B.J. and the Bear (TV Series) The Foundlings (1978) User Reviews

They should remake this as a movie

[drosse67 · 29 March 2004]

I'm only half joking. This show as a mixture of Smokey & the Bandit, Dukes of Hazzard (which was probably a bigger influence), and Clint Eastwood's Every Which Way but Loose. NBC probably thought they had a real blockbuster on their hands, but I don't remember this being on for very long (maybe one season?) But as an eleven year old, I loved it. Greg Evigan, from what I remember, was appealing in an everyman, Kurt Russell type of way. I think he made some B movies after this, but never became a household name.

Hollywood take note: Mission Impossible. Charlie's Angels. Mod Squad. The Hulk. Starsky & Hutch. The Dukes of Hazzard. BJ and the Bear! "Bear is family."

They Should Indeed Do a Remake of this Obscure TV Classic

[voicemaster71 · 8/10 · 4 July 2009]

I never saw the pilot movie of BJ and the Bear in its original 2 hour movie format. But I did see it years ago when the series played in syndication in the early 80's. In response to the previous poster, I know that BJ and the Bear ran for more than one season. It actually ran for three seasons. Most recently, I saw this pilot called "The Foundlings". Somebody finally placed it on youtube most recently. It's interesting to see how far more sinister that both Sheriff Lobo and Perkins were in this pilot. Oddly enough, Perkins was NOT a deputy at this time and he was single too. In this movie, Perkins owned a ranch where the captured girls were slaves. Apparently, Sheriff Lobo ran it and Mr. Perkins was just a civilian.

Anyway, BJ is hired by this girl whom he nicknames "Stilts" to haul a load for a set price no questions asked. But when BJ encounters Orly County deputies, it's just a matter of time before he discovers he's hauling a group of young runaway women who escaped from Perkins Ranch where they were held captive.

In this pilot, BJ's red and white rig does not have an aerodine window. Funny how it was added in the series and we learn about BJ's time in the military and what made him decide to be a trucker and go from place to place.

It's a crying shame that neither BJ and the Bear nor Sheriff Lobo stand a snowball's chance of ever seeing the light of day for DVD releases. And aside from Lobo airing on RTN, a channel I don't have (just my luck!) it seems there are no TV stations near me that are broadcasting either series.

I recently had he honor of meeting and hanging out with Greg Evigan when I was emcee at a stunt show in Concord North Carolina this summer. Greg was one of the celebrities who attended. He is a truly nice guy and cool to hang out with.

It is my greatest wish to Universal that both BJ and the Bear and Sheriff Lobo would come to DVD or at least broadcast so I can see them again.

i liked

[mustang_girl_1320 · 10/10 · 22 November 2005]

i liked the TV show b.j. and the bear i watched with my grandpa all the time it was a very good show and wish it could air again soon on cable TV if it did i would watch it all over again.i also thought it was neat that they made the TV show sheriff lobo a spin off of b.j. and the bear.its been a long time since those two were on and it would be ever neater if they could air again.i enjoyed watching those series a lot with my grandpa,it would bring back so many memories if i could see them again,i even bet my kids would enjoy them as well just like i did when i was a child.it they were two cool shows i liked to watch, really wish they could air again someday that would be so assume.it was neat to see a trucker having a monkey as his sidekick he was so cute.it was very cool to watch,i never missed a single one i liked to that much.

The filming of the movie...

[joseph234 · 16 October 2005]

I grew up in Oroville, CA. Some scenes of BJ and the Bear were shot there. The "Orly Club" Was still standing until about 2000, or so, The window was even still decorated. BJ's fictitious hangout was sadly destroyed by fire. The Eagle's lodge was used for exterior shots of the sheriff's office, and Claude Akins (Sheriff Lobo was our parade grand marshal, that year. I was watching the opening credits on another website, just last week and noticed Highway 70 (which runs through Oroville) in some of the footage. I was only about nine or ten years old at the time and haven't seen the movie or TV series since then, so i really can't elaborate...