Airplane! (1980)

Directors:

Jim Abrahams
David Zucker
(more)

Writers:

Jim Abrahams (written by) &
David Zucker (written by) ...
(more)

Release Date:

2 July 1980 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

You've read the ad, now see the movie!

Plot:

An airplane crew takes ill. Surely the only person capable of landing the plane is an ex-pilot afraid to fly. But don't call him Shirley.

Plot Keywords:

Airplane | Pilot | Food Poisoning | Airport | Basketball

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 1 win & 5 nominations

Cast

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar	...	Roger Murdock (as Kareem Abdul-Jabaar)
Lloyd Bridges	...	McCroskey
Peter Graves	...	Captain Oveur
Julie Hagerty	...	Elaine
Robert Hays	...	Ted Striker
Leslie Nielsen	...	Dr. Rumack
Lorna Patterson	...	Randy
Robert Stack	...	Rex Kramer
Stephen Stucker	...	Johnny
Otto	...	Himself
Jim Abrahams	...	Religious Zealot #6
Frank Ashmore	...	Victor Basta
Jonathan Banks	...	Gunderson
Craig Berenson	...	Paul Carey
Barbara Billingsley	...	Jive Lady
Lee Bryant	...	Mrs. Hammen
Joyce Bulifant	...	Mrs. Davis
Mae E. Campbell	...	Security Lady
Ted Chapman	...	Airport Steward
Jesse Emmett	...	Man from India
Norman Alexander Gibbs	...	First Jive Dude
Amy Gibson	...	Soldier's Girl
Marcy Goldman	...	Mrs. Geline
Bob Gorman	...	Striped Controller (as Bobby Gorman)
Rossie Harris	...	Joey
Maurice Hill	...	Reporter #3
David Hollander	...	Young Boy with Coffee
James Hong	...	Japanese General
Howard Honig	...	Jack
Gregory Itzin	...	Religious Zealot #1
Howard Jarvis	...	Man in Taxi
Michael Laurence	...	Newscaster
David Leisure	...	First Krishna
Zachary Lewis	...	Religious Zealot #3
Barbara Mallory	...	Religious Zealot #2
Maureen McGovern	...	Nun
Nora Meerbaum	...	Cocaine Lady
Mary Mercier	...	Shirley
Ethel Merman	...	Lieutenant Hurwitz
Len Mooy	...	Reporter #1
Ann Nelson	...	Hanging Lady (as Ann M. Nelson)
Laura Nix	...	Mrs. Hurwitz
John O'Leary	...	Reporter #2
Cyril O'Reilly	...	Soldier
Bill Porter	...	Hospital Contortionist
Nicholas Pryor	...	Mr. Hammen
Conrad E. Palmisano	...	Religious Zealot #4 (as Conrad Palmisano)
Mallory Sandler	...	L.A. Ticket Agent
Michelle Stacy	...	Young Girl with Coffee
Robert Starr	...	Religious Zealot #5
Barbara Stuart	...	Mrs. Kramer
Lee Terri	...	Mrs. Oveur
Kenneth Tobey	...	Air Controller Neubauer
William Tregoe	...	Jack Kirkpatrick
Hatsuo Uda	...	Japanese Newscaster
Herb Voland	...	Air Controller Macias
Jimmie Walker	...	Windshield Wiper Man
Jill Whelan	...	Lisa Davis
Al White	...	Second Jive Dude
John David Wilder	...	Second Krishna (as John-David Wilder)
Windy	...	Horse
Jason Wingreen	...	Dr. Brody
Louise Yaffe	...	Mrs. Jaffe
Charlotte Zucker	...	Make-up Lady
David Zucker	...	Ground Crewman #2
Jerry Zucker	...	Ground Crewman #1
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Larry Blake	...	Upside-down Man (uncredited)
Susan Breslau	...	Ticket Agent (uncredited)
William Duell	...	Reporter #1 (uncredited)
Sandra Lee Gimpel	...	Girl Scout in Bar (uncredited)
Leslie Hoffman	...	Passenger in Terminal (uncredited)
Bill Kirchenbauer	...	Capt. Geline (uncredited)
Paula Marie Moody	...	Girl Scout in Bar (uncredited)
Kitten Natividad	...	Bouncy Topless Woman on Plane (uncredited)
Dr. Robert Nevin	...	Other Doctor (uncredited)
Patrick Reynolds	...	Third Krishna (uncredited)
Herb Vigran	...	Reporter #2 (uncredited)

Directed by
Jim Abrahams
David Zucker
Jerry Zucker

Writing credits
Arthur Hailey		(teleplay "Flight Into Danger") uncredited
Arthur Hailey		(screenplay "Zero Hour") uncredited &
Hall Bartlett		(screenplay "Zero Hour") uncredited &
John C. Champion		(screenplay "Zero Hour") uncredited
Jim Abrahams		(written by) &
David Zucker		(written by) &
Jerry Zucker		(written by)

Produced by
Jim Abrahams	....	executive producer
Jon Davison	....	producer
Howard W. Koch	....	producer
Hunt Lowry	....	associate producer
David Zucker	....	executive producer
Jerry Zucker	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Elmer Bernstein

Cinematography by
Joseph F. Biroc		(as Joseph Biroc)

Film Editing by
Patrick Kennedy

Casting by
Joel Thurm

Production Design by
Ward Preston

Set Decoration by
Anne D. McCulley

Costume Design by
Rosanna Norton

Makeup Department
Edwin Butterworth	....	makeup artist
Joan Phillips	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Maurice Vaccarino	....	unit production manager
Lindsley Parsons Jr.	....	executive production manager: Paramount (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Daniel Attias	....	dga trainee (as Dan Attias)
Kenneth D. Collins	....	second assistant director (as Ken Collins)
Arne Schmidt	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Tom Crowl	....	assistant property master
Wally Graham	....	construction coordinator
Mike Higelmire	....	lead person
Joseph E. Hubbard	....	set designer (as Joe Hubbard)
Steven M. Levine	....	property master (as Steven Levine)

Sound Department
David E. Campbell	....	sound re-recording mixer (as David Campbell)
Bill Henderson	....	sound re-recording engineer
David J. Hudson	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Dave Hudson)
Dennis Jones	....	boom operator
Tom Overton	....	sound recording mixer
John T. Reitz	....	sound re-recording mixer
James Troutman	....	sound editor (as Jim Troutman)
Terry Chambers	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Jeremy Hoenack	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)
Donald C. Rogers	....	technical director of sound (uncredited)
Clancy T. Troutman	....	supervising sound editor (uncredited)
David A. Whittaker	....	assistant sound editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
John Frazier	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Robert Blalack	....	visual effects: Motion Pictures Incorporated
Chris Casady	....	visual effects: Visual Concept Engineering
Donald Hansard Sr.	....	process supervisor (as Donald Hansard)
Bill Hedge	....	visual effects: Magic Lantern
Richard O. Helmer	....	miniature special effects
Peter Kuran	....	visual effects: Visual Concept Engineering
Bruce Logan	....	director of photography: special effects
James Shourt	....	visual effects: Motion Pictures Incorporated
Chris Walas	....	visual effects: special projects
Paul Gentry	....	director of photography: miniatures (uncredited)
David Merritt	....	model maker: MPI (uncredited)
Christopher S. Ross	....	special effects miniatures (uncredited)

Stunts
Bruce Paul Barbour	....	stunt performer
Sandra Lee Gimpel	....	stunt performer
Conrad E. Palmisano	....	stunt coordinator (as Conrad Palmisano)
Leigh Walsh	....	stunt double
Janet Brady	....	stunts (uncredited)
Steven Burnett	....	stunts (uncredited)
Paula Dell	....	stunts (uncredited)
Chuck Hayward	....	stunt performer (uncredited)
Gene LeBell	....	stunts (uncredited)
Paula Marie Moody	....	stunt performer (uncredited)
Conrad E. Palmisano	....	stunt double: Lloyd Bridges (uncredited)
Conrad E. Palmisano	....	stunt double: Robert Hays (uncredited)
Esther Palmisano	....	stunt performer (uncredited)
Nick Palmisano	....	stunt performer (uncredited)
Mary Peters	....	stunts (uncredited)
Diane Peterson	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dar Robinson	....	stunts (uncredited)
Russell Saunders	....	stunt performer (uncredited)
Rick Seaman	....	stunts (uncredited)
Greg Walker	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jesse Wayne	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Jamie Anderson	....	assistant camera
Brink Brydon	....	gaffer: effects unit
Jerry D. Deats	....	grip: effects unit (as Jerry Deats)
Bill Decker	....	grip
Larry Gilhooly	....	gaffer
M. Todd Henry	....	assistant camera (as Todd Henry)
Danny Marzolo	....	electrical department
John Monte	....	still photographer
Nick Papanickolas	....	grip
Pete G. Papanickolas	....	grip
Frederic J. Smith	....	camera operator (as Frederick J. Smith)
Gary R. Wostak	....	electrical department (as Gary Wostack)
Edmond Wright	....	grip

Casting Department
Susan Arnold	....	additional casting
Wallis Nicita	....	additional casting (as Wally Nicita)
Gretchen Rennell	....	additional casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Aggie Lyon	....	costume supervisor
Victoria Snow	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Scott K. Wallace	....	assistant editor (as Scott Wallace)

Music Department
Allison Caine	....	vocal effects advisor
Jeff Carson	....	music editor
Kathy Durning	....	music editor
David Spear	....	orchestrator
Dan Wallin	....	score mixer

Transportation Department
Glenda Baker	....	transportation
Tom Baker	....	transportation
Frank Khoury	....	driver

Other crew
Adam Culunga	....	craft service
Michael Finnell	....	generally in charge of a lot of things (as Mike Finnell)
Nancy Hansen	....	script supervisor
Steve Kramer	....	airport arrangements
Tom Mahoney	....	choreographer
Dave Miller	....	first aid
J.L. Mitchell	....	wrangler
Betty Moos	....	supervisor of production administration
Dan Perri	....	title designer
Huey Redwine	....	stand-in
Art Sarno	....	unit publicist
Dick Webb	....	wrangler
Larry Wilson	....	magic consultant
Raechel Donahue	....	voice artist (uncredited)

Thanks
Laurie Abdo	....	grateful acknowledgment
Jason Black	....	grateful acknowledgment
Susan Breslau	....	grateful acknowledgment
Nancy Cocuzzo	....	grateful acknowledgment
Danice Hertz	....	grateful acknowledgment
Erika Hiller	....	grateful acknowledgment
Peter Ivers	....	grateful acknowledgment
Kim Jorgensen	....	special thanks
Dick Lowry	....	grateful acknowledgment
Sheri Maruno	....	grateful acknowledgment
Dennis Park	....	grateful acknowledgment
Pat Proft	....	special thanks
Karen Rasch	....	grateful acknowledgment
Richard Raynis	....	grateful acknowledgment
Robert Reilly	....	grateful acknowledgment
Christopher S. Ross	....	grateful acknowledgment (as Chris Ross)
Terry Shagin	....	grateful acknowledgment
Sheila Sullivan	....	grateful acknowledgment
Paul Turner	....	grateful acknowledgment

Production Companies

• Paramount Pictures

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1980) (USA) (theatrical)
• Cinema International Corporation (CIC) (1980) (France) (theatrical)
• Cinema International Corporation (CIC) (1980) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Greater Union Organisation (GUO) (1980) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (????) (Argentina) (VHS)
• CIC Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• CIC-Taft Home Video (????) (Australia) (VHS)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1983) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (Spain) (2000) (Spain) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Entertainment Finland (2001) (Finland) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Video (????) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Video (????) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)
• Paramount Home Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Video (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)

Special Effects

• Motion Pictures (MPI)
• Visual Concept Engineering (VCE)
• Magic Lantern, The (as Magic Lantern)
• Robert Keith and Company

Other Companies

• Sound FX  sound editing
• Jack Rabin & Associates  opticals
• Howard Anderson Company, The  additional opticals
• Trans American Freight Lines  the producers gratefully acknowledge
• Atari  the producers gratefully acknowledge
• Roger Schumacher Animal Rentals  the producers gratefully acknowledge (as Schumacher Animal Rentals)
• Argon Oil Company  the producers gratefully acknowledge
• Ron Smith Celebrity Lookalikes  the producers gratefully acknowledge (as Ron Smith Look-Alikes)

Also Known As:

Flying High! (New Zealand: English title) (Philippines: English title)
Flying High (Australia)
Kentucky Fried Airplane (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

88 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | Spain:13 | Singapore:NC-16 | Canada:PG (Ontario) | South Korea:15 | UK:15 | UK:PG (2001 re-rating) | USA:PG (Certificate #25740) | Sweden:11 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba) | Finland:K-12 | Iceland:L | Ireland:12 | Netherlands:AL | Norway:11 (video rating) | Norway:12 (original rating) | UK:A (original rating) | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Culver City, California, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

In the German version, the talk between the two black passengers was dubbed in heavy Bavarian dialect (with subtitles in standard German).

Goofs:

Continuity: During the opening montage when certain principal characters are introduced, Joey (the little boy) can be seen in the far background carrying a brown bag in the shot with the Hari Krishnas. A few seconds later we see him getting out of a car with his parents and luggage.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Male announcer: The white zone is for immediate loading and unloading of passengers only. There is no stopping in a red zone.
Female announcer: The white zone is for immediate loading and unloading of passengers only. There is no stopping in a red zone.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Room 101: (#10.5)" (2005)

Soundtrack:

Notre Dame Victory March

The original spoof classic!

Unfortunately, Airplane! has been, for me, one of those comedies that I have seen so many times in the video store that its appeal has gradually worn down to almost nothing, resulting in a total absence of interest in renting it. I eventually watched it one day because I worked at the video store and could rent movies for free, and was continuing on my desperate attempt to watch every movie in the store (a goal which continues to this day, although by now I've come to realize that it's never going to happen). During my quest, by the way, I also saw the old 1970 film Airport, probably ten years after having seen parts of Airplane!, and realized that this is one of the many movies that inspired Airplane!

In general, I'm a little cautious about movies that have exclamation points in the titles, but Airplane! is without a doubt one of the funniest movies ever made. Consider, for example, those little montages that studios sometimes put together and put at the beginning of movies when they come out on videotape, honoring the great movies that the studio has made in the past. They show lots of memorable clips from their old movies (and I always write all of these titles down, determined to watch them all, and then promptly lose the list that I made) to remind you how great they are. I had a good time watching Airplane! and picking out how many scenes are in the movie that can and do go into those memorable montages.

Airplane! is made up of a series of hilarious scenes that string together a thin shoestring plot, which ironically speaks in the movie's defense. In general, movies with weak stories that are driven along by comedic stunts and pranks and whatnot tend to be pretty weak, but Airplane! is not driven by stunts to cover a weak story as much as the quality of the stunts and the slapstick comedy is so good that they overshadow everything else. It's interesting to watch someone like Robert Stack so many years ago and see that he looked and talked exactly like he did in Unsolved Mysteries so many years later, a show the seriousness of which boggles the mind, given that it's hosted by someone who did so well in a movie like this one.

My favorite thing about this movie is, obviously, the huge amount of sound bytes that comes from it, just the cleverness of the way it was written and put together. You have the main character's `drinking problem,' the airport announcers (`Listen, Betty, don't start up with your white zone sh*t again…'), the stress of the people investigating the situation on the plane (`Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit smoking/drinking/amphetamines.'), the plays on words (`There's a problem at the control tower!' `What is it?' `It's the big tower where the air traffic controllers talk to the planes.'), that one airport employee who was suspiciously bubbly and excited throughout the entire movie (while providing some of its best comedy), and then of course were the situational gags, such as Robert Stack pulling off his sunglasses to reveal another pair underneath (arguably the most famous scene in the entire film).

This is a movie where a list like this could go on and on, and I'm sure if you go to the memorable quotes page on the IMDb you'll find a gigantic list of hilarious quotes from the movie there. It is no secret that this is something of a childish and immature comedy, but it is smartly written and has so many great scenes and bits of dialogue that it's one of those rare movies that makes you want to take notes so you won't forget a lot of the lines. It is one of the earlier versions of Leslie Nielsen's spoofs, a genre in itself which went on to tremendous success with lots of great (and some not so great) spoofs to follow.