Cannonball

1958 - 1959

The Runaway Truck

6th October 1958

Episode 1

This pilot episode sets the premise: ""Cannonball"" is the adventures of 2 truck drivers who haul freight across the highways of the United States and Canada. The main character is Mike Malone; providing the family atmosphere are his wife Mary, and his son Butch, and his daughter Ginny. Mike's truck-drivin' buddy is Jerry Austin. This episode, Mike has to stop a runaway truck.

Pills

13th October 1958

Episode 2

Truck drivers doing long hauls often use caffeine pills to stay alert. The highway patrol puts out a warning that some truckstops are selling stay-awake pills that can be real killers. When Mike and Jerry turn a bottle of this stuff over to the authorities, it leads to the breakup of this dangerous pill racket.

Willy

20th October 1958

Episode 3

Mike and Jerry pick up a hitchhiker named Willy who has gotten into trouble.

Sights on Safety

27th October 1958

Episode 4

When Mike and Jerry are under pressure to deliver a load in a big hurry, a near-accident makes them learn that they must keep their Sights on Safety.

The Iron Lung

3rd November 1958

Episode 5

Mike and Jerry deliver a cargo consisting of an iron lung to help a polio patient.

The Big Ambulance

10th November 1958

Episode 6

Mike Malone loves truckstop food, and has meals and snacks on a long haul. When Mike gets some stomach pains, Jerry thinks it's just indigestion. But it turns out to be more serious, and Mike winds up taking a trip in an ambulance.

Hostage

17th November 1958

Episode 7

Mike and Jerry intercede when a hostage is taken at a truckstop, and diffuse what could turn out to be a dangerous situation.

Small Cargo

1st December 1958

Episode 8

Mike and Jerry are taking some freight on a long haul, but when they look in the back of their truck they find out they've also got some small cargo-- 2 frightened youngsters as stowaways. It seems they're running away from their uncle, who is on the wrong side of the law. Mike makes sure their evil uncle never hurts the kids again.

The Green-Eyed Monster

8th December 1958

Episode 9

Jerry is just like one of the family at Mike Malone's house. But since Jerry is more like a buddy to Mike's kids Butch and Ginny, while sometimes Mike has to be a strict father, Mike begins to feel his kids like Jerry better than him. However, everything's fine by the end of the show, and they're all one big, happy family again.

Moose Hunt

15th December 1958

Episode 10

There are some funny complications when Mike and Jerry are trucking during moose hunting season.

Shock

29th December 1958

Episode 11

There's a new parts manager for C & A Transport: Ben Handley. Mike and Jerry wind up taking Ben along on a run; Ben doesn't seem to know much about trucks or mechanics, and he seems to have an alcohol problem. But when they come across a bad traffic accident on the road, Ben Handley gives first aid to the injured motorist-- long ago, Handley had been a doctor. Later, Mike gets Handley a job as a C & A company doctor. [goof: it would help make the show more authentic if the doc knew how to pronounce the word ""defibrillator"" correctly.]

Nitro Haul

5th January 1959

Episode 12

Mike and Jerry have a dangerous load this time, nitro glycerin to be used by a fuel company drilling for oil.

The Girl at Joe's Place

12th January 1959

Episode 13

While out on the road doing a long haul, Mike and Jerry stop at Joe's place for coffee. Mike is a happily married man, but Jerry is single and looking. Jerry falls for the pretty waitress, May, and they become romantically involved. But Jerry doesn't know that May has a past that she is not telling him about.

The Attack

19th January 1959

Episode 14

When Mike and Jerry haul some valuable cargo, they find themselves under attack by some would-be hijackers.

Sauce for the Goose

26th January 1959

Episode 15

Mike and Jerry wind up hauling some high-powered fuel for an airplane called the Flying Goose. [Airplanes named ""Goose"": Eccentric billionaire Howard Hughes once had his Hughes Aircraft Company make the ""Spruce Goose""-- the largest wood-constructed and the largest wingspan airplane ever built. Originally designed in 1942, it was powered by 8 Pratt & Whitney 3,000 horsepower engines. Howard Hughes piloted the Spruce Goose on its only flight: Nov. 2, 1947, in Long Beach Harbor, Los Angeles.]

Mark Time

2nd February 1959

Episode 16

A fellow truck driver at C & A, Frank Peters, is going through a rough time-- first his son died, and then his wife left him. This causes him to miss work, and not do a good job when he does work. When Frank gets fired, and C & A assigns his freight to Mike Malone, Frank blames Mike for his problems. But Mike's son Butch tells Frank how Mike helped him all he could, and covered for him at work; it was Frank's poor job performance that got him canned. Frank decides to accept responsibility for his own actions, and turns his life around.

The Dog

9th February 1959

Episode 17

Mike and Jerry find a stray dog on the road and try to find its rightful owner.

Butch

16th February 1959

Episode 18

Mike's son Butch has been getting some poor grades in school. Mike has to be strict with him. Later, they patch things up and Butch says he wants to be a trucker when he grows up.

Fallout

23rd February 1959

Episode 19

Mike has a really hot load to haul this week: radioactive Iridium-192, which is used principally in industry, to detect small cracks in large metal pipes pumping liquids. The stuff is potentially deadly if it fell out of the protective lead box it's in. Mike delivers the load in good condition, and on time. [scientific note: Iridium-192 is a radioisotope with a half-life of 72 days. So after 72 days, only 1/2 is still radioactive; after another 72 days, only 1/4; then 1/8th, and so on.]

The Necklace

Episode 20

When a valuable necklace turns up missing, Mike and Jerry retrace their route to find out who could have taken it.

Undercover

Episode 21

Mike can't believe it when Jerry is accused of stealing on the job, and gets fired. Even stranger is the fact that Mike can't get any explanations from the managers at C & A, or Jerry himself. Mike does some investigating, and finds out Jerry is really working undercover to catch the ones who have been stealing freight from C & A.

Nanette

16th March 1959

Episode 22

An old girlfriend of Jerry's, named Nanette, shows up and wants to get together with Jerry again.

Big Buck

23rd March 1959

Episode 23

Big Buck Harris is an independent trucker, and they are sometimes at odds with the truckers from C & A. Big Buck is also an incorrigible practical joker. After Big Buck puts one over on Mike and Jerry, they decide to get even-- and it's Mike and Jerry who get the last laugh.

The Little Old Man

30th March 1959

Episode 24

When Mike and Jerry come across a little old man on the road, it turns out he has a past that surprises both of them.

Marooned

Episode 25

When Mike and Jerry's truck breaks down in a desolate region of Canada, they find themselves marooned.

Lil's Place

13th April 1959

Episode 26

There are many welcome truckstops along the highways, but when Mike and Jerry pull into Lil's place, a surprise awaits them.

Vendetta

20th April 1959

Episode 27

Mike Malone served in the military during WWII. Mike had to discipline one of his men who kept shooting at enemy soldiers after they had already surrendered. Now a sailor who fits the description of that guy is looking for Mike, and it seems he might be out to settle an old score.

The Girl Reporter

27th April 1959

Episode 28

When a new girl reporter for the newspaper wants to do a story on truckers, Mike and Jerry wind up getting unwanted publicity.

The Has-Been

Episode 29

Mike and Jerry pick up a hitchhiker on the road; the guy is big, like a wrestler. When they have a meal at a truckstop, they run into a boxer, and find out the hitchhiker is a former boxer himself. The boxer calls the hitchhiker a has-been, and challenges him to a fight.

Flying Dutchman

Episode 30

Mike and Jerry have a valuable load to haul this time: fur pelts. To make matters worse, there's a gang of thieves on the road. No sooner do they start their long haul, than there's a bullet in one of the 18 wheels on their rig. Mike and Jerry fight a treacherous gang and road hazards, but as always deliver the haul in good condition and on time.

Roadeo

Episode 31

In order to show off their skills, just like cowboys have a Rodeo, truck drivers have a Roadeo. Mike has already won the annual competition twice, and this year he wants Jerry to enter. Mike believes it's not whether you win or lose, but how you play the game. However, not everyone believes in sportsmanship; one of the contestants is only interested in winning the prize money, and will stoop to sabotaging the other trucks in order to win.

Trip to Buffalo

Episode 32

Mike and Jerry make a scenic haul through Niagara Falls and wind up in Buffalo, New York.

Wild Party

Episode 33

In a change-of-pace episode, Mike and Jerry haul some equipment for a band, and after the gig a wild party ensues.

Ginny

Episode 34

Mike Malone puts the pedal to the metal to get home in time for Ginny's 10th birthday.

Racket

Episode 35

Mike and Jerry always have a steady paycheck by working for C & A trucking. One day they find out how rough some independent truckers have it, they learn of a crooked racket trying to exert protection money from them. Mike and Jerry work with the independent truckers to put the racketeers out of commission.

Driving School

Episode 36

After Jerry gets a couple of traffic tickets, and has a near-miss on the road, he is faced with having to take driving school.

Eye Witness

Episode 37

Mike and Jerry become eyewitnesses to a killing. They are determined to testify in court as to what they saw-- but in the meantime, Mike and Jerry wind up on the hit list of the gangsters. Mike and Jerry finally testify, and put the entire gang behind bars.

Snake Eyes

Episode 38

Some unscrupulous businessmen want Mike and Jerry to haul gambling equipment for them, but their scheme turns up snake eyes: a loser.

Top Cast

Paul Birch•William Campbell•Beth Lockerbie

Followed the adventures of Mike Malone and Jerry Austin as they drove trucks across the US and Canada for the fictitious C&A Transport Company Ltd. "Cannonball" was a half-hour family drama featuring truckers Mike Malone and Jerry Austin hauling freight across Canada and the U.S.A. Paul Birch and William Campbell portrayed the main characters, with Canadian actors Beth Lockerbie, Beth Morris, Steve Barringer, Howard Milsom, and others in supporting roles.

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Full Cast

Paul Birch Image

Paul Birch

"Cannonball" Mike Malone

William Campbell Image

William Campbell

Jerry Austin

Beth Lockerbie

Mary Malone (Mike Malone's wife)

Beth Morris Image

Beth Morris

Ginny Malone (Mike Malone's teenage daughter)

Steve Barringer

Butch Malone (Mike Malone's son)

Howard Milsom

Harry Butler (Freight Dispatcher)

Full Crew

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