Character Relationship Map: Cannonball

Characters

• Coy "Cannonball" Buckman (played by David Carradine) — protagonist

  Protagonist and professional racing driver recently released from prison. Enters the illegal Trans-America Grand Prix to secure a contract with Modern Motors. Drives a red Pontiac Trans Am, later swit...

• Cade Redman (played by Bill McKinney) — protagonist

  Coy's primary rival competing for the same racing contract. Drives a Dodge Charger accompanied by country singer Perman Waters and manager Sharma Capri. His behavior grows increasingly volatile and vi...

• Linda Maxwell (played by Veronica Hamel) — supporting

  Coy's parole officer and secret lover. Initially attempts to stop his illegal cross-country race but is coerced into joining. Later rides with Zippo, discovering that he took the blame for the fatal d...

• Perman Waters (played by Gerrit Graham) — supporting

  Country singer accompanying Cade Redman and manager Sharma Capri, who fund his participation in the race. His constant singing and radio broadcasts annoy Redman, leading to an argument and being kicke...

• Wendy (played by Diane Lee Hart) — supporting
• Jim Crandell (played by Robert Carradine) — supporting

  Teenage surfer and Maryann's boyfriend, competing in a Chevrolet Corvette. Overcomes mechanical issues like a broken fan belt during the grueling race. Rescues the injured Linda Maxwell and transports...

• Wolfe Messer (played by James Keach) — minor
• Ginny (played by Glynn Rubin) — minor
• Maryann (played by Belinda Balaski) — supporting

  Jim Crandell's girlfriend and co-driver in a Chevrolet Corvette. Endures vehicle breakdowns, including a broken fan belt, while navigating the dangerous cross-country race. Assists in rescuing the inj...

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Jim Crandell → Maryann (Romantic Teenage Sweethearts) — Their romantic partnership supports their cooperation through mechanical and traffic problems.

  Jim and Maryann are described as teenage surfer sweethearts competing together in her father's Chevrolet Corvette.

• Coy "Cannonball" Buckman → Linda Maxwell (Romantic Secret Lover) — Their secret romance complicates Linda's duty to enforce Coy's parole.

  Linda Maxwell is Coy's parole officer, and the plot explicitly states that they are having an elaborate affair.

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Wendy → Ginny (Alliance Van Teammates) — They cooperate as members of the waitress racing group.

  Wendy and Ginny are two of the three waitresses traveling together in a souped-up van during the race.

• Maryann → Linda Maxwell (Alliance Rescuer) — Maryann participates directly in Linda's rescue.

  Maryann is with Jim when they find the injured Linda, and they transport her to the hospital.

• Jim Crandell → Linda Maxwell (Alliance Rescuer) — Jim helps save Linda after the shooting and freeway crash.

  Jim and Maryann see Linda's wreck, pick up the comatose Linda, and take her to the hospital.

• Cade Redman → Perman Waters (Alliance Traveling Partner) — Their partnership deteriorates when Redman becomes hostile toward Perman's singing and broadcasts.

  Perman accompanies Redman in the Dodge Charger while Redman takes him to New York as part of their race arrangement.

• Coy "Cannonball" Buckman → Wolfe Messer (Conflict Race Competitor) — Messer is one of the dangerous drivers sharing Coy's race environment.

  Wolfe Messer is listed among the competitors in the illegal cross-country race that Coy enters.

• Coy "Cannonball" Buckman → Jim Crandell (Conflict Race Competitor) — They are competitors, though Jim and Maryann ultimately receive the grand prize.

  Jim competes in the same Trans-America Grand Prix as Coy and later arrives at the finish line after him.

• Coy "Cannonball" Buckman → Cade Redman (Conflict Arch Rival) — Their violent competition drives the central race conflict.

  Coy and Cade compete for the same Modern Motors contract, and their rivalry escalates into attempts to force each other off the road.

Story Analysis

An illegal cross-country race transforms a professional comeback into a moral test involving rivalry, sacrifice, and the cost of victory.

Plot Progression

1. A Prisoner Returns To Racing — Coy leaves prison determined to rebuild his professional racing career through the illegal Trans-America Grand Prix. His parole violation and secret relationship with Linda create immediate personal a...
2. The Race Turns Violent — The competitors spread across the country while vehicles suffer mechanical failures and dangerous interference. Coy and Redman's rivalry becomes increasingly physical as the race abandons ordinary spo...
3. Rivals Cross The Point Of No Return — Coy crashes his Trans Am and continues in a borrowed Mustang. Redman's rage toward Perman results in a guitar fragment jamming his pedals and causes Redman's fatal crash.
4. Victory Loses Its Meaning — Zippo is killed after being mistaken for Coy, while Linda is badly injured and rescued by Jim and Maryann. Coy reaches the finish but rejects official victory after learning what happened.