‘Airplane!’ and ‘Naked Gun’ Writer-Director Jim Abrahams Dead at 80

New York Post ^ | Nov. 26, 2024 | Sean Mandell

[nickcarraway]

Jim Abrahams, the writer-director who helped create comedy classics such as “Airplane!,” the “Naked Gun” movies, and the TV series “Police Squad!” has died. He was 80.

Abrahams passed away of natural causes on Tuesday at his home in Santa Monica, Calif., his son Joseph Abrahams told the Hollywood Reporter.

Together with his boyhood friends Jerry and David Zucker, Abrahams ushered in a new wave of zany Hollywood comedies beginning with 1977’s sketch-comedy “Kentucky Fried Movie,” directed by John Landis, before he helmed “Animal House.” One of their most popular films, “Airplane!” — on which all three shared writing and directing credits — hit theaters in 1980. A spoof of 1970s disaster movies, the film starred Robert Hays and Julie Hagerty and featured smaller but memorable performances from Leslie Nielsen, Robert Stack, Lloyd Bridges, Peter Graves, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Lorna Patterson.

[Larry Lucido]

He’s in a hospital.

A hospital? What is it??

It’s a big building with doctors. But that’s not important right now.

[kenmcg]

Fidel lives!

[nickcarraway]

I missed that reference.

[algore]

back when comedy was mostly actually funny.

Rip Genius movie producer.

I always liked the OJ scene where he is a cop

https://youtu.be/0K8s9cNqZO4

[Big E]

“They’re not here for you, Frank. Weird Al Yankovic is on the plane.”

[No name given]

Rest In Peace, Jim.

[nwrep]

featured smaller but memorable performances from ..

More like unforgettable, enduring, and meme-inspiring performances.

[BigFreakinToad]

Don’t call me surely.
I picked a fine day to stop sniffing glue

[nwrep]

Was that a dream?

[Ancesthntr]

RIP! Thanks for all the laughs - Kentucky Fried Movie was hilarious (and the “Catholic School Girls in Trouble” skit was VERY educational).

[Magnum44]

[rlmorel]

Loved his work...thank you for the laughs...may you RIP

[BipolarBob]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywpfM9hV5Ow

[rlmorel]

Yes...there are dozens of them scattered through his various works that many of us use and laugh at in every day situations!

Those actors must have had so much fun making that movie...:)

[MRadtke]

When our kids were much, much younger, we had a dvd player that we brought along in the van for longer road trips. We had all the naked gun movies. I absolutely love that type humor, as did the kids.

[daler]

“Give me Hamm on five, hold the Mayo.”

[daler]

“Give me Hamm on five, hold the Mayo.”

[Texas resident]

Leslie Neilson was funny as hell in Airplane.

[Clay Moore]

I have watched Airplane dozens of times and I still laugh so hard that it brings tears to my eyes. RIP and thanks for the laughs.