“Surely You Can’t Be Serious!”
With that line, you either know or you don’t…when “Airplane!” hits movie screens in 1980, it became an immediate classic – and now here’s the story of how it all happened!
“Surely You Can’t Be Serious!”
I just bought this hilariously insightful story of the creation of “Airplane”, the funniest film of all time!
The film was the creation of Directors David Zucker, Jerry Zucker and Jim Abrahams, and this brand new memoir is a hilariously insightful look at how the film was made!
First, imagine seeing this trailer when it first came out – with no idea what the film was about!
HILARIOUS.
Some of the most serious Actors of their time never crack a smile as they deliver some of the most hilarious lines in movie history.
As reported by Deadline.com:
“These first-time helmers sought the most serious dramatic actors to play against type, for maximum laughs. Sure, Vincent Price and Charlton Heston were among those who turned them down, and Mission: Impossible star Peter Graves actually flung their script across the room while reading it.”
The story goes on:
“After some convincing from producer Howard Koch, not only did Graves sign on as a pilot, he soon flirtatiously was asking a small boy if he’d ever seen a grown man naked and if he liked to watch gladiator movies.”
And this one as well:
These moments are made funnier by the use of such normally-serious Actors.
As the storynotes:
“They also convinced Sea Hunt star Lloyd Bridges (“I picked a bad week to quit sniffing glue”) and Untouchables star Robert Stack (“Do you know what it’s like, Ted, to fall in the mud and get kicked in the head with an iron boot? Of course you don’t, no one does, it never happens”) and especially Leslie Nielsen. The Forbidden Planet star’s turn as the doctor (“Can you fly this plane and land it?” “Surely you can’t be serious!” “I am serious, and don’t call me Shirley”) created a comedic second wind for him.”
As Deadline.com notes: “Nielsen was a natural, always bringing his concealed fart machine on set and for TV appearances, so he could trigger the device and blame poor Julie Hagerty. The Zuckers and Abrahams later would use him for the Naked Gun and Scary Movie franchises.”
And who can ever forget when Barbara Billingley, made famous as Beaver Cleaver’s Mom in the classic TV series “Leave It To Beaver”, speaks jive to two black men on the plane!
‘Airplane!’ Filmmakers David Zucker, Jim Abrahams & Jerry Zucker To Narrate Making-Of Audiobook With Jimmy Kimmel, “Weird” Al Yankovic, Sarah Silverman, Trey Parker, Barry Diller, Michael Eisner & More
Deadline.com just dropped this exclusive story about the new audiobook that will also tell the story behind the funniest film of all time, “Airplane!”
The audiobook of “Surely You Can’t Be Serious” will be narrated by the trio of filmmakers alongside comedians and actors Jimmy Kimmel, Bill Hader, “Weird” Al Yankovic, Molly Shannon, Sarah Silverman, Patton Oswalt and Beau Bridges, and industry including John Landis, Barry Diller and Michael Eisner. It will also include contributions from original Airplane! cast members Bob Hays and Julie Hagerty.
Also contributing will be Dick Chudnow, Tom Parry, Arne Schmidt, Ken Collins, Bob Weiss, Jon Davison, Ross Harris, Peter Farrelly, Laura Orrico, Joe Praino, Lorna Patterson, Lloyd Schwartz, Joyce Bulifant, Lee Bryant, Rich Markey, Molly Shannon, Hunt Lowry, Marcy Goldman, Patton Oswalt, James Murray, and Pat Proft.
Both the memoir and audiobook are now available – and many of these people are in the book as well!
It’s a hilarious comedy that never lets up…see more about this comedy classic including the trailer and more by clicking here:
“Airplane” is one of cinema’s funniest films – and it holds up every time you watch – so read The Onion’s terrific oral history – and then check out the trio’s FIRST movie – the outrageous 70’s comedy:
Yes, they began as “The Kentucky Fried Theater”, and comedy sketch group whose first film was directed by John Landis, who directed this classic comedy:
Landis then was hired to direct “Kentucky Fried Movie”, a collection of sketches that includes such brilliantly funny gems as:
And the flawless parody of Bruce Lee’s “Enter The Dragon” – it’s a half hour scene-for-scene parody of the king fu classic and it is hilarious:
To read all about this cult classic, click on my story here:
Here’s another classic 70’s comedy – with Paul Newman!
This raucous sports comedy is so much fun to watch, just to see Paul Newman say some of the most hilariously profane things you’ve ever heard from a Superstar Actor – click here to see the trailer and more!
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Categories: 70's Cinema, Art, Books / Media, Comedy Movies, Cult Movies, Film Fight Club, Great Films, Hollywood, Memoirs, Movies, Pop Culture, Talent/Celebrities
johnrieber 
“Airplane” is certainly one of the funniest films of all time.
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Everything is to one’s own taste of course, but for me, an y movie with SO MANY repeatable lines is un-toppable…that said, I saw “There’s Something About Mary” in a movie theater and in the first scene alone the walls were literally shaking with laughter that never let up…it was a packed theater and I’ve never seen an auditorium erupt in applause at the end like that one
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I have not seen that one. Putting it on my list, thank you.
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I think they average a joke, visual gag or pun every thirty seconds for the entire film. Some very well known Actors say and do the funniest stuff with completely straight faces…it’s a parody of disaster films and I love it! “Surely you must be joking.” Well I’m not. And as he says in the film “and please don’t call me Shirley.”
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Thank you for recommending.
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Two films from my youth. I preferred Airplane to Slapshot, but the latter had its moments too.
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This is great, John. Airplane was so funny, it deserves the Surely You Can’t Be Serious memoir. What a cast! Thanks for highlighting Slap Shot. What a great movie! You have to be a hockey fan to really appreciate the humor, especially the Hanson brothers.
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one of my all time fave dumb funny films
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I saw that film on release in the cinema and laughed all the way through it. Even many years later on a TV showing, it never gets old. A behind the scenes book is a good idea, John.
Best wishes, Pete.
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