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.
