What was REALLY funny about the coke machine "shooting" scene (in order to get change, to use a pay phone to relay the call-back code, in order to avoid an all-out thermonuclear war), was Major Guano's deadpan reply to being quite literally ordered "to shoot that machine"----
"Ok, but you'll have to answer to the Coke-Cola Company for this..."
The checklist scene has long been amongst my all-time favorites, as others here also have mentioned.
I can see and hear it in memory, not having seen the film in twenty years or so...
I think Sellers played at least one more role in the movie.
Early on in the film, (in the first minute?) he was a flower deliverer.
Curtis LeMay was our dangerous doberman, selected early on in the cold war, to "send a message" to the roos-kies, along the lines of "don't even make us think you're attempting to pull something, and if you do actually "commit", this dog of ours will bomb the shi-ite out of you, without hesitation..."
He lives breathes dreams bomb 'em bomb em bomb em!
No joke, that.
True, 7MMmag.
Curtis LeMay was the POC and Go-To Guy when the Roos-skis rolled around Berlin and began their Blockade/Embargo of the city. And is a personal God of mine.
LeMay initiated and laid the groundwork for the Berlin Airlift. Getting what C-47s and C-54s he could in Europe and the UK (and later the US) to begin flying in supplies of wheat and coal.
Though he took the wrong approach in making the flights more of a race. Which resulted in accidents and crashes. And his being replaced. Rather than the steady constant fall of a raindrop on a stone.
From there LeMay, became the fire-breathing Father of SAC!
What struck me about the film, then and now. Is that the cast. With Heavy Hitters like Scott and Hayden, most noted for drama (The Hustler, Asphalt Jungle) Slipped seamlessly into their comdeic roles and truly brought them to life!
Jack.