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Greg Evigan with "Bear" in their television series "B.J. and the Bear". Source: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078564/ (May be subject to copyright) |
Such is the life of Greg Evigan.
I have been binge watching the old 1970s/1980s sitcom “One Day at a Time” on CTV Throwback, and a very young Greg Evigan recently appeared as a musician in a fourth season two-part episode.
It took a minute to recognize him, but when I did, it conjured up memories of “B.J. and the Bear”; “Masquerade”; “My Two Dads”; and much more.
On the road
At one point in time there was a real trucker craze with the television series “Movin’ On” and the movies “Convoy”, and subsequent number one song “Convoy” by C.W. McCall; “Smokey and the Bandit” and “Every Which Way But Loose”. Even an episode of the detective series “McCloud” involved truckers. At the time the CB radio was popular in vehicles too.
At one point in time there was a real trucker craze with the television series “Movin’ On” and the movies “Convoy”, and subsequent number one song “Convoy” by C.W. McCall; “Smokey and the Bandit” and “Every Which Way But Loose”. Even an episode of the detective series “McCloud” involved truckers. At the time the CB radio was popular in vehicles too.
Amidst all this, I watched a show every Saturday night, after my bath, on Channel 13 on the peasant vision dial called “B.J. and the Bear”. It featured B.J. McKay, played by Greg Evigan, criss-crossing the country in his big rig accompanied by Bear, his pet chimpanzee. Usually, he would get mixed up in some sort of local crime in the area he was passing through and help out the locals in distress.
One of his nemesis was Sheriff Lobo, played by Claude Akins, who would get his own spin-off called “The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo”. Ironically, Akins had starred in the aforementioned “Movin’ On”.
One of the things I remember most was the theme song, which I recently discovered, Evigan actually sang himself. That should have been no surprise given he sang pretty well in those episodes of “One Day at a Time”.
“B.J. and the Bear” ran for three seasons from 1979 to 1981 and a total of 46 episodes.
On the gridiron
Bear was named after legendary Alabama football coach “Bear” Bryant.
Bear was named after legendary Alabama football coach “Bear” Bryant.
Interestingly, I first learned about “Bear” Bryant from “B.J. and the Bear”. I didn’t actually see him coach until I watched the Crimson Tide play in the Cotton Bowl a couple years later. Whenever I saw Bryant coach, which was just a handful of times, I thought of that chimpanzee.
Staying busy
Greg Evigan guest starred in a number of shows leading up to “B.J. and the Bear” and while he was on it, including “Good Heavens”; “The Six Million Dollar Man”; “A Year at the Top” where he had a recurring role for six episodes”; “The Runaways”; “Dallas”; “One Day at a Time”; “Barnaby Jones”; and “Fame”.
Greg Evigan guest starred in a number of shows leading up to “B.J. and the Bear” and while he was on it, including “Good Heavens”; “The Six Million Dollar Man”; “A Year at the Top” where he had a recurring role for six episodes”; “The Runaways”; “Dallas”; “One Day at a Time”; “Barnaby Jones”; and “Fame”.
He would land another interesting role in 1983 that really peaked my interest.
Do you want to be a spy?
International operatives are having their covers blown and their lives lost, so Lavender, a spy master, comes up with an interesting idea. He will recruit everyday Americans with specific skills in his missions. Two young recruits will shepherd these novice operatives and, they will operate under cover as a tour bus full of tourists.
International operatives are having their covers blown and their lives lost, so Lavender, a spy master, comes up with an interesting idea. He will recruit everyday Americans with specific skills in his missions. Two young recruits will shepherd these novice operatives and, they will operate under cover as a tour bus full of tourists.
The show was called “Masquerade” and it lasted 13 episodes in the 1983-1984 season. Lavender was played by Rod Taylor, while Evigan played Danny Doyle, one of those young agents, while Kirstie Alley played Casey Collins, the other young agent.
I loved the premise of the show, and was sad it didn’t last longer, especially with a talented cast like that.
Fatherhood
Evigan once again stayed busy with guest spots in “The Yellow Rose”; “Murder, She Wrote”; “Hotel”; “Matlock”; and “The Hitchhiker”.
In September of 1987, just after I headed off to my first year of university in Edmonton, Evigan co-starred with Paul Reiser in a sitcom called “My Two Dads”. A woman dies and two men who competed for her affection are awarded joint custody of her daughter.
Evigan once again stayed busy with guest spots in “The Yellow Rose”; “Murder, She Wrote”; “Hotel”; “Matlock”; and “The Hitchhiker”.
In September of 1987, just after I headed off to my first year of university in Edmonton, Evigan co-starred with Paul Reiser in a sitcom called “My Two Dads”. A woman dies and two men who competed for her affection are awarded joint custody of her daughter.
“My Two Dads” ran three seasons from 1987 to 1990 for a total of 60 episodes.
As the decade ended, Greg Evigan had been in three series and he would continue that momentum into a career that continues to this day.
The years after
He was back with another series in 1991 called “P.S. I Luv U”. He co-starred with Connie Sellecca as two people posing as a married couple in witness protection, where they work for a private detective agency. Again, I thought it was a good premise with potential but, like “Masquerade”, lasted just 13 episodes.
He was back with another series in 1991 called “P.S. I Luv U”. He co-starred with Connie Sellecca as two people posing as a married couple in witness protection, where they work for a private detective agency. Again, I thought it was a good premise with potential but, like “Masquerade”, lasted just 13 episodes.
Evigan appeared in a number of TV movies including “Columbo: A Bird in the Hand” in 1992; and had guest spots in “Jack’s Place”; “Melrose Place” for 12 episodes; “7th Heaven”; “Pacific Pallisades” for 13 episodes; “Family Rules” for six episodes; “Touched by an Angel”; “Veronica’s Closet”, opposite his “Masquerade” co-star Kirstie Alley; “Reba”; “JAG”; “CSI: Miami”; “Desperate Housewives”; “Cold Case”; “The Glades”; “The Finder”; “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation”; “Bones”; “General Hospital” for 26 episodes; “911”; and more.
He also starred in two Canadian dramas that made me think he is Canadian, but he is not.
Evigan starred in “TekWar’ in the 1994-1995 season on CTV. Set in the future, Evigan played Jake Cardigan, a cop framed for a crime he didn’t commit, and sentenced to do time. Upon release, he becomes a private investigator. The show lasted two seasons and 22 episodes.
He was back in “Big Sound” in the 2000-2001 season, again Canadian produced, airing on Global TV this time.
The show was set in the offices of a record label, and satirized the record industry. “Big Sound” lasted one season and 22 episodes.
The show was set in the offices of a record label, and satirized the record industry. “Big Sound” lasted one season and 22 episodes.
Parting thoughts
There are actors who just stay busy, and Greg Evigan is one of them. Going on 50 years now, he has had steady work on television both in recurring roles and guest starring roles.
There are actors who just stay busy, and Greg Evigan is one of them. Going on 50 years now, he has had steady work on television both in recurring roles and guest starring roles.
What surprised me, looking back at his career, is the number of shows with potential, and good casts, such as “Masquerade” with Kirstie Alley, and “P.S. I Luv U”, with Connie Sellecca, that just never found an audience.
Still, he is a recognizable face that has done a lot of good work.
Just like B.J. McKay, his first steady starring role, he just keeps on truckin’.
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