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Airplane!
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Stats
- Episodes featuring their films
- 2
- Movies in this archive
- 3
Rewatchables episodes featuring Leslie Nielsen’s films
The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!
1988 film
Bill Simmons · Kyle Brandt
Aired July 2, 2024
Displaying all 2 episodes
Mentioned in discussions
Just One Oscar
The screenplay
In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 01:27:31Read transcript
- The screenplay is proposed for the single Oscar. — Bill Hader
- Leslie Nielsen is proposed as a supporting-actor alternative. — Bill Hader
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. — Bill Hader
- The studio reportedly pushed Barry Manilow for Ted. — Bill Hader
- Fred Willard reportedly declined Ted because he did not understand the script. — Bill Hader
- Tim Matheson reportedly could not take Ted while filming 1941. — Bill Simmons
- Caitlyn Jenner auditioned for Ted and did not get the role. — Bill Simmons
- Robert Hayes is preferred because he plays the absurdity straight. — Bill Hader
- Sigourney Weaver and Shelley Long auditioned for Elaine before Julie Haggerty was cast. — Bill Hader
- Dom DeLuise, Christopher Lee, Vincent Price, and Jack Webb reportedly declined Doctor Rumack. — Bill Hader
- Leslie Nielsen is preferred for Rumack. — Bill Hader
- Pete Rose was wanted for Roger but baseball scheduling led to Kareem’s casting. — Bill Simmons
- Harriet Nelson was wanted as the jive translator before Barbara Billingsley was cast. — Bill Simmons
- Peter Graves initially rejected the script as tasteless before being persuaded to play Over. — Bill Hader
In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 01:31:35Read transcript
- Stephen Stucker is chosen for an unusually funny performance preserved by the film. — Bill Hader
- The Zucker brothers and Jim Abrahams are considered for the careers the film launched. — Bill Hader
- Leslie Nielsen is selected because the film transformed his career and enabled another two decades of comedy work. — Bill Simmons
Podcast choices
What’s Aged the Worst?
Robert Stack’s rejected backend, Kareem’s no-longer-surprising casting, the extra slap, racial material, and the translated-jive 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. — Bill Simmons
- The jive dialogue creates translation problems, with a Bavarian dialect used in German. — Bill Simmons
- The original shock of Kareem appearing in the film has faded with time. — Bill Hader
- Leslie Nielsen returning to slap the passenger again is identified as a gag unlikely to be made now. — Bill Hader
- The African basketball sequence is identified as uncomfortable for contemporary children. — Bill Hader
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
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. — Bill Simmons
- Being trapped beside a passenger who will not stop talking is called timeless. — Bill Simmons
- Hidden details such as the newsstand label and propeller sound over the jet reward repeat viewing. — Bill Simmons
- The repeated literal wordplay is praised. — Bill Hader
- Elmer Bernstein’s serious theme music is praised. — Bill Hader
- Leslie Nielsen becoming a comedy performer is selected as a lasting benefit. — Bill Simmons
- The Air Israel aircraft and Jewish-sports pamphlet are praised as small visual jokes. — Bill Simmons
- Lorna Patterson’s voice and performance are praised. — Bill Simmons
- The movie’s rapid-fire construction is praised as singular. — Bill Simmons
The Ruffalo / Hanna / Rubinek / Partridge Overacting Award
Interrogating police detective
In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:09:19Read transcript
- The interrogating detective is selected for his aggressive panty-sniffer accusations and old-Hitchcock-cop manner; Leslie Nielsen is imagined as a funnier alternative. — Bill Simmons
In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:27:43Read transcript
- Nielsen is chosen with explicit agreement after writers are considered; the film made a veteran character actor a major star. — Kyle Brandt
Podcast choices
- Speaker not identified
- Leslie Nielsen
- Speaker not identified
- Leslie Nielsen
Displaying all 7 discussions
