Tag Archives: Claude Akins

Barry Weitz at The Movin’ On Museum –

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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

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

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.

Hey Mister, did you lose your dog?

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Claude Akins, Frank Converse and Shadrac the dog

Claude, Frank and Shadrack

The hound is Shadrack.

Claude loved the dog!  Frank loved the dog!! I loved the dog!!! Yet, the director of our pilot, In Tandem, Bernie Kowalski knew the dog was going to be trouble one day. He warned me….. “Livestock can’t be directed, Barry”. It was only a matter of time….. Shadrack would take up way too much production time, actor time, script supervisor time…. and general well being….. way, way too much time to be worth it. Bernie was right. I remember Claude taking me aside and saying, “Thanks, Barry, Frank is a great co-star, but I don’t think I can handle the dog as another “co-lead”. That’s when Shadrack was gone. The idea of Shadrack was better than the reality of Shadrack. 

By the by, one of the reasons we selected Bernie to direct the pilot was that he had done “N.Y.P.D”, a series that starred Frank as a New York City policeman. I thought that Akins, Converse, and Kowalski would get on nicely. They did and the pilot was a big success, which allowed us to make the series, “Movin’ On”…. which makes us all smile!!

The photo is of Shadrack on his best behavior.

— Barry Weitz

Movin’ On’s Beginnings

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During the filming of The Seven-Ups we spent a lot of time at the Bronx Terminal Market. I watched the comings and goings of an endless stream of independent truckers…. dropping their loads…. and movin’ on to other jobs – anywhere in the country – anywhere that someone was willing to pay them to move their goods. It occurred to me that this world would be a great idea for a T.V. series. So, I sat down and created the characters of Sonny and Will and the beginnings of Movin’ On. Once the concept was sold to NBC and the script approved, we were on the way to production of the pilot. Of course, first things first. We needed to have a Sonny and Will. Who would that be?

Working on the concept for the series I had the actor, Ward Bond, in mind for Sonny. As I got deeper into writing the characters, I knew I wanted Frank Converse for Will. I was a big fan of the T.V. series N.Y.P.D. which Converse had starred in. So casting began and my casting director recommended that I meet with Claude Akins. The moment Claude walked into my office I knew he was Sonny and I made the offer to him immediately. He thought the role was wonderful and the possibility of shooting a series which traveled around the country would be challenging and very exciting. I flew to NYC where Frank lived, met with him and made the deal.

Once we had these two very fine actors the fun began. You see, they had to drive very big 18 wheelers and neither of them  had ever done so. In fact, Frank didn’t drive a car…. much less a semi. Truck driving lessons were on the schedule ASAP. Claude took to truckin’ like a fish to water. Frank…. not so much. So our “Movin’ On” adventure began in the cab of a truck…. with Claude and Frank getting to know each other and their way around a 10 speed manual transmission. But most of all, they started learning the characters – “rough and tumble” indy truckers named Sonny Pruitt and Will Chandler.

Barry Weitz

Christmas card 2015

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Movin' On Christmas card 2015This is our 2015 Christmas card. It has been posted on Facebook since before the holiday, but as the website is new and still developing, it’s arriving here a little late. It’s here now for all to see. Better late than…. even later. The photo is a publicity shot taken around the time of In Tandem, the Movin’ On pilot and Movie-Of-The-Week.

It’s been a great year for Movin’ On. We are growing rapidly, like a snowman rolling down an unplowed grade.

  • The website is up and running. I admit it’s a little thin but I’m adding content every day.
  • The Facebook page has over two thousand likes.
  • We have started a Pinterest account.
  • Our first new legally licensed product is available at BigRigTees.
  • Episodes continue to stream on Hulu and Amazon Prime.

We promise that we will not rest. Next year we will continue providing fans with more quality products, provide more outlets to watch episodes, and to continue providing great content on the website and Facebook.

Thanks for all your support and a belated Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.