Categories & segments

Airplane! The Rewatchables
Airplane! poster
Airplane!

Who Won the Movie?

In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 01:31:35Read transcript
  • Stephen Stucker is chosen for an unusually funny performance preserved by the film.
  • The Zucker brothers and Jim Abrahams are considered for the careers the film launched.
  • Leslie Nielsen is selected because the film transformed his career and enabled another two decades of comedy work.
Podcast choices
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Leslie Nielsen
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Stephen Stucker
Airplane! The Rewatchables
Airplane! poster
Airplane!

Casting What-Ifs

Keep Robert Hays as Ted, Julie Hagerty as Elaine, and Leslie Nielsen as Rumack

In the discussion (12)
Approx. transcript time · 01:01:22Read transcript
  • David Letterman auditioned for Ted Striker, but the panel prefers that he was not cast.
  • The studio reportedly pushed Barry Manilow for Ted.
  • Fred Willard reportedly declined Ted because he did not understand the script.
  • Tim Matheson reportedly could not take Ted while filming 1941.
  • Caitlyn Jenner auditioned for Ted and did not get the role.
  • Robert Hayes is preferred because he plays the absurdity straight.
  • Sigourney Weaver and Shelley Long auditioned for Elaine before Julie Haggerty was cast.
  • Dom DeLuise, Christopher Lee, Vincent Price, and Jack Webb reportedly declined Doctor Rumack.
  • Leslie Nielsen is preferred for Rumack.
  • Pete Rose was wanted for Roger but baseball scheduling led to Kareem’s casting.
  • Harriet Nelson was wanted as the jive translator before Barbara Billingsley was cast.
  • Peter Graves initially rejected the script as tasteless before being persuaded to play Over.
Airplane! The Rewatchables
Airplane! poster
Airplane!

Half-Assed Internet Research

The real LAX announcers, dailies demand, Ethel Merman’s final role, Elmer Bernstein’s score, Kareem’s Zero Hour analogue, Al White’s jive dialogue, and a deleted opening gag

In the discussion (7)
Approx. transcript time · 01:13:07Read transcript
  • The real married couple who recorded the LAX announcements performed the red-zone and white-zone argument.
  • Demand to watch the dailies reportedly required the studio to add a second screening room.
  • The film was Ethel Merman’s final acting role.
  • Elmer Bernstein was asked to score the comedy with the seriousness of his dramatic work.
  • Kareem was cast in the athlete-pilot role because Zero Hour! had used football star Elroy Hirsch.
  • Al White researched Black English, wrote the jive dialogue, and also wrote Barbara Billingsley’s lines.
  • A test audience’s silence caused an opening-airport spitting gag to be removed.
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