who had been touched by his program. It’s a unique experience for a Producer to be told things like, “What you did was what made me want to be a trucker,” and “Your show made me proud that my Daddy was a trucker.”

Barry was deeply affected by what he saw and heard in North Carolina. Describing it to me he used the words inspirational, touching, tickled. Barry spoke of getting a little “weepy” when he touched items that he hadn’t seen in over 40-years.

Barry Wietz and Bill Bazen

I don’t expect you will get weepy when you visit the museum. Maybe only the baby’s father feels that way. But, if Movin’ On reminds you of family, pride, and long ago good times, perhaps you will have to fight back one or two tears.

Actor Earl Billings Remembers Movin’ On

Posted on July 23, 2016July 23, 2016 by Mark Rathaus | No Comments

Phillip Michael Thomas and Earl Billings

Thanks to Bill “Amazen” Bazen for connecting with actor Earl Billings and getting Earl to share a great story. Earl Billings played the heavy in the episode “No More Sad Songs”. The basic plot is that Sonny and Will unknowingly carry a small time hustler’s loot to Pensacola. The bad guy, Phillip Michael Thomas, promises his boss that he has everything under control but the boss sends Choo-Choo along with him to make sure either he gets his loot or someone pays with their life. Earl Billings, as Choo-Choo, is a very believable enforcer. Ironically, Earl’s story shows what a sweetheart he is in real life. Here’s Earl’s story with an introduction from Bill, and followed by Barry Weitz’s memory of the episode:

“Amazen’s Introduction:

I have a special treat for our Facebook group members today. Mr. Earl Billings, who appeared in the episode “No More Sad Songs” has agreed to share with us his memories from 1975 of working on the Movin’ On production. This is an exclusive interview for Movin’ On fans. As we all remember, Earl’s character was named Choo-Choo and he was Mr. Flick’s bodyguard and henchman. Take it away Earl!…………..

Earl’s Story

There were two things that have stuck with me after all these years. One had to do with the episode’s guest star, Phillip Michael Thomas, and the other with Claude Akins, himself. I had seen Phillip’s work on TV, so I knew who he was. This was long before “Miami Vice” when he became a household name.

I had brought my then wife up from New Orleans where we were living at the time to the location, which was in Mobile, I believe. The night before we began working, the three of us had dinner together and Phillip asked had I read the last scene, the capture scene. During our escape with the loot we drive off the uncompleted freeway into the Gulf. I said that I had read it and thought nothing of it because it was a stunt and all we had to do was surface from the water and get captured. The worst that could happen was that we would get wet.

All week Phillip kept asking me, “Have you met or seen the Stunt Men who would double us?” I said no, that was not my worry. The day of the scene, I went into my dressing trailer and among my clothes was a full wet suit to wear under my wardrobe. Being ex-Navy, I knew that the wet suit was to help us float. There was a knock on the door. It was Phillip holding up his wet suit and frantically asking, “What’s this for?” I explained it was for our safety, in case something happens. He screams, “LIKE WHAT?”

They drove us to the location, which was under the unfinished freeway. A State Trooper and a Diver took us by boat out into the Gulf. For some reason, Phillip brought along a long tree branch. They shoot the stunt, the car going off the freeway. There’s a big splash and then Phillip drops the bomb. “Earl, I can’t swim.” The State Trooper looks at me, I look at the Diver, he looks at Phillip. And from way up on the unfinished freeway the Assistant Director says, “Okay, Phillip, you and Earl get in the water and count to ten, then let the stolen money float up and then you guys surface and that’s a cut.” Phillip sticks the branch in the water checking to see how deep it is but the branch doesn’t touch bottom. Pandemonium!

The Director wants to know what’s the hold up? The Diver and I finally got Phillip in the water and he was holding onto the boat for dear life. Then the Assistant Director called action and the Diver and I pulled Phillip under with us. I let the money go, the Diver pulled away, to stay out of the shot, and Phillip lost his mind. I’m trying to pull him to the surface and he’s fighting like a crazy man. I’m holding him up when the Director calls cut. The Diver comes back and we get Phillip into the boat and we hear the Director say over the bullhorn, “Phil, that was great, you really looked like you were drowning.” The State Trooper, the Diver, and I could not stop laughing.

I had been a fan of Claude Akins ever since “From here to Eternity” and didn’t know his name until “The Caine Mutiny”. During our shoot I got to ride in his trailer to a different location and we talked for about an hour. We talked about how we got started, family and how black actors were now getting good breaks in the business. When I told him that he was big star in black communities, he was taken aback until I told him that he played bad guys and we identified with his guys. They wanted the booze, broads and money, while the guy in the “White Hat” kissed his horse and rode off into the sunset. What the hell was that? His laugh was huge, and warm, and real, and he understood the compliment.

–Earl Billings

Earl also had something nice to say about Barry and Phil, “Weitz and D’Antoni are some of the best in the business. Great guys!”

Movin’ On creator Barry Weitz’s memory of “No More Sad Songs”:

I don’t have any special behind the scenes memories of “No More Sad Songs” other than that we never shot in New Orleans or Pensacola. There may have been some second unit done in New Orleans, but we never shot there with Claude and Frank. The opening shot of the New Orleans harbor was stock footage that we bought and cut in to “establish” the location.

I had a vague recollection of shooting in Mobile, AL. Bill “Amazen” Bazen confirmed that we did use Mobile to “double” for New Orleans and Pensacola. Bill also states, and I believe him, that we used Daphne, AL as the location for Aunt Bess’ house. Bill further states that in a later episode, “Sing It Again, Sonny” we again used Mobile to double for Nashville.

After viewing the episode… 40-years later, I’m comfortable talking about what just might be my biggest problem with the series as a whole. It has to do with edginess, or lack thereof. Our pilot, In Tandem, was edgy. It was raw. It was rough and it was tough. We made In Tandem to appeal to a 10pm audience. Network TV in the seventies was a different beast than today. Nowadays, almost anything goes at any time during prime time. In the seventies, raw, adult themed programs did not air at 8pm or even at 9pm. I created and always saw Movin’ On as a 10pm show but NBC wanted it at 9pm and that is when it ran in season one.

To accommodate the more genteel 9pm audience we had to take out a good deal of the edge and grit. In season two, NBC wanted us on at 8pm and all the edge went away. Did someone say Disney Movie? I was happy to have a show on the air, but I sure wish we could have had the 10pm show that I had imagined.

“No More Sad Songs” is an example of the soft, family style content we were forced into by our time slot. You may notice that “No More Sad Songs” is the second story of a precocious, gambling child. In season one we did an episode called “Roadblock” with Mackenzie Phillips. Mackenzie played a similar role to Maggie, the girl in “No More Sad Songs”. Maggie is younger, sweeter, and more innocent than Chessie, Mackenzie Phillips’ character. That’s the difference an hour makes on network television. My preference would have been, if we were doing another child older-than-her-years episode, to do it more like Jodie Foster in Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore. But I knew it would never fly with the network.

–Barry Weitz

Movin' On

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