B J and the Bear

"B.J. and the Bear" was an American action comedy television series that aired on NBC from February 10, 1979, to May 9, 1981. Created by Glen A. Larson and Christopher Crowe, the show starred Greg Evigan as Billie Joe "B.J." McKay, a freelance trucker who traveled across the U.S. in a red and white Kenworth K-100 Aerodyne semi-truck with his pet chimpanzee, Bear. The series was produced during the peak of the CB radio and trucking craze in the U.S.

The premise centered on B.J., a Vietnam War veteran and former medical helicopter pilot, who often found himself entangled in local crimes while traveling. He frequently helped young women in distress, with Sheriff Elroy P. Lobo (Claude Akins) appearing as a recurring guest star in the first season before spinning off into his own show. Two episodes in Season 2 were prospective pilots for a series featuring private detectives Heather Fern and Caroline Capodi.

In Season 3, B.J. settled down to run Bear Enterprises, a trucking company in Los Angeles. He faced opposition from Rutherford T. Grant, a corrupt state official who forced B.J. to hire seven inexperienced female truckers as part of his scheme. The series never received an official home video release but bootleg editions are available.

The show also included connections to Larson's other works, such as "Quincy, M.E.", with guest appearances from that series in one episode.