Airplane! (1980)
- Starring:
- Robert Hays, Julie Hagerty, (more)
- Director(s):
- Jim Abrahams, Jerry Zucker, (more)
- Theatrical MPAA Rating:
- PG
- Format(s):
- DVD
| Digital SD
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Synopsis of Airplane!
This spoof of the Airport series of disaster movies relies on ridiculous sight gags, groan-inducing dialogue, and deadpan acting -- a comedy style that would be imitated for the next 20 years. Airplane! pulls out all the clichés as alcoholic pilot Ted Striker (Robert Hays), who's developed a fear of flying due to wartime trauma, boards a jumbo jet in an attempt to woo back his stewardess girlfriend (Julie Hagerty). Food poisoning decimates the passengers and crew, leaving it up to Striker to land the plane, with the help of a glue-sniffing air traffic controller (Lloyd Bridges) and Striker's vengeful former captain (Robert Stack), who must both talk him down. Along the way, we meet a clutch of stock disaster movie passengers like the guitar-strumming nun, a sick little girl, a frightened old lady, and two African-American travelers whose "jive" has to be subtitled. Leslie Nielsen portrays the plane's doctor, launching a new phase of the actor's career that carried him through the next two decades in several similarly comedic roles. The trio of directors Jim Abrahams, Jerry Zucker, and David Zucker responsible for the film would eventually go on to solo careers, but not before making Top Secret! and Ruthless People. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi
- Theatrical Feature Running Time:
- 87 mins
Complete Cast of Airplane!
- Robert Hays - Ted Striker
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - Murdock
- Peter Graves - Capt. Oveur
- Robert Stack - Kramer
- Stephen Stucker - Johnny
- Frank Ashmore - Victor Basta
- Barbara Billingsley - Jive Lady
- Ted Chapman - Airport Steward
- Rossie Harris - Joey
- Howard Honig - Jack
- Howard Jarvis - Man in Taxi
- David Leisure - First Krishna
- Maureen McGovern - Nun
- Al White - Second Jive Dude
- Norman Alexander Gibbs - First Jive Dude
- Craig Berenson - Paul Carey
- Jill Whelan - Lisa Davis
- Jerry Zucker - Ground Crewman #2
- Allison Caine
- Conrad Palmisano - Religious Zealot #4
- Lee Bryant - Mrs. Hammen
- Charlotte Zucker - Make-Up Lady
- Kenneth Tobey - Air Controller Neubauer
- Robert Starr - Religious Zealot #5
- Nicholas Pryor - Mr. Hammen
- Ann Nelson - Handing Lady
- Cyril O'Reilly - Soldier
- Julie Hagerty - Elaine Dickinson
- Lloyd Bridges - McCroskey
- Leslie Nielsen - Dr. Rumack
- Lorna Patterson - Randy
- Maurice Hill - Reporter 3
- Jonathan Banks - Gunderson
- Joyce Bulifant - Mrs. Davis
- Marcy Goldman - Mrs. Geline
- David Hollander - Young Boy with Coffee
- Gregory Itzin - Religious Zealot #1
- Michael Laurence - Newscaster
- Barbara Mallory - Religious Zealot #2
- Mary Mercier - Shirley
- Nora Meerbaum - Cocaine Lady
- Mae E. Campbell - Security Lady
- William Tregoe - Jack Kirkpatrick
- David Zucker - Ground Crewman #1
- Herb Voland - Air Controller Macias
- Louise Yaffe - Mrs. Jaffe
- James Hong - Japanese General
- Jim Abrahams - Religious Zealot #6
- Jason Wingreen - Dr. Brody
- Barbara Stuart - Mrs. Kramer
- Michelle Stacy - Young Girl with Coffee
- Ethel Merman - Lt. Hurwitz
- John O'Leary - Reporter #2
- Director(s):
- Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, Jerry Zucker
- Writer(s):
- Jim Abrahams, Jerry Zucker, David Zucker
- Producer(s):
- Jon Davison, Jim Abrahams, Jerry Zucker
- Theatrical MPAA Rating:
- PG(Adult Humor, Questionable for Children, Adult Situations, Brief Nudity)
- Categories:
- Comedy
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