SMOKEY & THE BANDIT 40TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION TO BE HELD INJONESBORO, GEORGIA

JONESBORO, GA – 40 years ago, Smokey and the Bandit was the second largest grossing movie of 1977 – which most movie fans know. What many fans don’t know, is that the run that took Jerry Reed as the Snowman and Burt Reynolds as the Bandit from Atlanta to Texarkana, Texas and back again in 28 hours, was largely filmed in and around the city of Jonesboro, Georgia.

This June, the Bandit is coming back! To honor and celebrate the movie’s big milestone, Jonesboro is hosting the official 40th Year Anniversary Celebration. The City has partnered with the Burt Reynolds Institute, Restore a Muscle Car, The Bandit Run & the Snowman’s Run to Benefit Wounded Veterans to deliver THE biggest commemorative Smokey and the Bandit celebration over a two-day event, Friday, June 23rd and Saturday,June 24th.

As part of the celebration, the 11th annual Bandit Run, sponsored by Restore a Muscle Car of Lincoln, Nebraska, will be driving in from Texarkana with more than 250 cars– primarily Pontiac Trans Ams. Wednesday June 21st they will meet up in Franklin, Georgia with the Snowman’s Run coming in from Tallahassee, Florida. The entire group will then roll into Jonesboro about 3:30pm Wednesday to kick off the 40th anniversary event.

The following is a list of other events that will take place in Jonesboro:

Friday, June 23, 2017 at 12:00 noon – Reenactment of Coors Scene in Downtown Jonesboro. Those Media personnel wishing to attend, must obtain credentials by contactingCity Hall at 770-478-3800. Those persons without credentials will not be allowed on the street.

Friday, June 23, 2017 from 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. – Street BBQ for Bandit Runners. Meal tickets are

$10 and can be obtained by contacting City Hall.

Friday, June 23, 2017 at 6:00 p.m. – Question & Answer Session with Burt Reynolds and fellow cast member Susie Ewing who played Hot Pants Hilliard in the movie. The two cast mates have not seen each other since the movie’s premiere in 1977. (Lee Street Park)

Friday, June 23, 2017 at 9:00 p.m. – Official showing of the Smokey & the Bandit Movie on the lawn of Lee Street Park located at 155 Lee Street.

Saturday, June 24, 2017 from 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. – Smokey & the Bandit festival featuring live sound stage, performances, car show, a Bandit look-alike contest judged byHot Pants Hilliard Susie Ewing and much more.

Jonesboro Mayor Joy Day said, “I’m excited about this event! What better way to commemorate such an amazing movie than with the star himself,Burt Reynolds.” For this festival, there are sponsorship and vendor opportunities available on a first come first serve basis. Those wishing to participate should contact events@jonesboroga.com . This event is forecasted to be one of the largest Smokey & the Bandit celebrations that Georgia has seen. Additional information can be found on www.jonesboroga.com or www.thebanditrun.com

Bandit Run 2017 Press Release

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Universal Studios’ Smokey and The Bandit

Celebrates 40^th Anniversary

SNOWMAN: Hey Bandit, me and Fred’s got a question.

BANDIT: What do you and Fred want?

SNOWMAN: How come we’re doing this?

BANDIT: Well why not?

SNOWMAN: Well they said it couldn’t be done.

BANDIT: That’s the reason son.

SNOWMAN: That’s good with Fred. We’re clear.

It’s been 40 years since that iconic conversation took place between Bandit “Bo” Darville and Cledus “Snowman” Snow in the classic movie Smokey and the Bandit. 40 years since they did what they said couldn’t be done and made the run from Texarkana to Atlanta in 28 hours hauling a load of illegal Coors Beer. Universal Studios recently celebrated what was their second largest grossing movie of 1977 by having a limited release of the movie at select theaters across the country. And this year, YOU can become part of a historic celebration of that milestone and become part of Smokey and the Bandit history by joining in on the 2017 Bandit Run.

This 40th anniversary Run will be a once in a lifetime experience. The event’s timeline is packed with events that have never been done before and likely will never happen again. For the first time ever in the history of the Bandit Run, the Bandit himself, Burt Reynolds will join the Runners for a question and answer session before the screening of the movie Smokey and the Bandit. Alongside Burt will be Ellyn Needham, the widow of Hal Needham, world famous stuntman and the director of Smokey and the Bandit. In addition, Burt will be reunited at the Q & A with one of his co-stars, Susie Ewing, who played Hot Pants Hilliard in the movie. The two castmates have not seen each other since the movie premiere 40 years ago!

The Bandit Run, brought to you by RESTORE a MUSCLE CAR in Lincoln, Nebraska, is a week-long traveling car event that will let you get your classic cars out on the open road. Because while Burt Reynolds and Jerry Reed were the human stars in the movie, playing just as important a role was the 1977 Special Edition Black and Gold Pontiac Trans Am. Just imagine paying tribute to the all-time classic movie by loosely retracing the journey taken by the Bandit himself along with hundreds of your best friends in beautiful Pontiac Trans Ams of all years and colors. And also in the Run will be the “Snowman’s Dream” truck, a replica of the big rig driven in the movie by Jerry Reed. And it’s not unusual to see Buford T. Justice “tail-grabbin’” a Runner or two in a replica cop car. This year’s Run already has over 250 registered cars and more than 500 attendees ready to hit the road.

This will be the 11th annual Bandit Run, which originated in 2007 when Restore a Muscle Car (RAMC) owner, Dave Hall and Trans Am enthusiast David Hershey decided to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the film “Smokey and the Bandit,” by reenacting the quest to drive Coors beer from Texarkana, Texas, to Atlanta, Georgia. Subsequent Bandit Runs have traversed different parts of the country, predominately in the South and Midwest.

Saturday June 17^th, most of the 250 Bandit Run participants will meet up in Texarkana, Arkansas. The first event of the Run will be a car show presented by the Four States Auto Museum from 10:00 am – 3:00 pm in beautiful downtown Texarkana. At 5:00 pm the ARKLAHOMATEX Corvette Club will escort the Runners on a gorgeous drive through the back country roads to Scottie’s Grill for a night of eating, dancing, a car cruise-in and a performance from the The Moss Brothers Band – Texarkana. Afterwards, the Runners will head back to the host hotel, the Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Texarkana East.

The next morning, Sunday June 18^th, the Bandit Run will hit the highway to Atlanta, beginning a journey that follows almost the same route as the group did the first year in 2007. At 8:30am, Pontiac Trans Ams from years 1969 to 2002 and in every color of the rainbow will head out parade style from Texarkana for Greenville, Mississippi. The Runners will stop at 10:30 am for a fuel/snack stop at the Arkansas Welcome Center at El Dorado. At 11:00, the group hits the road again for the final push into Greenville, MS, arriving at 1:00pm at the Trop Casino Greenville for a car show, hosted by Q102 Delta. Then at 6:00 pm the Runners depart for the host hotel, Harlow’s Casino.

On Monday June 19^th, the Runners will leave Greenville at 9:00am. The lunch/fuel stop will be at Batesville, Mississippi at 11:00am, after which the group will arrive in Tupelo, Mississippi about 1:30 and stop to tour the Tupelo Automobile Museum. After dinner in Tupelo, the Runners will return to the host hotel, the Hilton Garden Inn Tupelo.

Tuesday June 20^th, the caravan of cars, which at times will number over 250 and measure well over a mile when lined up, will roar into Birmingham/Leeds, Alabama to experience the wonders of the Barber Motorsports Park. Barber Motorsports Park is 880 beautiful acres that are a car enthusiast’s dream. Bandit Runners will enjoy visiting their world class museum with the world’s largest collection of motorcycles, lots of vintage Lotus and other cars. There will be a Show Field open where Bandit Run participants can park and show off their cars from1pm-7pm. This area will be open to the public as well for free, allowing people to walk around and enjoy the fanfare with the participants. Bandit Runners will also be able to do paced parade laps on the track. About 5:00, the Runners will line up and will parade over to the Coyote Drive-In Movie Theater (about 3 miles away) where they’ll be showing Smokey & the Bandit at 8:15pm and offering FREE admission for all Run participants. They’ll have family friendly refreshments, Coors available for adults, and a special Diablo Sandwich Package in honor of the Run.

Wednesday June 21^st starts off with a Trans Am caravan on a beautiful scenic drive through the Talladega National Forest as they head toward Atlanta. Runners will have a lunch/fuel stop in Roanoke, AL before continuing to add another historic first to their event. About 1:00pm The Bandit Run will join up in Franklin, GA with another Smokey and the Bandit Tribute group called Snowman’s Run. Snowman’s Run features the 18-wheeler from the movie driven by legendary actor and musician Jerry Reed. It was started to continue the work of Reed, who before he passed away, spent his time raising money for wounded veterans and supporting the military as they return home. So, rolling into Jonesboro, Georgia, the two groups together will form the largest ever gathering of Smokey and the Bandit fans known to date. Both groups will spend the next 4 days just outside Atlanta in Jonesboro, Georgia (Peachtree City area) continuing to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the movie Smokey and the Bandit.

On Thursday June 22^nd, the Runners will begin bus tours of Smokey and the Bandit filming locations in and around Jonesboro. Later in the day, they’ll get the chance to stretch the legs of those classic Trans Ams doing laps around the famous Atlanta Motor Speedway. There will also be photo opportunities and a Thunder Races & Cars Display while at the Speedway.

On Friday morning the 23rd, the Bandit Runners will get a chance to recreate a scene from the iconic movie in downtown Jonesboro, followed by a BBQ lunch. About 6:00pm, the Bandit Runners will have their awards presentations just before the aforementioned showing of Smokey and the Bandit in Lee Park. And as mentioned previously, prior to the movie there will be a question and answer session featuring Burt Reynolds, Ellyn Needham, widow of director Hal Needham, Susie Ewing (Hot Pants Hilliard) and other celebrity guests.

The week’s activities will finish up on Saturday June 24^th with a Car Show and Festival at Lee Park in Jonesboro from 9am – 3pm and Susie Ewing (Hot Pants Hilliard) will be at the festival to judge the Burt Reynolds Look-Alike contest, sign autographs, and pose for pictures

FROG: “It would be better with a whole bridge”

Who needs a bridge? Another one-time only event Saturday night during the Bandit Run is an epic re-creation of the famous car jump made by the Trans Am in the movie. On June 24^th at the Atlanta Motor Speedway at 7:00 pm (doors open at 6:30) in special celebration and in honor of Jerry Reed and the Disabled American Veterans, Hollywood stuntman Oliver Keller and members of Stunts Unlimited– the team that created the original jump– will use a 1977 Trans Am to recreate the river jump. Fans will enjoy several other car stunts from the movie and a pre-show performance by Convoy, the Atlanta based tribute band to Outlaw Country and Southern Rock. The Bandit Jump is being produced to raise a goal income of $1 million of combined proceeds from the event and an online crowd funding campaign to support American Veterans.

In addition, this year’s Bandit Run will also be raising money for Camp Quality USA. Camp Quality serves children with cancer and their families by providing year-round programs, experiences, and companionship at no cost. Camp Quality promotes hope and inspiration while helping children foster life skills and develop their full potential.

Although the stars of the Bandit Run are the Pontiac Trans Ams, everyone is invited to join in the fun no matter what they drive. For more information on routes, schedules or to register to join in the celebration, go to www.thebanditrun.com. And if you can’t attend, follow along this special 40^th Anniversary of Smokey and the Bandit on the Bandit Run’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/811216475623797/

You can also follow along on the Bandit Run App, for iPhone or Android.

For more information on the Bandit Jump — https://www.facebook.com/thebanditjump/

A bullet-point itinerary of the week’s activities follows below this press release.

Media: For more information or to set up interviews or pictures with Bandit Run participants, contact Dave Hall at 402-730-4719, via email at banditrun@restoreamusclecar.com or Lori Hershey at 817-320-5228, via email at thebanditrunmedia@gmail.com.

For more information on routes, schedules or to register to join in the celebration, go to www.thebanditrun.com. And if you can’t attend, follow along this special 40^th Anniversary of Smokey and the Bandit on the Bandit Run’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/811216475623797/

You can also follow along on the Bandit Run App, for iPhone or Android.

For more information on the Bandit Jump — https://www.facebook.com/thebanditjump/

Jonesboro Press Release 2017 Bandit Run

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SMOKEY & THE BANDIT 40TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION TO BE HELD INJONESBORO, GEORGIA

The following is a list of other events that will take place in Jonesboro:

Friday, June 23, 2017 at 12:00 noon – Reenactment of Coors Scene in Downtown Jonesboro. Those Media personnel wishing to attend, must obtain credentials by contactingCity Hall at 770-478-3800. Those persons without credentials will not be allowed on the street.

Friday, June 23, 2017 from 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. – Street BBQ for Bandit Runners. Meal tickets are

$10 and can be obtained by contacting City Hall.

Friday, June 23, 2017 at 6:00 p.m. – Question & Answer Session with Burt Reynolds and fellow cast member Susie Ewing who played Hot Pants Hilliard in the movie. The two cast mates have not seen each other since the movie’s premiere in 1977. (Lee Street Park)

Friday, June 23, 2017 at 9:00 p.m. – Official showing of the Smokey & the Bandit Movie on the lawn of Lee Street Park located at 155 Lee Street.

Saturday, June 24, 2017 from 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. – Smokey & the Bandit festival featuring live sound stage, performances, car show, a Bandit look-alike contest judged byHot Pants Hilliard Susie Ewing and much more.

Bandit Run App-Available for Download Now!

Posted by Dave Hall on 4:16 pm in Homepage Slides, News | Comments Off on Bandit Run App-Available for Download Now!

Download the latest version of the BANDIT RUN APP, available in your APP/PLAY Store! Must be a registered runner. If you are a passenger, please send us your name, your drivers name and email you would like to use to info@restoreamusclecar.com!

APPLE USERS: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bandit-run/id982961486?ls=1&mt=8

ANDROID USERS: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.agilx.banditrun

Burt Reynolds – Property From The Life and Career of Burt Reynolds Auction!

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LIVE AND ONLINE AUCTION

December 11th & 12th, 2014

The Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas

Dear fans, collectors and friends,

My career has enabled me unforgettable memories spanning more than 50 years. I can truly say that I was honored to work beside some of the greatest producers, directors, and actors in the industry. Many became close friends that I shall forever cherish.

I’ve enjoyed collecting many types of artistry and memorabilia during my career. But the fact of the matter is that you run out of space to put things after this many years. Regardless of whether it is a drawing from James Cagney, a painting by Henry Fonda, or just a piece of art that happened to catch my eye, they truly are my personal treasures.

My sincerest wish is that you experience the same joy, laughter and love that my collection has given me for so many years. I hope my pieces find new homes where they can be cared for and appreciated.

I have been blessed throughout my journey with fans steadfast in their loyalty and support. Thank you. I hold your friendship close to my heart and look forward to sharing my joy of acting for as long as I am allowed.

Sincerely, Burt Reynolds

Go to the following link to register to view the full catalog of items and for Online bidding!

http://www.juliensauctions.com/auctions/2014/burt-reynolds/icatalog-accept.html

“Still on The Run: It’s Smokey and the Bandits — a bunch of them” By Larry Printz

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Still on The Run: It’s Smokey and the Bandits — a bunch of them

By Larry Printz

Imagine a day at the beach, followed by a night on the town. You’re tired and ready for a peaceful night’s sleep. You pull into the parking lot of your hotel only to find that most parking spaces have been taken by black 1977-78 Pontiac Trans Ams. Another handful are consumed by Snowman’s tractor-trailer. Have you stepped onto a movie set? Did you imbibe too much?

No. You’ve stumbled onto The Bandit Run.

“It’s fun because we take over hotels, restaurants, and gas stations,” said Dave Hall, creator of the event and owner of Restore A Muscle Car, a car restoration business in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Hall and shop customer David Hersey created The Bandit Run in 2006 as a way to commemorate the following year the 30th anniversary of the film “Smokey and the Bandit.”

Hall had the group traverse the same route as the movie, driving from Texarkana, Texas, to Atlanta. That that initial run attracted more than 100 car owners speaks to the film’s enduring appeal. A similar number joined the run this year.

And while the film’s stars Burt Reynolds, Sally Field, Jackie Gleason and Jerry Reed brought charisma to the big screen, there’s no denying that the picture’s greatest star didn’t receive any billing at all: the black 1977 Pontiac Trans Am accented in gold pinstripes with a screaming chicken decal on its hood and driven by Reynolds.

For a generation of adolescent boys with Farah Fawcett posters on their bedroom walls, the Pontiac’s brash nature was the height of high school cool. Every boy wanted one. Now, those who have them pay a $90 entry fee to run them in the annual event.

For that amount, the drivers get hotel discounts, vehicle decals, a grab bag of goodies and a support truck, not to mention a week of driving through the United States.

But you don’t have to be a disco-decade aficionado to participate; any make or model of car can partake in the event.

“We do not discriminate by any means,” said Hall. “Perhaps over 90 percent of the cars are going to be Trans Ams, but we have some Corvettes, some Camaros, we’ve had GTOS, Chargers, a little bit of everything. We even have a couple pickups.”

This year’s run started at the GM Nationals in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and finished in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. We checked in with the group as it arrived in Portsmouth, Virginia.

Hall already is working on next year’s route.

Unlike the film that it commemorates, the Run’s speeds are mild not wild; it’s a cruise, not a race. Think of it as a vacation built around the love of a car and a film.

“I like the people. I like the camaraderie,” said Roy Smith of Williamsburg, Virginia. Smith drove his 1996 Pontiac Trans Am Comp T/A in the 2014 run.

“We all have this in common and it’s really interesting to get to know people from all over the country.”
No doubt. Let’s sample some of them:

“When I was younger I had GTOs. But the Trans Am was always that car I always wanted but for some reason or another never bought. It is a car I’ve always wanted that I just never got until seven years ago.”

Drew Demarco, Baltimore, Maryland, 1981 Pontiac Trans Am SE

“I’ve been a big Trans Am fan for 25 years.”

Sash Popovic, Kitchener, Ontario, 1976 and 2002 Pontiac Trans Ams

No kidding. Popovic owns a 2002 Collector’s Edition with 11,000 miles as well as a 1976 Trans Am he bought about 26 years ago. “I guess it’s a car thing,” he says. “It’s a lot of fun.”
“We’ve had a couple of these cars in the family. It’s a car I always wanted, not so much because of the movie, but because I graduated in 1979.”

Joe Talotta, Cannonsburg, Pennsylvania, 1979 Pontiac Trans Am (also a 1980 Firebird and 1981 Firebird Formula)
“Car people are good people. Any car event that we’ve ever been involved in is just like this. It’s not different; it’s just unique because it’s one car. The first year you’re nervous because you don’t know anybody. We know people from all over the world now.”

Larry Smith, with his wife, Susan, Franklin, Illinois, 2002 Pontiac Trans Am

“‘Smokey’ fans keep Bandit Run alive” by Larry Printz

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July 3, 2014 at 1:00 am

‘Smokey’ fans keep Bandit Run alive

1977 Trans Ams make same trek from Texas to Atlanta as in movie

by Larry Printz

For these movie aficionados, the carís the star

The ‘Smokey and the Bandit’ film’s star was the black 1977 Pontiac Trans Am with gold stripes and a thunder chicken decal on its hood. (MCT)

Virginia Beach, Va.— To a generation of adolescent boys with Farrah Fawcett posters on their bedroom walls, the 1977 Pontiac Trans Am nature was every bit as sexy as the iconic blonde, an image burnished by the 1977 film “Smokey and the Bandit.” For those of you who haven’t seen it — and there may be some — the movie concerns a truck driver named Snowman and his efforts to haul an illegal load of Coors beer from Texarkana, Texas, to Atlanta. At the time, Coors couldn’t legally be sold east of the Mississippi River. Snowman’s advance man, Bandit, plays the decoy for police to allow Snowman to slip by undetected. And while actors Burt Reynolds, Sally Field, Jackie Gleason and Jerry Reed add much to the proceedings, the picture’s greatest star didn’t receive any billing: the black 1977 Pontiac Trans Am decorated in gold stripes with a thunder chicken decal on its hood, and driven by Reynolds. “It came out the same week that ‘Star Wars’ was released,” remembers Dave Hall of Lincoln, Neb. “If I wasn’t seeing ‘Star Wars,’ I was seeing ‘Smokey and the Bandit.’ It is definitely one of my favorite movies for sure.”

So much so that in 2006, Hall, the owner of Restore A Muscle Car restoration shop hatched a plan over dinner with one of his customers, David Hershey. They would recreate the movie’s chase from Texas to Georgia in commemoration of the film’s 30th anniversary. And so was launched The Bandit Run in 2007. Now in its eighth year, the event still attracts more than 100 cars and their owners on an annual trek somewhere in the United States. This year, the Run finished Thursday in Myrtle Beach, S.C., having started at the GM Nationals in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, on June 20. The tour stopped in Virginia Beach for two days earlier this week. “You know, it’s all about having fun and being on the road,” said Hall, standing near a recreation of Snowman’s tractor-trailer. “I have people here from Florida and Texas who took several days just to get up to our starting point up in Carlisle. And they drove them the whole way.” For some, such passion is hard to imagine for a movie that was unanimously panned by critics upon its release. So it’s worth considering that the public embraced the film, so much so that it earned $126 million and went on to spawn two sequels. Even more remarkably, it was nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe. But for participants of The Bandit Run, none of that cultural dross matters; for them, the car is the star. “We have a blast,” said Drew Demarco of Baltimore, standing beside his 1981 Pontiac Trans Am SE. “The cars are quite a show, but they almost become a by-product because of the friendships you make. It’s a great thing.” Other drivers agree. “Car people are good people,” said Larry Smith, a farmer from Franklin, Ill., who owns a 2002 Trans Am, the final year of production. “Any car event that we’ve ever been involved in is just like this. It’s not different; it’s just unique because it’s one car.” Like the movie, The Bandit Run welcomes everyone; the price of entry is not steep. Participants pay $90 to join the run; hotels, food and fuel are extra. And it’s that last part that can get pricey. Given that a 1977 Pontiac Trans Am returns 13 mpg at best, and cars travel as much as 300 miles between stops, a daily fuel bill can easily eat up the best part of $100. Thankfully, you don’t have to own a 1977-81 Trans Am to participate; any car or truck can partake, although 90 percent of the vehicles are Trans Ams, according to Hall. And then there are the breakdowns. “Definitely, we’re going to have something, somewhere along the line,” Hall said. “It’s a mechanical item that we’re driving and you’re going to have problems. It’s just a part of it.” For his part, Hall brings along a chase truck and trailer, although it doesn’t hurt that many driveline parts are easily obtained at any auto parts store. “We’ll try to handle what we can,” he said. But for these fans, the camaraderie of the event has as much allure as the car or the movies. “We know people from all over the world now,” Smith said. “It’s a family.”

From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20140703/AUTO03/307030031#ixzz36Pg7K2Dv