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 Attends His First Truck Show –

Posted on October 13, 2016October 14, 2016 by Mark Rathaus | No Comments

Barry Weitz is not a man who tears up. He also doesn’t let his emotions show. This week has been an exception. True, he did not tear up, but for the first time since we began collaborating, Barry’s emotions were evident. He expressed his gratitude to me for reviving Movin’ On. He was effusive in his thanks and appreciation.

What brought this on? Barry is, for the first time, understanding the deep meaning that Movin’ On has for people. Barry visited Brad Wike’s Southern Classic Truck Show in late September. The visit was an afterthought, a short road trip with his wife to fill a Saturday afternoon. Meredith and Chris of Freewheelin’ mentioned that the original Movin’ On Kenworth would be at the show. By chance, Barry was in Charlotte, forty minutes away from Brad’s farm so he went over with no expectations. What Barry found in Brad’s lush field, in addition to many amazing trucks, was his past. Barry also discovered that his past is tied to the people that he made Movin’ On for – but now has he met them face to face.

Barry arrived unannounced and asked for Brad. Understandably, Brad was busy and didn’t like the idea of going back to the entrance to speak to some unknown visitor. “There are two-hundred people that want to see me,” Brad explained to his assistant over the phone. “You’re going to want to see this one,” Brad’s assistant told him.

How right she was. Once Brad understood that the Creator of Movin’ On was standing before him he could not have been happier. He was looking upon a hero of his childhood. He was remembering his father on the roof of their home in 1974, twisting the antenna to pull in a better picture on their TV. It was 8pm Tuesday night – Movin’ On was starting.

Barry wanted to see the Kenworth. But first Brad had to introduce Barry to another of the Movin’ On faithful, Robb Mariani. Robb is the Executive Producer of American Trucker and was attending the show with his Cobra rig. On Robb’s website, Movin’ On is listed as one of his all-time favorite trucker movies, TV shows, and songs. Brad knew Robb would be as thrilled as he was to meet the man who had propelled trucking into the pop culture 40-years ago.

Robb explained to Barry how important Movin’ On had been to him. It’s why he got into trucking.

Finally it was time to see the big green truck. I imagine Barry must have forced back a tear or two as he gazed on the truck, climbed on board, and sat behind the wheel. The look of joy on his face, looking out through the S. Pruitt side window says it all. The big grin and thumbs up are there to hide the deeper happiness.

The rest of the day Barry was told how important Movin’ On was to people. Every one wanted to thank him and tell how the show impacted their lives. Sure, Barry enjoyed seeing the truck after forty-years, but what really stuck with him were the fans. For the very first time Barry understood how what he had created affected people. They aren’t just an audience anymore. They are not percentages on a Neilson rating. They are people who appreciate what Barry and his team did. They are grateful and after many, many years they were able to express their thanks to the man who did so much for them.

Movin' On

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