Moonrunners (1975)

Director:

Gy Waldron

Writer:

Gy Waldron (written by)

Release Date:

14 May 1975 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Comedy

Tagline:

You take a load of 200 proof corn liquor through a Georgia roadblock at 100 miles an hour and if you ain't a dead man, you're a moonrunner.

Plot:

Grady and Bobby Lee run moonshine for Uncle Jesse, who prides himself on his old-school moonshining methods, and refuses to buckle in to the 'big business moonshine' of Jake, who controls these parts for New York mobsters. |

Cast

James Mitchum	...	Grady Hagg
Kiel Martin	...	Bobby Lee Hagg
Arthur Hunnicutt	...	Uncle Jesse Hagg
Chris Forbes	...	Beth Ann Eubanks
George Ellis	...	Jake Rainey, Bootlegger
Pete Munro	...	Zeebo, Bootlegger
Joan Blackman	...	Reba Rainey
Waylon Jennings	...	The Balladeer
Ralph Mooney	...	Steel guitar and drums
Don Brooks	...	Harmonica
Fred Newell	...	Himself - Lead guitar / banjo
Larry Whitemore	...	Rhythm guitar
Duke Goff	...	Bass guitar
Richie Albright	...	Percussion
Elaine 'Spanky' McFarlane	...	Precious, Jake Rainey's bartender (as Spanky McFarlan)
Joey Giardello	...	Syndicate man (as Joey Giordello)
Rick Hunter	...	Rowdy Boar's Nest patron
Dick Steinborn	...	Obnoxious bar patron
Happy Humphrey	...	Tiny, Syndicate man (as Happy Humphery)
John Chappell	...	Luther, short deputy sheriff
Bill Moses	...	Federal Agent in charge
Bob Hannah	...	Roy Adderholt
Bruce Atkins	...	Sheriff Roscoe Coltrane
Bobby Dunn
Edie Kramer	...	Jake Rainey's truck stop girl
Anita Allen
Lois Zeitlin	...	Jake Rainey's truck stop girl
Kay Simpson
Bill Gribble	...	Cooter Pettigrew
James Beard	...	Minister
Philip Pleasants	...	Cooter's brother (as Phil Pleasants)
Ben Jones	...	Fred - Chicago Federal Agent
John Clower
Rhona Pope
Patty Shaw
Laura Frost
Grace McEachron
Cathy Rushing
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jerry Rushing	...	Jake Rainey's bodyguard (uncredited)

Directed by
Gy Waldron

Writing credits
Gy Waldron		(written by)

Produced by
Bob Clark	....	executive producer (as Robert B. Clark)

Cinematography by
Brian W. Roy		(director of photography) (as Brian Roy)

Film Editing by
Avrum M. Fine		(as Avrum Fine)

Art Direction by
Pat Mann
Patrick Mann

Production Management
Peter Cornberg	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Don Walters	....	assistant director
Don Walters	....	second unit director

Sound Department
Joe Clayton	....	sound
Jim Hawkins	....	sound

Special Effects by
Bob Shelley	....	special effects

Stunts
Mike Head	....	stunt driver
Charles Mincey	....	stunt driver
Jerry Rushing	....	stunt driver
Gene Witham	....	stunt driver

Camera and Electrical Department
Betty Bennett	....	still photographer
Bert Bertolami	....	key grip
Sean Doyle	....	camera operator
Allen Facemire	....	camera operator
James Latham	....	gaffer (as Jim Lathan)
Bruce MacCallum	....	assistant camera (as Bruce McCallum)
George Mooradian	....	assistant camera

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Patty Shaw	....	costumes

Editorial Department
William K. Chulack	....	supervising editor (as William Chulack)
Denis Dutton	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Waylon Jennings	....	musical director

Other crew
Bill Britton	....	production staff
B. Alexandra Fedack	....	continuity (as Alexandria Fedak)
Frank Harris	....	production staff
Kyle Lehning	....	engineer
Mike Mosley	....	production staff
Thomas Oliver	....	production staff
Jerry Rushing	....	technical advisor
Robert Shelley	....	production staff
Tom Skarda	....	production staff (as Tom Scarda)
Jim Way	....	dialogue coach

Thanks
Mike Head	....	acknowledgment: 'Traveler' courtesy of

Production Companies

• Moonrunner

Distributors

• United Artists (1975) (USA) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1980) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)

Other Companies

• Glen Glenn Sound Company  sound by (as Glen Glenn)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

110 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Sweden:15 | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Griffin, Georgia, USA

Company:

Moonrunner

Trivia:

Bobby Lee drives a 1970 Plymouth fury, Grady and Bobby Lee's stock car is a 1955 Chevy.

Goofs:

Continuity: Bobbie Lee is tuning his guitar in the bar getting ready to play, when a bar patron (played by pro wrestler Rick Hunter) starts a fight with him. Bobbie Lee then breaks his guitar over the guy's head, destroying the guitar, and immediately gets sent to jail for 30 days. As he is released from jail, he has his guitar again.

Quotes:

Bobby Lee:Well, that's not the place where I prove my manhood. But since the subject has come up, you think you might boost it a little by letting me drive?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Collier & Co. (2006)

Soundtrack:

Slow Rollin' Low

Excellent!!

Moon Runners for some reason is almost NEVER mentioned as far as good decent 70's schlock and action movies, despite the "Dukes of Hazzard" connection. It's pretty rare - while it was shown on cable in the late 70's, it almost never shows up on TV at all nowadays. I caught it for the first time in many years early this year on cable (TNT I believe).

Grady and Bobby Lee (later to become Bo and Luke Duke) run moonshine for Uncle Jesse, who prides himself on his old-school moonshining methods, and refuses to buckle in to the 'big business moonshine' of Jake, who controls these parts for New York mobsters. Fast-paced and entertaining, as the boys continue to get their moonshine through. Some excellent car chase action, and while the chase scenes aren't on par with say "Dirty Mary Crazy Larry" and also aren't as numerous as I thought I remembered, still decent enough and forgivable since the film is just fun to begin with. Definitely a film to be seen!