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Airplane! poster

Airplane!

year 1980decade 80sdirector Jim Abrahams and David Zucker and Jerry Zuckergenre Parody comedy

87 minutes

IMDb
Cast

Selected cast credits · Film reference

Robert Hays Ted Striker
Julie Hagerty Elaine Dickinson
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar First Officer Roger Murdock
Lloyd Bridges Steve McCroskey
Peter Graves Captain Clarence Oveur
Leslie Nielsen Dr. Rumack
Robert Stack Captain Rex Kramer
Stephen Stucker Air Traffic Controller Johnny Henshaw-Jacobs
Frank Ashmore Flight Engineer Victor Basta
Jonathan Banks Gunderson
Craig Berenson Paul Carey
Lee Bryant Mrs. Hammen
Nicholas Pryor Jim Hammen
Joyce Bulifant Mrs. Davis
Kenneth Tobey Air Controller Neubauer
Marcy Goldman Mrs. Geline
Barbara Stuart Mrs. Kramer
Ross Harris Joey Hammen
Norman Alexander Gibbs First Jive Dude
Al White Second Jive Dude
David Hollander Young Boy with Coffee
Michelle Stacy Young Girl with Coffee
David Leisure First Krishna
Jason Wingreen Dr. Brody
Jill Whelan Lisa Davis
Ethel Merman Lieutenant Hurwitz
Lee Terri Mrs. Linda Oveur
Jimmie Walker Windshield Wiper Man
James Hong Japanese General
Howard Jarvis Man in Taxi
Michael Laurence Newscaster
Herb Voland Air Controller Macias

Airplane! | The Rewatchables

host Bill Simmonsguest Bill Haderproducer Craig Horlbeckproducer Chia Hao Tatproducer Ronak Nair
Explore episodeClose episode

Most Rewatchable Scene

Robert Stack’s personal breakdown is one explicit favorite; the cockpit and inflatable-pilot sequences are other favorites among a long list of nominated gags.

In the discussion (14)
Approx. transcript time · 00:36:22Read transcript
  • The red-zone and white-zone airport argument is nominated.
  • The jive-speaking passengers, improvised dialogue, subtitles, and June Cleaver translation are nominated.
  • Ted and Elaine’s disco flashback, including the continuing Girl Scout fight and knife-in-the-back dance gag, is nominated.
  • The two children behaving like adults over coffee are nominated.
  • Captain Over and Roger meeting Joey, followed by Kareem breaking character, are nominated.
  • The sick-girl song leading into Ted’s African basketball flashback and the soldier’s suicide is nominated.
  • The inflatable autopilot’s sexual gag is named as a childhood favorite.
  • The attacking dog and gasoline-soaked passenger are nominated.
  • The hysterical passenger being slapped by a line of people is nominated.
  • Randy’s breakdown about being unmarried is nominated.
  • The landing and control-room sequence is nominated for its dense run of jokes.
  • Robert Stack continuing an increasingly personal monologue after Ted leaves is selected as a favorite.
  • The cockpit scenes are selected as another favorite because their jokes endured in everyday use.
  • Ethel Merman’s appearance is nominated as a surprising celebrity gag.

Apex Mountain

Robert Hays is debated for Apex Mountain; Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s appearance immediately after the 1980 title is identified as a literal peak.

In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 00:41:12Read transcript
  • Kareem’s role is called a literal Apex because it followed the 1980 championship and a dominant Finals performance.
  • Robert Hayes is proposed for Apex Mountain because the movie and television success gave him unusual visibility, though the case is debated.

What’s Aged the Best?

The durable premise, unwanted airplane conversation, hidden visual and sound jokes, repeated wordplay, score, Leslie Nielsen’s comedy turn, Air Israel gag, Lorna Patterson, and singular construction are praised.

In the discussion (9)
Approx. transcript time · 00:49:09Read transcript
  • A food-poisoned crew forcing a traumatized former pilot to land the airplane is praised as a durable premise.
  • Being trapped beside a passenger who will not stop talking is called timeless.
  • Hidden details such as the newsstand label and propeller sound over the jet reward repeat viewing.
  • The repeated literal wordplay is praised.
  • Elmer Bernstein’s serious theme music is praised.
  • Leslie Nielsen becoming a comedy performer is selected as a lasting benefit.
  • The Air Israel aircraft and Jewish-sports pamphlet are praised as small visual jokes.
  • Lorna Patterson’s voice and performance are praised.
  • The movie’s rapid-fire construction is praised as singular.

The Butch’s Girlfriend Award for the Weakest Link in the Film

One participant wants five more minutes of jokes, while another defends the short runtime and leaving the audience wanting more.

In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 00:53:41Read transcript
  • One participant proposes another jive scene, more Stephen Stucker, another child-adult exchange, and an airplane-bathroom scene.
  • Another participant prefers the short runtime and argues that it leaves the audience wanting more.

What’s Aged the Worst?

Robert Stack’s rejected backend, the fading surprise of Kareem’s casting, the extra slap, and racial material are identified as dated or regrettable; the translated jive scene creates a separate localization problem.

In the discussion (5)
Approx. transcript time · 00:57:38Read transcript
  • Robert Stack taking an extra twenty thousand dollars instead of a percentage is identified as a costly decision.
  • The jive dialogue creates translation problems, with a Bavarian dialect used in German.
  • The original shock of Kareem appearing in the film has faded with time.
  • Leslie Nielsen returning to slap the passenger again is identified as a gag unlikely to be made now.
  • The African basketball sequence is identified as uncomfortable for contemporary children.

Casting What-Ifs

Robert Hays and Julie Hagerty are preferred after a long list of reported alternatives for Ted, Elaine, Rumack, Roger, and the jive translator.

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.

Recasting Couch

Lynda Carter is proposed as an added passenger for a brief celebrity gag.

In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:12:29Read transcript
  • Lynda Carter is proposed as one more passenger for a roughly ninety-second appearance.

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 are reported.

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.

Cruise or Hanks?

Cruise is preferred because playing the role with total seriousness would be funnier.

In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:20:04Read transcript
  • Cruise is selected because Hanks already has extensive comedy experience and serious Cruise would create the stronger contrast.

Picking Nits

The war timeline, medical equipment, food-poisoning symptoms, speed of onset, storage of sick passengers, and proposed Lake Michigan diversion are questioned.

In the discussion (6)
Approx. transcript time · 01:23:18Read transcript
  • Ted’s age and conflicting wartime flashbacks make his war history unclear in a 1980 setting.
  • The tube pulled from the sick girl is questioned because its removal immediately causes convulsions.
  • The poisoned fish should cause vomiting or diarrhea rather than sedation.
  • The group argues the fish symptoms would not happen that fast.
  • The group asks where all the incapacitated passengers were placed.
  • Kramer’s immediate proposal to divert the airplane into Lake Michigan is criticized for risking innocent people.

Sequel, Prequel, Limited Series, or All-Black Remake

The existing sequel is acknowledged and criticized for escalating the original jokes.

In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 01:25:45Read transcript
  • The group notes that a sequel exists.
  • The sequel is criticized for repeating and intensifying jokes from the first movie.

Just One Oscar

The screenplay is the leading choice, with Leslie Nielsen considered for supporting actor.

In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 01:27:31Read transcript
  • The screenplay is proposed for the single Oscar.
  • Leslie Nielsen is proposed as a supporting-actor alternative.

Probably Unanswerable Questions

The source of the topless running gag is treated as genuinely unanswerable.

In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:29:06Read transcript
  • The participants ask how the seemingly unrelated topless scene entered the movie.

What Piece of Memorabilia Would You Want From This Movie?

The exterior miniature airplane and the inflatable autopilot are selected.

In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 01:30:08Read transcript
  • The miniature used for exterior airplane shots is selected.
  • The inflatable autopilot is selected, though the original reportedly disintegrated in storage.

The Coach Finstock Award for Best Life Lesson

Trust a distinct comic instinct and commit to the straight-faced casting choice.

In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:30:43Read transcript
  • The filmmakers’ decision to cast dramatic actors and trust their own unusual comic instinct is selected as the lesson.

Who Won the Movie?

Stephen Stucker and Leslie Nielsen are the two winner choices; the filmmakers are considered before Nielsen is selected for the career the movie unlocked.

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
Speaker not identified
Stephen Stucker
Speaker not identified
Leslie Nielsen

More from the conversation

The filmmakers, source films, cast, and production of the parody are discussed.
Approx. transcript time · 00:00:00Read transcript
A late callback praises the silent scene after the autopilot encounter, where Elaine and the inflatable pilot sit together smoking with visible tension.
Approx. transcript time · 01:37:06Read transcript
A late callback praises the silent scene after the autopilot encounter, where Elaine and the inflatable pilot sit together smoking with visible tension.
Approx. transcript time · 01:37:06Read transcript
A late callback praises the silent scene after the autopilot encounter, where Elaine and the inflatable pilot sit together smoking with visible tension.
Approx. transcript time · 01:37:06Read transcript
A late callback praises the silent scene after the autopilot encounter, where Elaine and the inflatable pilot sit together smoking with visible tension.
Approx. transcript time · 01:37:06Read transcript
A late callback praises the silent scene after the autopilot encounter, where Elaine and the inflatable pilot sit together smoking with visible tension.
Approx. transcript time · 01:37:06Read transcript