User Reviews

I remember watching the series as I was growing up in El Paso. The series seems now to be a roving trucker's plot, sort of in the vein of "Route 66," only from a Canadian point of view. I was a small girl so I didn't really see Canada in the show. The U.S. Southwest was my point of reference. I would love to see the series come out on DVD. My husband remembers the show, too, and he says the series almost influenced him into becoming a trucker like his grandfather. "Cannonball" has the rudimentary set of screenplay constructs that could help aspiring writers understand the makeup of camera cutaways, acting interaction and time constraint editing. It also is a great little piece that extols the virtue of the old GMC round snout cab, the Trailways aerodynamic trailers and the road lifestyles back in the '50s. Perhaps the owners of the copyright will see fit to reintroduce the show in DVD form.

I remember these shows best from when my local CBC-TV affiliate rebroadcast them on Saturday mornings in the early to mid 1970s. Growing up on a farm, I preferred spending rainy Saturday mornings in the summer watching "Cannonball" over throwing around bales of hay. The concept was easily summed up as being the continuing adventures of two long distance truckers.

The product of busy Normandie Productions (Canadian-based creators of "Hawkeye & Last Of The Mohicans" and "Tugboat Annie"), "Cannonball" starred American actors Paul Birch (Mike Malone) and William Campbell (Jerry Austin). The supporting cast was largely made up of Canadian thespians. Besides its Canadian run, the show was also syndicated to Britain, United States and Australia.

The show was hard for me to classify, because of how highly formulaic TV had become by the 1970s."Cannonball" wasn't a crime show, a comedy, a drama, wasn't news, current affairs, or soap opera, but it was watchable. As I recall the truck driven was marked as follows "C & A TRANSPORT - TORONTO - MONTREAL - WINNIPEG - NORTH BAY - NEW YORK". U.S. networks created the following shows that ripped off the concept: "Movin' On" (1974-76), "B.J. And The Bear" (1979-81) and "Lobo" (1979-81).

William Campbell gained notoriety later in life when he was implicated in the "Paul Is Dead" Beatles rumor of the late 1960s. Also Judith Exner, notorious ex-lover of both mob boss Sam Giancana and President John F. Kennedy, was wed to Campbell until 1958.

I am another who watched this show as a youngster and I was entranced with it. Another reviewer compared it to "Route 66," and I agree. Being a half-hour show, it did not, of course, have the time to develop stories with much depth, but they were very human stories, and that is the kind of television I have always enjoyed.

The protagonists being truckers gave the series the latitude to visit a variety of places in the stories, and meet a variety of people. That broad range of encounters via the open road -- its clear resemblance to "Route 66" -- enabled the show to tell stories of all sorts and conditions of people. That was its strength, that and the two main actors, Paul Birch and William Campbell. It was wonderful entertainment for all ages, but particularly appropriate for young people. I also would love for this series to be released on DVD.

Years later, I was on a "Star Trek" cruise on which William Campbell was a guest. I encountered him just outside a shop in Cozumel, and told him that I had enjoyed watching "Cannonball" when I was young. I said the show looked like it must have been fun for him to work on, and he beamed broadly and exclaimed, "Yes, it was! Bless 'Cannonball!'" Bless "Cannonball," indeed!

Another one of those great 1950s tv series which have never been seen in syndication. A whole host of adventures (usually surrounding the rold of friendship) of the main characters (Mike and Jerry) helping their friends, the authorites, and each other. One episode stands out in my distant mind; during a power failure Mike and Jerry transport in their rig a polio victim dependent on an iron lung for survival, to a hospital for treatment. All the while, Jerry is in the back of the truck manually operating the iron lung machine until the girl is safe. Another example of wholesome 1950s entertainment.

Thanks for your memories, Andrew. This is one show I really would like to see again. All I have are the two versions of the theme on reel to reel tape, circa 1961. Did the boys operate between Canada and the US? I just can't remember, alas.

Oh How I remember this TV series as a Child( I think I was 5 or 6 years old) I use to try & sing the theme song every time it came on.I enjoyed the Adventures of the Two Truckers in this series & the Incredible Cab-over GMC,Tractor-Trailer Rig they Drove.GREAT SERIES.Was there any Merchandise available on this show??? Does anyone have Videos of any of the Episodes???? Will there ever be a DVD set available? I was told that there was a British Comic Weekly (TV Tornado) that had Cannonball Comic Strips in it??? Can anyone from ENGLAND or ???? Let me know? Thanks & You All Take Care,HAPPY HOLIDAYS Paul-SUPERCAR-Amato...Dec.12,06

It was over 40 years ago but the theme was one that stuck in my mind. I can remember most of the words to the theme which went thus - Cannon b a a a l, Cannon b a a a l, In any kind of weather, On any kind of day, When the rig is ready, He'll be on his way, He'll carry any cargo, He'll go any where, Just name the destination and brother he'll be there, Cannon b a a a l, cannon b a a a l.

The show always went out late in the U.K. "about 10pm". It was usually the last programme before the little white dot appeared in the centre of the screen. I can remember my mum liked Jerry the co driver. I wish it was back on. If anyone gets hold of the theme I would love to hear it again. Thanks.

I remember watching Cannonball in the early 60's on TV 9 CKLW out of Windsor, Ontario Canada. It was a great show about two good truckers that always helped everyone on the roadway as they transported cargo on their truck.

I never knew if this was a show from Canada or the states. The show was on every morning Monday through Friday. A great show to watch as a kid back then. I would love to see this show on again.

Thanks for printing the words to the theme song. As I read the words, I was reading it to the way the theme song was aired.

As I can remember, most of the shows always had snow on the ground and Jerry always wore a heavy black jacket..

Although I am still trying to track down the male singer of the theme song I have a music sheet from ITC and the song was written by Joe and Marilyn Hooven. All credits list Merle Haggard as composer and singer. He had not started his singing career till 1962, however 20 years later he did write and sing the title song to the similar truck driving series "Movin' On"(74-76). Raoul Kraushaar appears in the end credits on some end credits, but no mention of the song. The series was very good for it's time and covered various issues. It's a shame it hasn't been issued on DVD along with "Hawkeye" etc. Anyone remember who actually sang the song to "Cannonball"?

I liked the cannonball television show. It opens up with the truck going along the queen Elizabeth highway near hurontario ramp in Mississauga Ontario . the truck was loaned by General motors Canada. The filming was done in Toronto, oakville and Bolton Ontario.the truck terminal that was used was kingsway transport Toronto. William Campbell had a hard time at first backing the truck into the dock. The truck became a rental after the show and was sold later to Stone cartage Toronto Canada. Thanks rob.

My family moved to San Jose, Costa Rica in 1960. There were only about 2 hrs of programming on TV most days, but I remember this TV show. Dubbed in Spanish, the show was called Mike Malone. I remember the opening song. Tune may have been the same, but the words were "le dicen dinamita (they call him dynamite), se llama Mike Malone (his name is Mike Malone), le dan sus punetasos (he takes some hits), Mike Maaaloooone!" They were good shows, good solid, blue collar, good people, helping when they could! A few years later, I recognized Wm. Campbell (his partner) on Star Trek. Occasionally Paul Birch on other TV shows. If you google image search "Paul Birch as Mike Malone" you'll see some stills from the TV show.