“Moonrunners” is a 1975 film, and the precursor to The Dukes of Hazzard. The Dukes of Hazzard is an American television series that originally aired on the CBS television network from 1979 to 1985. ...

The movie was written and directed by Gy Waldron, based on the life and stories of Jerry Rushing. Template:Neutrality Jerry Rushing 2005 An American icon with a T.V show, and 2 movies based on the events of his life. ...

Story

The story is narrated by the Balladeer, who introduces and comments on the story of cousins, Grady and Bobby Lee Hagg, who run bootleg liquor for their Uncle Jesse of Shiloh County. Denver Pyle as Uncle Jesse Duke in The Dukes of Hazzard Jesse L. Duke, also known as Uncle Jesse, was a fictional character in the American television series The Dukes of Hazzard which ran from 1979 to 1985. ...

Uncle Jesse is a Baptist, who knows the bible better than the local preacher. He has been a widower since aunt Libby died ten years ago. He still makes liquor, according to his granddaddy’s granddaddy’s recipe, in stills named Molly and Bulla. Every drop is aged two years, and bottled in glass (never plastic). The Hagg’s have been making their recipe since before the Revolutionary War, and Jesse only sells to a friend in nearby Florence to ensure that his liquor is never blended with any other.

Bobby Lee (also called just Lee) is a smart-mouthed schemer, named for a confederate general. Grady is a laconic “Romeo” who drives their stockcar (#54, named Traveler after General Lee’s horse). Traveller and Robert E. Lee Traveller (1857 – 1870) was Robert E. Lees most famous horse during the American Civil War. ... Robert E. Lee, 1863 Portrait by Julian Vannerson Robert Edward Lee (January 19, 1807 – October 12, 1870) was a career army officer and the most successful general of the Confederate forces during the American Civil War. ...

In the opening, Bobby Lee (also called just Lee) gets tossed in the Pikkens County jail for a bar fight at the Boar's Nest. On his way home he helps out Beth Ann Eubanks, who is on the run from family trouble in Mississippi. Uncle Jesse takes her in, and Lee courts her.

They cousins take Beth to the next race at the local track. The other stockcar drivers include good ol’ boy Zeebo, and Zeebo’s lackey Cooter Pettigrew. Zeebo (driving #31) and Cooter (driving #28) team-up to beat Grady in the race, leading to a moonlit bootlegger road race between Bobby Lee and Zeebo. Cooter Davenport is a fictional character from the American TV show The Dukes of Hazzard. ...

The county boss is Jake Rainey, a friend of Jesse’s from the old days (they both bootlegged for Jesse’s father in 1934), who owns the local bar/brothel. Jake has control of all the other moonshine in the county, and sells it to the New York Syndicate (mob). He needs Jesse’s supply to fill an order, but Jesse will not sell to Jake since Jake would mix it with lesser quality liquor.

To get at Jesse’s supply, Jake uses Sheriff Rosco Coltrane, to harass the cousins. At the same time he uses Zeebo to goad the boys into a trap, and Reba (Jake’s wife who is having an affair with Grady) James Best, portraying the character that made him famous, Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane, along with his sidekick, Flash. Spoiler warning: On the American TV series The Dukes of Hazzard, Rosco P. (Pervis) Coltrane is the bumbling sheriff of Hazzard County and right-hand man of its corrupt county administrator, Jefferson...

• The cousins use a bow with explosive arrows since they are on probation, and cannot own guns.
• Ben Jones plays Fred, a revenue agent from Chicago.
• Uncle Jesse calls Jake “hog” as a put-down (based on his size possibly).
• Grady has a number of kids around Shiloh and Tennessee.
• The Shiloh county mechanic is named Virgil. “Virg’ can fix it so even the factory wouldn’t know.”

Credits

Opening (complete)

• Robert B. Clark presents a Gy Waldron film
• Moonrunners
• starring James Mitchum as Grady Hagg
• Kiel Martin as Bobby Lee Hagg
• Arthur Hunnicutt as Uncle Jesse Hagg
• introducing Chris Forbes as Beth Ann Eubanks
• and George Ellis as Jake Rainey
• with Pete Munro as Zeebo
• Joan Blackman as Reba Rainey
• Balladeer Waylon Jennings
• director of photography Brian Roy
• executive producer Robert B. Clark
• written and directed by Gy Waldron
• Although the characters herein are fictitious, some of the events are based upon incidents in the life of Jerry Rushing who also served as technical advisor.

Kiel Martin (July 26,1944–December 28, 1990) was an American actor best know for his role as Detective John J.D. La Rue on the 80s television drama Hill Street Blues. ... Arthur Hunnicutt (February 17, 1911 – September 26, 1979) was an American actor known for his portorayal of wise grizzled, old rural characters. ... Joan Blackman (born May 18, 1938 in San Francisco, California) is an American actress. ... Waylon Jennings (June 15, 1937 – February 13, 2002) was a respected and influential American country music singer and guitarist, born in Littlefield, Texas. ... Template:Neutrality Jerry Rushing 2005 An American icon with a T.V show, and 2 movies based on the events of his life. ...

Closing (excerpt)

• Musical Director Waylon Jennings
• The Musicians
  • Vocals Waylon Jennings
  • Steel Guitar and Dobro Ralph Mooney
  • Harmonica Don Brooks
  • Lead Guitar Waylon Jennings and Fred Newell
  • Rhythm Guitar Larry Whitmore
  • Banjo Fred Newell
  • Bass Duke Goff
  • Drums Richie Albright
  • Music soundtrack recording at Glaser Sound Studios, Inc.
  • Engineer Kyle Lehning
• Songs
  • “Slow Rollin' Low” by Billy Joe Shaver
  • “Today is Mine” by Jerry Reed
  • “Lightning Rod” written and performed by Jerry Reed
  • “Whiskey Man” by Lee Clayton
• Special Guests one of whom plays Rosco Coltraine
  • George ‘Spanky’ McFarland
  • Joey Giondello
  • Rick Hunter
  • Dick Steinborn
  • Happy Humphery
• With one of whom plays Cooter (Zeebo’s lackey)
  • John Chappell, Bill Gribble, Bill Moses, James Beard, Bob Hannah, Phil Pleasants, Bruce Atkins, Ben Jones (as Revenue Agent Fred from Chicago), Bobby Dunn, John Clower, Edie Kramer, Rhona Pope, Anita Allen, Patty Shaw, Lois Zeitlin, Laura Frost, Kay Simpson, Grace McEachron, Cathy Rushing
• Supervising Editor William Chulack
• Editor Avrum Fine
• Assistant Editor Denis Dutton
• Art Director Pat Mann
• Stunt Coordinator Jerry Randell
• Stunt Drivers
  • Jerry Randell, Jim Hogan, Charles Mincey, Mike Head, Jerry Rushing
• “Traveler” courtesy of Mike Head
• Racing sequences filmed at West Atlanta Raceway

Waylon Jennings (June 15, 1937 – February 13, 2002) was a respected and influential American country music singer and guitarist, born in Littlefield, Texas. ... Billy Joe Shaver is an American country music singer/songwriter who penned most of the songs on the Waylon Jennings album Honky Tonk Heroes. ... Jerry Reed Jerry Reed Hubbard (born March 20, 1937) is an American country music singer, country guitarist, and songwriter. ... Lee Clayton (born October 29, 1942 in Russellville, Alabama, USA) is a country musician and composer. ... George McFarland as Spanky. George Robert Phillips McFarland (October 2, 1928 - June 30, 1993) was an American actor most famous for his childhood role as Spanky in the depression era childrens comedy movie series Our Gang, also known as the Little Rascals. ... Ben Jones as Cooter in the Dukes of Hazard Ben Jones (born August 30, 1941) is an American actor and politician. ... Template:Neutrality Jerry Rushing 2005 An American icon with a T.V show, and 2 movies based on the events of his life. ...

Uncle Jesse’s principles

The following is Uncle Jesse and the boys, after Jesse refuses to sell his moonshine to Jake (the county boss, who wants to blend it in bulk and sell it to the New York Syndicate)

Balladeer <voice over>

Jessie had to be sure in his own mind that he was refusing Jake out of his convictions, and not from pride.

Bobby Lee –

He was gonna pay you double.

Grady –

Jessie, now I know that Jake thinks he’s a badass and all, but, well he’s a pretty good ol’ boy. Ain’t he Lee?

Bobby Lee –

He’s one of us.

Grady –

Now, I mean, if he’s got his tail in a crack. Jessie, ain’t you gonna help him?

Jessie –

<puts jug of moonshine up on the hood of the old truck>

<sigh> You know what that is?

Bobby Lee –

Yea, it’s a jug of liquor.

Jessie –

Look again. That’s a model T Ford, it’s a Winchester Repeatin’ Rifle, it’s a Whitney Cotton Gin.

Grady –

Jessie, you ok?

Jessie –

Don’t you see? That’s one of a kind, the best of its kind. That little jug is history. No money ever compromised it, no government ever made me conform. And you know boys, I actually pay taxes on my liquor.

Bobby Lee –

What?

Jessie –

That’s right, all the liquor money I get is declared as farm income, from the corn, every penny tax paid, and its still illegal.

Bobby Lee –

Jessie, what the hell are you doin’ paying taxes?

Grady –

Jessie, if anybody ever found out about this.

Jessie –

Because the Bible says “render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s”, and boys those taxes sure belong to Caesar.

Am I to compromise, all the things I’ve done my whole life for a few extra dollars. Just to help a little man, think he’s a big man. Boys, it’s a matter of principle.

External links

• Moonrunners at The Internet Movie Database