John Schneider wants to mark 30 years of "The Dukes" in a big way

John Schneider's publicist issued an online push over the weekend in the name of "The Dukes of Hazzard." In anticipation of the show's 30th anniversary (it first filmed in late 1978 and launched on the airwaves in January 1979), Schneider is calling for fans to support re-airing the show on ABC Family, which recently purchased the rights to the series from CMT. Despite the wild success CMT enjoyed by bringing the series back a couple-a years back, ABC Family has no plans, currently, to air it.

BRBTV caught up with Schneider's publicist, Michael Barnard, on Saturday. He gave us a little more info on the cause, which directs fans to write to Tom Zappala, senior vice-president of program acquisitions and scheduling at ABC Family.

"The letter-writing request has been sent out via email to a few 'friends,'" Barnard says, "about 100, with the hope that they will forward it to their friends. It's been posted in a few forums, such as the chatroom on the http://www.dukesfest.com/ site."

He tells us, "The 30th anniversary will be celebrated at DukesFest on June 28-29; it's the theme of this fest. We are holding it in Atlanta for the first time because the show was originally shot in Georgia."

And what is Schneider up to, at this very moment, we had to ask? (He's been so busy that we can't just ask what he's been up to lately, ya know!)

"John just finished starring in 'Chicago' on Broadway, and has a film for the Hallmark Channel called 'Shark Swarm,'" Barnard says. "He stars with Daryl Hannah. We are working on raising funds for a couple feature film projects: 'Collier & Co. 2 -- High Octane,' the sequel to the original family comedy; and 'Seven Ways from Sunday,' a powerful Western."

If you'd like to read more on the push to our friendly neighborhood ABC Family, click here:
http://www.starpulse.com/news/index.php/2008/03/28/dukes_of_hazzard_fans_told_to_act_now_fo
http://www.pr-inside.com/hazzard-fans-told-to-act-now-r506339.htm

And here's the ABC Family contact page:
http://abcfamily.go.com/abcfamily/path/section_Global/page_Contactus

Elsewhere in Hazzard County ...

Thanks to Barry, as well as to Renee of the All-John blog, for the tipoff on this nice write-up in yesterday's New York Times (we just love that Sunday paper):
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/30/fashion/30nite.html

Over fettucine with shrimp and other accoutrements, our two good-ole'-boys-turned-Broadway talked about drag-racing to the set and lotsa fun stuff from their Hazzard days.

And speaking of fast-drivin', just take a gander at these words from Tom Wopat on Bo and Luke's fair cousin Daisy's expertise behind the wheel, as reported in the Scottish Sunday Mail:
http://www.sundaymail.co.uk/tv-showbiz-news/music-news/music-reviews/2008/03/30/real-duke-of-hazzard-78057-20366958/