Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/34944
Star power M BY LUCINDA COULTER ovie legends and TV celebrities have helped promote positive images of truckers, if somewhat larger-than-life versions, since the 1960s. Overdrive played no small part, financing two films, the documentary “Big Rig” (1966) and the drama “Moonfire” (1972). The magazine sponsored a truck drag race in the iconic film “Smokey and the Bandit” (1977) and organized some trucking scenes for “Smokey and the Bandit II” (1980). Overdrive also interviewed actors portraying good-guy truckers and ran photos of stars who embraced the ideal of independence embodied by owner-operators. In more re- cent years, instead of celebrities dabbling in trucking, it’s been actual truckers who become celebrities, thanks to trucking- based reality TV shows. Shortly after “Smokey and the Bandit” made its debut in May 1977, the image of Burt Reynolds holding a citizens band radio led the 13-page CB Section in ’s August issue. The Bandit character — a rascal who outsmarts the law and gets the girl — resonated with truckers. 44 OVERDRIVE JULY 2011 in his fi ve years with Don Knotts, who died in 2006 at 81, posed with Dodge’s heavy-duty tilt cab in ’s May 1970 issue. Knotts had already immortalized Deputy Barney Fife when he stumped for Chrysler’s new cab. Knotts won fi ve Emmy awards for his TV roles. He also starred in “The Ghost and Mr. Chicken” and other comedy movies. T Ov er driv e he Andy Grif fi th Sho w Ov er driv e