I've seen every episode, but I don't know...
...why it ended! Does anybody have a link that discusses why the show was cancelled? It's great!
shareI read this on "The Elephant Story" episode on YouTube:
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This show was actually a flop when it first aired on NBC back in '74. The ONLY reason NBC kept it around was because President Ford liked it. But after he lost the '76 election, the show was cancelled. lakebay972 3 weeks ago
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I blame the Democrats :)
"Moving On" was cancelled in the spring of 1976, which was a good 6 months prior to the November 1976 election. I really doubt the reason NBC kept the show on as long as it did had anything to do with then president Ford liking the program.
Nice try though.
Etiquette of the Smiley Face By Brianna Frisch:
"Sarcasm often does not read well through text; therefore, a sarcastic comment is perfectly accompanied by a smiley! It lets the reader know that your comment was not rude or malicious, but merely in friendly jest."
Unless by "nice try", you were referring to the YouTube commenter I quoted. They were probably trying to determine why the show was renewed (when Ford WAS President btw) for a second season instead of why it was cancelled - Ie not getting a third. Who knows if the network cared that GF liked the show, back in '74/75.
Bottom line - Yea, it's demise likely had to do with low ratings. Too bad though. The on location filming gave it a Route 66 feel.
Of course low ratings was why it was cancelled. Plus, I would imagine it was relatively expensive to film, given the location shots, crashes, stunts, etc. Not shot on a studio soundstage or anything, so I'm sure the production costs were up there (for that time anyway). And yeah I liked the show too. I watch it on Rural TV whenever I can remember to catch an episode. Claude Akins was stiff as a board, but Converse would add a little comic relief occasionally.
shareI appreciate cartoon-5 forwarding the information about Ford!
shareIt's true that "Movin' On" was never a big hit for NBC. It's first season (1974-75) it aired on Thursday evenings at 10:00 pm, where it's ratings were mediocre at best. It might have been cancelled then, but NBC needed something to schedule against ABC's hit comedies "Happy Days" and "Laverne & Shirley" on Tuesday's at 8:00 pm the following year. Those youth-oriented shows were literally the top programs on TV at the time, and NBC figured the best strategy might be to counter-program them with a show like "Movin' On," featuring two middle-aged truckers. The plan failed and NBC then cancelled "Movin' On" at the end of that season. The network did rethink the concept and debuted a new series, "BJ and the Bear," with a younger lead, a couple of years later. Claude Akins was also along for the ride as the corrupt Sheriff Elroy T. Lobo.
shareActually, the 8:30 show on ABC in '75 started out as "Welcome Back Kotter," which was then moved to Thursdays to make room for L & S.
shareYou're all forgetting history:
'73 was the year of the first "fuel crisis". I don't recall EVER hearing mention of skyrocketing fuel prices in any episode, but it had to be killing 'em to move all of the production equipment - and all of the trucks used in the series - all over the country.
That, combined with low ratings, and basically, the show aired at the wrong time in history, and it's happened to other great television shows before, and since. (I can name a few)
Television shows are a big gamble: sometimes quality can't surpass cost.
Claude Akins was stiff as a board, but Converse would add a little comic relief occasionally.
Were you watching a different program than the rest of the world ? CA was never in his long career "Stiff as a Board" in anything and the "comic relief" came from the interchanges between Will and Sonny . share
Well, in this particular series he was. Frankly Akins was better in the Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo. But all actors have off days (or series), or have to deal with mediocre scripts. But differing opinions are what this board is about.
shareYou must be talking about the characters of Will and Sonny .. I guess that's the way they were written. I was an extra in one episode and Frank stayed in his trailer the entire time between shoots , and Claude stayed outside telling jokes with Art Metrano , signing autographs and just being all around friendly with us extras.
shareHi !
Which episode were you in ? Must have been in season two. Can you be found in it ? I have an uncle who was an extra after he retired from his "regular job" and he really enjoyed being in the movies.
The dialogues between Will and Sonny are really very funny. I have been watching the series and get a kick out of the kidding back and forth that they do.
I have read how friendly Claude Akins was and that Chandler was rather sloof. Different kinds of guys is all. But when the camera was rolling they meshed very well.
Good to hear from someone who not only met but also worked with CA.
Impossible to realize that he died 23 years ago on 1/27.
Episode was ,The Toughest Men in America . It was about who is tougher , Marines or Truckers .. My Dad was a Marine at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina and I was about 16 or 17 in 1975. They were looking for big boys to play truckers in a crowd scene during a fight scene between Will ( Frank Converse ) and the Marine boxing champion , played by Joe Frazier. When the episode aired , I saw my self for about one second. It was a lot of fun !!
shareI'm gradually re-watching all of the episodes. I have them taped off of the TV and they aren't all that clear but they still work.
I remember that episode as being pretty good. If you don't mind saying ... are you wearing a distinctive shirt or anything ? It would be fun to look for you.
I am getting such a kick out of talking to you ... someone who actually not only met but appeared with Will and Sonny. Am green with envy !
I remember wearing a blue shirt and jeans. I was sitting down in the bleachers. The scene was during a boxing match to settle the bragging rights of toughest men in America. Towards the end of the boxing match , a melee was to break out in the bleachers , where " truckers " and ( real Marines ) were seated. I accidentally gave a young Marine a bloody nose. When I pulled my fist back to ( fake ) hit the Marine in front of me , my fist hit a Marine sitting behind me in the nose. I remember between takes , that Art Metrano , who had a recurring role of Moose , would tell adult jokes , that I found pretty interesting. Also , the actor Don Galloway , of Ironside fame , had a part in this episode.
shareI will be watching this one out of order and will look for the trucker in the blue shirt and jeans and hopefully they caught the bloody nose on camera. TOO funny, that !
Not sure when I will get to it but will be back with a "review" of your performance (if I can find you).
BIG Bleachers .. lots of people. !
There's a youngish looking kid with a blue and white horizontal striped T-shirt sitting about a row behind Moose and Benjy when the fight breaks out. He is sitting next to a guy with a yellow shirt. He doesn't look quite "trucker-ish" though.
There's also a little older looking guy ... pretty big... he is wearing a solid blue button up shirt .. he looks like he might have a goatee. He can be seen more before the fight.
Either of them sound familiar ?
I see that the whole Movin' On series is on Hulu for $$$.
I don't have a subscription to it.
I need to watch the rest of the episode. I remember it was a good one and the fight was fun so far. I skipped to the good parts for now !
Yeah , I was pretty much used to just fill in the bleachers. I remember I was 16 years old and didn't have any facial hair. I was surprised I was chosen , some kids I was with didn't get chosen. I'll have to check out Hulu and watch it again , it's been awhile.
shareIf and when you watch it I hope we can continue this "find the Rhyno" quest . It's been fun.
I still have 2/3 of the series to re-watch. I get these urges to re-visit them every once in a while.
I am trying to get some pictures from your episode posted so keep an eye out for them ... the message boards are disappearing but it seems the movie / tv pages are staying.
Bunch of images from other episodes are already posted ... they aren't magazine perfect but at least they are something.
Hopefully will get the pictures up so we can figure out if blue/white striped shirt grew up to become Rhyno172.