Free Republic

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...

Last year marked the 40th anniversary of the release of “Airplane!,” the comedy I wrote and directed with my brother Jerry and our friend Jim Abrahams. Just before the world shut down, Paramount held a screening at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood, followed by a Q&A in which an audience member asked a question we never used to receive: “Could you make ‘Airplane!’ today?” My response: “Of course, we could. Just without the jokes.” Although people tell me that they love “Airplane!” and it seems to be included on just about every Top Five movie-comedy list, there was talk at...