";s:4:"text";s:25764:"From living there for my first two decades, I noticed the accent didnt get going good until around Sikeston (not Saxton as it would seem) and it progressed as you went deeper into the Bootheel. Reportedly, when this movie was first released, Burt Reynolds was planning to star in Smokey and the Bandit Part 3 (1983). Web. Although the Bandit again sticks to a Pontiac Trans Am, this time a 1980 Turbo model with five color decals unlike 1981's single color decals, the Snowman switches to a 1980 GMC General, silver with blue trim with the same mural on the trailer as in the original film. All pictures from the movie were acquired from www.imcdb.org, Fred Lives!!! I never understood why dragging a truckload of beer from Colorado to Georgia was such a big deal. Whaddya expect outta a guy what drives a conversion van? you can find it on amazon.com . Publicity stated that it involved sixty stunt-men and stunt-women, one hundred cars and eighteen wheeler trucks. Jesus, did you just call Carmine a car novice? Hal Needham did pass away as someone earlier said. After the success of the Smokey and the Bandit Part 2, Universal Pictures ordered a third installment in the popular Bandit car chase franchise. Ill probably get told off for saying this, but the general kind of English stunt man, I could say to him get in that car and drive through that wall and hed just say how much? Rmy was different. "Smokey and the Bandit" was so successful that it saw sales of the Pontiac Trans Am jump by 25,000 in . They destroyed over 350 cars during the filming of Fast and Furious 9. And Burt may be from GA originally, but he calls Florida home, which is another reason I heard the movie was filmed here. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). Cledus takes the Burdettes to Bandit to make the offer in person, but Bandit has become a heavy drinker since breaking up with Carrie ("Frog") and is drunk when the Burdettes arrive and double the payoff to $400,000. What was public reaction like at the time to seeing all those beautiful cars being destroyed? The LCS in Grand Prairie opened in 1971 and operated for 21 years. Wouldnt the accent give you away? Logos 1996. Here's everything you should know about one of the most iconic movie cars ever. I still couldnt resist lighting up the Pontiacs tires while executing my T-turns. Sales jumped even higher in 1979 when Pontiac moved 117,108 Trans Ams. How did any bra manufacturers survive the 70s? Pontiac should have made a radio that played that song automatically simply by pushing a button, or maybe made it the horn sound. A black Trans Am is parked in my garage because of this movie. 24,672 votes and 335 comments so far on Reddit. The films are indeed classic and very funny to this day. The . They retained the white steering wheels until 72 or so , just the thing to preveny burned fingers in the Desert sun . So, for years one, two, and three, he got a shiny new Pontiac. The remaining Smokey and the Bandit Trans Am is currently owned by Florida car collector John Staluppi. The Pontiac Trans Am seems like a natural choice for Smokey and the Bandit, but the car was only a few inches close to not being used in the movie. What Happens When 50 Ml of Water and 50 Ml of Alcohol Are Mixed? In fact, after Smokey and the Bandit became a box office hit, Pontiac saw a marked increase in their stock prices. I really enjoyed this discussion. This past weekend, the city of Jonesboro, Georgia held a two-day festival to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Burt Reynolds classic, . 4 Max Takes On The Raiders In Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior. He's a proud member of the TopSpeed team since early 2014. Burt Reynolds plays Bandit, who drives this powerhouse while dodging the cops, while Snowman, played by Jerry Reed, is not only an actor but also a country music star, a Kenworth W- 900 A a really powerful semitrailer. Regular film-goers might not pay much attention to the car's engine sound, but gearheads will quickly notice that something is off. WildI watched this for the first time in years after watching the latest Archer.the whole thing is an homage to S&B. To give the 1976 model the look of the upcoming vehicle, the automaker installed the bumper of the 1977 Pontiac. 1979 was equally successful for the brand, joining 1978 to create Pontiac's best sales years ever. Even today when I stumble across this cinematic masterpiece being rerun on cable tv, Ill watch the entire thing. This "new rig" suggests that the pair were successful in the "double or nothing" wager offered by the Burdettes at the end of the first film, where they were persuaded to drive from Atlanta to Boston and back in 18 hours to buy clam chowder and bring it to the Burdettes. So many classic quotes in this movie. I enjoyed the hell out of my 1976 Dart Pursuit. Though she still has feelings for Bandit, when Carrie arrives, she initially intones she is only in it for the money, and she and Cledus work on getting Bandit off the booze and back into shape. During this time, the Firebird also surpassed sales figures of the Chevrolet Camaro. A 1975 Pontiac Grand Prix with a Buick Electra behind it. When it comes to where the Trans Ams are, Pontiac gave the production . Bill was a second generation elephant trainer. Just do a search for Crown Victorias on your local CL. Despite the hiccups, the movie still promoted the 1977 model so well. The third-generation Firebird was introduced in 1982, a full two years later than planned. I was just tweaking Jason. While I have read undocumented accounts of there being more than three Trans Ams, Needham stated three is all that were used. Web. 3-Smokey and the Bandit 3-A crime against humanity, not even LSD can make it watchable since you spend the whole night fighting imaginary flying cobras with Jackie Gleasons head on them. While it is doubtful Pontiac sold very many LeMans police packages, if one views this show as realistic, it would seem nearly every county and highway patrol in five states purchased one of Pontiacs heavy duty offerings. In many of his driving scenes, Jerry Reed didnt actually drive the big vehicle. That's because the Trans Am in Smokey and the Bandit didn't sound like a Trans Am. So these kind of represented a rebellion attitude to the government mandated diesel econo hatches everyone thought we were going to be forced to drive in the 80sinterestingly 1979 was also the best year for the Corvette too. Then, when we get into the office we realise the man who owns the 130 saloon also owns all of our Fiat 500s and has come to complain about us. How many cars were wrecked filming Smokey and the Bandit? Actually, there were 2 future Dukes stars in the movie: Ben Jones (Cooter) was in an early scene helping Big Enos find Bandit. DS: I had done a movie called Robbery where Id supplied all the cars. He enlists the help of fellow truck driver Cletus The Snowman Snow, played by country music singer Jerry Reed. I had a 78 Trigger lookalike for a while in the mid 90s, until a wrist pin went out, ended up selling it to one of my brothers buddys uncles. Why isnt Burt Reynolds in Smokey and the Bandit 3? It was the last day of shooting, but I think we shot that 50 or 60 times. When Carrie sees Bandit scribbling on a napkin a picture of Charlotte cradled by suspended netting to keep her off her feet, she angrily leaves, but not before telling Bandit that she will come back only when he likes himself again. Web. 1-Smokey and the Bandit-The classic, the original, and the best one by FAR. All I know is, at the time, if you lived in the east, Coors was some really special beer not unlike microbrews are now. Web. Well, the Corvettes success is clearly due to Corvette Summer, @Jim I remember that movie! Not a bad deal, but on the fourth year, no new car. 5 The Aston Martin Chase In Goldfinger. The film was a . . Here is the LeMans; Gleason literally drives the wheels off: As an aside, heres a curious bit of trivia. Because it takes a lot less thought to fill up a movie with stunts than to create a comedy that's genuinely funny". So you sourced all of the cars for the film, then how did you get them down to Italy? The 1977 Firebird Trans Am, once owned by Burt Reynolds, fetched $495,000 at a Barrett-Jackson auction on Saturday. In 1978, Pontiac delivered 93,351 Trans Ams and 93,944 regular Firebirds for a grand total of 187,295 cars. A Pontiac wagon from earlier in the decade. Buford's brothers were both portrayed by Gleason; "Reggie" was a Canadian version of "Reginald Van Gleason III", a popular character from Gleason's television show. The movie made everyone believe that the Trans Am was a 1977 model. There was a problem. What Conditions Require You to Report a Boating Accident to the Alabama Marine Police? Doc later finds that Charlotte is pregnant and due to give birth any time, but Bandit is determined to stay on schedule. Thats all true. When Smokey & The Banditfirst aired on television in the early 1980s, the Gleason phrase sum bitcha regional butchering of son of a bitchhad to be dubbed out. I dont know if Ive ever seen the unedited version though, so I never realized the orignal phrase was sum bitch, I always assumed it was worse. I grew up in Illinois, within eyeshot of the banks of the MIssissippi River, and ten miles from Cape Girardeau, Missouri. What was your favourite stunt to be involved in? The world record for the longest stunt car jump by a car powered with its own engine, at 163 feet, was performed for the film. Under the hood of the incredible Trans Ams used for the film sat a 400 ci V8 engine, which pushed out somewhere in the realm of 200 horsepower. I think you may be confusing the movie Honky-Tonk Freeway with the filming done during I-75 construction near Sarasota. The sequel to this movie was titled Gator (1976) (1976). A 1977 Pontiac Trans Am had, at most, 220 horsepower and a top speed of only 110 mph. These were the cans with the two circular push buttons on top instead of pull tabs. In my area, nearly every one listed is an ex cop car. Some weren't that lucky and were discontinued altogether. I remember reading somewhere that one of the cars was equipped with a 455 for some of the higher speed scenes. So I bought the car, drove back up to the mountains and got there about 20 minutes before we were supposed to shoot. Are there any other stories from filming that have stuck in your brain all this time? I think even the 2nd gen Camaro enjoyed some of the blast wave from Smokey and the Bandit, 1979 was the best year ever for Camaros as well, with over 280,000 Camaros being sold. Ive since read on the internet that it wasnt illegal so much as a practical thing with it being shipped in refrigerated trucks. That is why there are not any left. Smokey and the Bandit II is a 1980 American action comedy film directed by Hal Needham, and starring Burt Reynolds, Sally Field, . How many Trans Ams were wrecked during the filming of Smokey and the Bandit? The three Mini drivers in the film myself, Barry Cox and Richard Essame drove three Minis back from Turin, all in a line, all racing along, all 20-year-old boys being stupid. Smokey & The Bandit is the greatest movie of the 20th Century! Carrie is overjoyed when she sees Charlotte's baby, and Bandit asks Charlotte's permission for him and Carrie to get hitched, to which Charlotte trumpets her approval; Doc, now riding in the cab with Cledus and Fred, also voices his approval, and they all drive away with Charlotte and her baby in tow in circus carts, with Buford still in pursuit, now driving a Greyhound bus. Luckily, both cars survived, and the Trans Am became famous only five years later. And it was worth it for the brand, as the nameplate sales decided following the redesign. They called out equipment like Radial Tuned Suspension, Calibrated Speedometer, and Power Disc Brakes. Maybe even the dual exhausts and the 400-4 merited badges. Just when we thought we'd seen the last of the real, movie-related, Web. Genshin Impact; Mobile. Cledus calls Carrie, who is back in Texarkana and again about to marry Junior when Cledus calls offering her $50,000 to help out; she agrees and again becomes a runaway bride. Big Enos Burdette is in a literal mudslinging campaign against John Conn for Governor of Texas. Another one is, Theres no way youre from my loins.. Always loved this movie growing up. Well, the interior shots were filmed in Twickenham Studios in a coach that wasnt moving. There has never been anything quite like late 1970s fashion in clothing. And the 400 Pontiac or 403 Olds versions could be made to run well. If you watched the second clip above, this truck should look familiar. And Coors itself limited its distribution to west of the Mississippi. Required fields are marked *. It airs on cable tv all the time. As a publicity stunt, the Trans Ams used in the movie had different decals on the hood scoop. So let's explore this car (and truck) heavy flick, all while giving those who have not seen it a glimpse into a movie . Producer Hal Needham intended Smokey and the Bandit to be one of the best product placement films of all time. Jackie Gleason ad libbed a lot of his lines too. If you stopped at a traffic light the guy behind would push you forward. How much did Coors pay for Smokey and the Bandit? http://www.imcdb.org/vehicle_301466-Ford-LTD-II-1977.html. The pregnant elephant that Bandit & Cledus were trying to deliver from Miami to Dallas finally gives birth at Lion Country Safari wildlife refuge. On top of Burt Reynold's top-notch acting, Smokey and the Bandit is also famous for the Pontiac Trans Am that the actor drove throughout the film. The dog, Fred, was personally picked by lead actor Burt Reynolds because it refused to obey commands. So, the Aston Martin was supposed to be thrown over and explode as it went down. This reminds me of the classic introduction (actually written by Dick Cavett) said by Jack Paar on The Tonight Show: I was 3 years old when the original came out, and do not remember any of these details but, supposedly this was the first movie my parents ever took me to. And how were the Minis adapted for the stunts? By clicking subscribe, you agree to receive news, promotions and offers by email from Top Gear and BBC Studios. I loved the fact that Jackie Gleasons brown Lemans had a blue vinyl interior and it even had the luxury cushion steering wheel! It took four evenings to see almost all of the movie in bits and pieces. One time a friend and I drove back to Kentucky on leave rather than flying; no particular reason, we had plenty of time and wanted to see some of the country. However, two of the principal stars of the film, Burt Reynolds and Sally Field declined to participate due to a contract dispute. The car was not used in the making of Smokey and the Bandit but was given to the actor as a thank you for his role in the film, the company said. In the original screenplay, Bandit's last name is LaRoue (first name never mentioned), Carrie's name was Kate, Cledus' handle was simply just Bandit II, Big Enos and Little Enos' names were Kyle and Dickey, Junior was not a character, Buford's name was different, Bandit's car was not a Trans Am, and the reward for making the run was a new truck . Watching TV and Movies you would think that sales dropped to nil. Behind Sheriff Justices Pontiac, there is a nice looking 1965 or 1966 Ford Mustang fastback and a Toyota pickup. Copyright 2011 - 2021 Curbside Classics. Both of his sons have also worked add elephant trainers. I'm afraid I was responsible for a good few of those. [6] Roger Ebert gave it a one out of four stars and stated that there was "[in 1980] no need for this movie. Later, as Bandit and Cledus enter Texas, Buford lures the Bandit into a trap: a mass of 40 Texas Patrol and Mountie cruisers pursuing him across a desert basin. The film was written and produced before it was announced that the 1980 Republican National Convention would be held in Detroit rather than Dallas. It had the Modello cam kit, ported 69(I think) heads with upsized valves, headers, aftermarket intake, 3.21 gears (Up from 2.41 stock!) Your email address will not be published. And theres this nugget from the director of the coming new Shazam movie; I first watched Smokey on quiet swing shifts from the drivers seat of a 1977 Pontiac Le Mans patrol car, parked by thr back fence of the drive-in theater at the far end of town. One of our favorite movies. There was a case of real beer in the shot though, and gradually as the day went on everyone was getting drunk and falling about so that probably helped with the sense that we were on the edge of the cliff. I dunno about the Foley sounds, I have a T/A with a 400 and an open/no catalytic true dual exhaust, and it sounds really close to how the Bandit car sounds at idle during some scenes from the movie. 'C.B. Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Cledus accepts on Bandit's behalf, but adds that Big Enos should give them half in advance, to which they agree. Yet, the set used a 1976 model, as the 1977 vehicle was not ready. The two escape by crossing a makeshift trailer bridge with Buford and his brothers in pursuit. Until that is, when we went to get our living allowance from the production office and Barry decided he had to win. The dubbed version isnt as bad as the Remastered Blu-ray. I bought that car for under 1,000, but 45 years later I drove it at the Villa dEste concours and it was valued at 700,000. He was the king of all the stunt men and frankly was in a different league to us. As I did Steve McQueen and Paul Newman. The LeMans police car did nothing for me because there was a colonnade LeMans sedan in the garage at home. The singular form of the word is ''smokey''. We stopped in that same Safeway later on the way back home from southern Cal, and they had a huge display of cases of Coors out on the floor near the checkstands. Depends upon what he converted it from. The popularity of the 'Smokey and the Bandit' movies, Smokey and the Bandit (1977) and Smokey and the Bandit II (1980), created a mini-cycle of similarly titled ''Smokey'' pictures such as Smokey and the Bandit Part 3 (1983), Smokey Bites the Dust (1981), Smokey and the Judge (1980), Smokey and the Hotwire Gang (1979), Smokey and the Good Time Outlaws (1978) and 'The Great Smokey Roadblock' [See: The Great Smokey Roadblock (1977)]. As the 1969 classic 'The Italian Job' turns 50 years old, TG.com caught up with David Salamone, the man who piloted the red Mini in that iconic chase scene TG: David, how did you first find out that you were going to be in The Italian Job? S/E T/A with the round headlights. At least at the time the movie was made, this picture contained one of the biggest car chases in film history. That song often pops into my head at the start of long drives. Sales of the coupe exploded after the film hit the silver screen and set unprecedented records for both Pontiac and the Firebird nameplate. Nice article Jason I was a fan of this movie when it came out I look back now and think, wow, did I really think this was entertainment?????? And how did you as stunt drivers get on with the big-name actors that you were working alongside? Only one survived, and it's priceless. The 79-year-old 70s and 80s heartthrob made a rare public appearance over the weekend at Wizard World Chicago. What Is the Best Advice for Writing the Body of a Routine Request Message? Back in 1984, I went to look at a late 1970s Plymouth cop car as well. I developed a pretty good bootheel accent during my time in New Madrid. 2 The Mini Cooper Chase In The Italian Job. Most of the shots that show Reynolds and Field in the car talking were filmed with the T/A being towed along on a lowboy trailer. Eventually I found this Lancia Flaminia 3C, which happened to be silver with a black roof, and at this stage of the game there was no choice. I remember that it had a bunch of trim badges on the center of the dashboard. During a Q&A session on Saturday, filmed by ComicBook.com, a fan asked how many Trans Ams they burned through during production. http://www.leelofland.com/wordpress/john-fedack-my-days-as-a-dekalb-county-police-officer/. Ironically I never really cared all that much for Coors, I dont think it has much flavor, but it was well received when we got to Kentucky. Buford intends to call for help from his brothers Reggie, a Mountie Sergeant in Quebec, and Gaylord, an effeminate Texas State Patrolman. How do you level a dishwasher from the front to the back? Launched on the big screen in 1977, Smokey and the Bandit revolves around two bootleggers as they attempt to illegally transport 400 cases of Coors beer from Texarkana to Atlanta. My family did all grocery shopping in Cape. "Smokey and the Bandit II, Box Office Information", "Weekend Domestic Chart for August 15, 1980", "Smokey and the Bandit II Movie Review (1980)", "Burt Reynolds discusses being The Bandit, his work with Hal Needham and being a Hollywood "whore", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Smokey_and_the_Bandit_II&oldid=1126226000, Rotten Tomatoes template using name parameter, Articles lacking reliable references from December 2020, Album articles lacking alt text for covers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Cliff Crossord, John Durrill, Snuff Garrett, "Deliverance of the Wildwood Flower" (The Bandit Band), "Let's Do Something Cheap and Superficial" (, "Pickin' Lone Star Style" (The Bandit Band), This page was last edited on 8 December 2022, at 05:47. I am indeed a fan. Gator , Stroker Ace , lots of them . Gotta love that guy! Now then you mentionned Sheriff JW Pepper, I decided to post some Youtube clips of him. My drivers ed driving range car was an ex-patrol colonnade Pontiac LeMans Enforcer. Then, when we got back to London it was Saturday afternoon, but we didnt have to get the cars to the studio until Monday morning. and used hard. Burt Reynolds discusses how many Pontiacs were used in the making of Smokey and the Bandit and shares a funny story about the president of Pontiac. To give the 1976 model the look of the upcoming vehicle, the carmaker installed the bumper of the 1977 Pontiac. complete answer on americanmusclecarmuseum.com. Dom DeLuise and Burt Reynolds teamed together numerous times in movies but this was their only 'Smokey and the Bandit' movie that they made together. The 1977 features rectangular quad headlamps instead of only two round lights, a unique slanted and V-shaped nose, and a center-mounted hood scoop. What is the oxidation number of Sn in tin IV sulfate? I think Stroker Ace is after Smokey and the Bandit, though there was Hooper, which was about a stuntman, it also had Sally Field, it was from 1978 or so. Over many viewings I noticed some scenes the car would skate around and take off like an animal while in others there were one-tire-fires and it would struggle to get going. It had an AM transmitter and you would tune in the sound on your AM car radio, or on my case, on a transistor radio. That was a nightmare. Gleasons Justice is the stereotypical Southern sheriff, as seen in this clip. After the movie did well, Pontiac gave Burt a free Trans Am to drive for a few years. When I was a kid, there was an old record from the 50s around the house that was a collection of radio and tv bloopers. One was a radio ad for a movie that went something like: . However, the Trans Am was about more than just . Jackie Gleason plays three characters in this movie: Sheriff Buford T. Justice, Gaylord Justice and Reginald Van Justice. Learn how your comment data is processed. Thanks for this, Jason. Want proof? Both sequels used another Trans Am, not a Cadillac Eldorado, as seen below. The movie had an even bigger impact on the Trans Am. Id be surprised. Was it a heathen? The car used in the film was a 1980 Pontiac Firebird Turbo Trans-Am. complete answer on villains.fandom.com, View In its place was the nonsensical scum bum. The voice over actor? Further, as Pontiac has deliciously obvious product placement, anyone who delights in 70s era Pontiac iron will experience visual ecstasy. After failing to get the outgoing governor's endorsement, Big Enos overhears him on the phone ordering a crate in Miami to be delivered in nine days to the Republican National Convention in Dallas. En route, they stop at a remote fuel station and notice something wrong with Charlotte. We gonna do what they say cant be done Dom DeLuise and Burt Reynolds also stared in "Cannonball Run", where they raced across the country in an ambulance. mascot) which Cledus names "Charlotte" after his aunt. Not everything was Pontiac, as evidenced by this 1973 Plymouth Satellite coupe (CC here). 10. And lets not forget the Trans Am rental car Steve McQueen drove in his very last movie, The Hunter from 1980. Almost all of the 300 Dodge Chargers that were used in the filming of the Dukes of Hazzard TV show ended up as twisted wrecks sitting in a, In particular, the Chevrolet Camaro was already using the front piece when Pontiac mocked up their 77 model for their catalog and for, Web. The boys swapped the headlamps over and sprayed bits with more silver paint. The name / word "Smokey' is C.B. If you watched any of these clips, you heard a goodly number of phrases that still cannot be used on television in the United States. 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