Football players Joe Klecko and Terry Bradshaw also appear in both films. And back then what I wanted most of all was a highly customized Vette with exposed headlights. To give the 1976 model the look of the upcoming vehicle, the automaker installed the bumper of the 1977 Pontiac. It follows the adventures of a couple of truck drivers bootlegging Coors, which couldnt legally be sold East of the Mississippi River at the time. For the 1980 film's main chase, 60 police cars were bought for $400 a piece, and outfitted. The 'Smokey and the Bandit' Trans Am was a 1976 model, and three were destroyed. How many Trans Ams were wrecked during the filming of Smokey and the Bandit? As if GM owes them something. What happens if your car is stolen and never found? Mr. Reynolds elevated the dreck that he appeared in to a higher level, that is, enjoyable. Genshin Impact; Mobile. As a publicity stunt, the Trans Ams used in the movie had different decals on the hood scoop. In my area, nearly every one listed is an ex cop car. Of course, nobody else cared if it was in the trunk of the car when heading back home. Stunt driver Raymond Kohn has recreated one of the most famous car stunts from the movie Smokey and the Bandit. A world-record automobile jump was captured on film during the "roundup sequence", when stuntman Gary Davis jumped a 1974 Dodge Monaco over 150 feet. He was a scientist. I recall a big smokey burnout right after they left Snowmans house that looked 455-worthy and also after Bandit picked up Fields he left two strips after nailing second (right before the tire thieves crossed the road), which makes me think there was also a 4 speed car used. 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. How many cars were ruined in Smokey and the Bandit? It was a great car for the movie. These included Mel Tillis as a Fairground Owner, Brenda Lee as a Nice Lady, Don Williams as himself, and the Statler Brothers, Phil Balsley, Lew DeWitt, Harold Reid and Don Reid also as themselves. There was, however, one "promotion" car that traveled hither and thither to plug the movie, which had an initial budget of $1,000,000 and ended up . Despite growing up next to Cape, most of relatives are from the Mid-South. Jackie Gleason's brief appearance as Reginald Van Justice was a reference to Reginald Van Gleason III, a character he played throughout his TV career. Your email address will not be published. The remaining Smokey and the Bandit Trans Am is currently owned by Florida car collector John Staluppi. So, the Aston Martin was supposed to be thrown over and explode as it went down. Unfortunately, three of the four, The Pontiac Trans Am owned by Burt Reynolds and based on the one in his movie. By clicking subscribe, you agree to receive news, promotions and offers by email from Top Gear and BBC Studios. Nah, they survived by coming up with bras with very thin cups. Well, the interior shots were filmed in Twickenham Studios in a coach that wasnt moving. The Pontiac Trans Am car belonging to the Bandit - Bo Darville was jokingly special billed by the production as "Son of Trigger". [2] This box office income inspired a third film. Ive always wanted some sort of de-commission/ex unmarked cop car, something from the 70s preferably. That's because the Trans Am in Smokey and the Bandit didn't sound like a Trans Am. In every movie they made together, Field played Reynolds' girlfriend. According to Motorious, there are four Trans Ams in the film, but three were destroyed. I have since moved on from them, mainly because in stock form, they were not particularly great cars (though good enough for the times). I know, Ive owned a 75 for 23 years. He is hired by Big Enos Burdette and his son Little Enos to transport a truck load of Coors beer from Texarkana, Texas, back to Georgia in 28 hours. Toward the end of the movie, Sheriff Justice makes a remark about retiring. In a rare public appearance, Burt Reynolds revealed how many cars they wrecked making Smokey and Low-Key Loves Gerard Butlers 'Has Fallen Movies, And The Actor Shared Sweet Email The Marvel Star Sent In Support, Mayor Of Kingstown Producer Opens Up About Season 3 Plan And Jeremy Renner's Accident As Actor Posts About Missing His Happy Place. Every day there was a story, my worst memory would be with the Aston Martin though. A 1975 Pontiac Grand Prix with a Buick Electra behind it. Look out for your regular round-up of news, reviews and offers in your inbox. The sequel to this movie was titled Gator (1976) (1976). How Do Frodo and Sam Leave Mount Doom After the One Ring Is Destroyed? The Smokey and The Bandit Trans Am well described Pontiac's racing spirit. Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, Burt Reynolds may be 79, but he shows no signs of slowing down. I fondly remember lots and lots of terrible B grade movies @ the drive in in the early to mid 1970s all featuring cars racing , smashing and so on . Im east bound, just watch ol Bandit run.. Starring Bob Hope, that comedic star of the screen, and the lovely Jane Russell boy what a pair! I never forgot that one. The films are indeed classic and very funny to this day. The 'Smokey and the Bandit' Trans Am was a 1976 model, and three were destroyed. I still couldnt resist lighting up the Pontiacs tires while executing my T-turns. complete answer on findmeabrewery.com, View [7], Burt Reynolds later said that he did not enjoy working on the film at all, feeling that it was an unnecessary sequel put together by Universal purely for money-making reasons rather than to try making a good picture.[8]. 6 The Police Pile-Up In The Blues Brothers. The MASSIVE year over year sales gains came from somewhere. Is It Better to Do a Face Mask at Night or in the Morning? Web. 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. The 403 Olds T/A was a dog, stock, but with some easily obtained parts, could be turned into a very nice low 13 second tire melter. The final scene is a nod to his Honeymooners character. 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. When Bandit removes a splinter from Charlotte's foot, she takes a liking to him. A paper on Cognitive psychology was published in the 1990 issue of Computers in Human Perception. We had to carry on shooting and it wasnt worth it. Of course, we could argue that Needham could have used the engine note of a Pontiac GTO from the golden muscle car, but the 1955 Custom recordings were probably readily available, and he just didn't need the hassle. Torque numbers were a lot higher at around 320 ft/lbs. Nintendo; PS4; Xbox; PS5; Stadia; Gaming. And then we drove them all back again afterwards. How do you level a dishwasher from the front to the back? You could get in and out of spaces. It had amazing throttle response, with a hit that either scared people, or made them giggle. The movie made everyone believe that the Trans Am was a 1977 model. A strike at General Motors in 1972 limited the production of the Trans Am to less than 1,300 units that year, and Pontiac almost canceled the nameplate. 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. So, I kind of got semi-sidelined after all of that. The film was followed by another sequel three years later, Smokey and the Bandit Part 3 (1983), in which Reynolds only made a brief cameo appearance, and Sally Field did not appear. 1979 was equally successful for the brand, joining 1978 to create Pontiac's best sales years ever. Well they didnt, they were standard cars. 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: . Smokey and the Bandit II was filmed simultaneously with The Cannonball Run, in which Burt Reynolds and Dom DeLuise also starred. Since mentioning the Kenworth, it must be noted it was a redecorator of the highest fashion. Cora was owned by Bill and Cindy Morris of Elephant Encounter. The pregnant elephant that Bandit & Cledus were trying to deliver from Miami to Dallas finally gives birth at Lion Country Safari wildlife refuge. (first posted 2/28/2014) The fourth highest grossing film in the United States in 1977 was the Academy Award nominated Smokey & The Bandit. Sheriff Justice doesn't drive a Bonneville until the sequel, Smokey and the Bandit 2. Are there any other stories from filming that have stuck in your brain all this time? Mines never gone away, especially now that I spend every thee month in Memphis. The dubbed version isnt as bad as the Remastered Blu-ray. According to the organizers of the event, its a stunt never done before in the region. Dodge pitchman Sheriff Joe Higgins. Sales almost doubled in two years, which is a very big deal given that the Trans Ams 1978 facelift was rather minor save for the front fascia. The cashier never batted an eye as she sold us the mass quantities of suds. http://www.leelofland.com/wordpress/john-fedack-my-days-as-a-dekalb-county-police-officer/. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Entering Louisiana, Doc says that Charlotte is almost in labor and needs to be off her feet. I think thats another line theyve edited out for the television version. After the movie did well, Pontiac gave Burt a free Trans Am to drive for a few years. Well, they simply considered that the Trans Am didn't sound intimidating enough. Id been driving for years by the time I was 15, so I just wanted to complete the course with as little static as possible. 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. Even with the hiccup, the film still advertised the 1977 model so well. Anyone who enjoys Colonnade sedans will love Smokey & the Bandit. Just when we thought we'd seen the last of the real, movie-related, Web. Web. I mean, immediately, there wasn't a great reaction. Only 1,107 Y84 Special Edition Bandit Trans Ams were produced in 1979, according to sportscarmarket.com. 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. As Fred Flintstone was modeled off Ralph Kramden, the Jackie Gleason character from the 1950s television showThe Honeymooners, the tone and intonation of the dubbing was highly convincing. And all of us easterners suddenly discovered it was nothing more than another Budweiser/Miller/etc. I recall reading somewhere that the Trans Am that did the bridge jump had a tweaked Chevy 350 in it with a stick, and of course that it was WO after the jump. When the sequence was concluded, US $250,000 worth of vehicles had been smashed. In addition to the four Trans Ams, Needham also received two Pontiac LeMans models to serve as patrol cars in the movie. How Many Electrons Does Phosphorus Have to Gain in Order to Achieve an Octet? 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. Rockford Files also featured Firebird, and was on since 1974, and Fs sold well despite gas crunch I and inflation. The cars were originally ordered by a car rental agency in Phoenix, who refused to accept the delivery when they discovered the cars were not equipped with air conditioning. We just watched this with the kids the other week, along with Cannonball Run. Funny that T/A isnt on the movie poster, considering it was the obvious star of the show. Gleason has a treasure trove of hilarious lines and it was this movie that started my love affair of cars back in the early 1980s. Id like to hear from Mr. Needham why so many of those police cars had what look like shaker hood scoops. On Rotten Tomatoes, it has an approval rating of 14% based on reviews from seven critics. Probably the most interesting thing about this movie and Burt Reynolds is that he is not originally a Southern boy at all he was actually born in the Wolverine State Lansing, Michigan to be precise. His personaround, dumpy, and clipping wordsreminds one of another fictional southern sheriff. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Because sales were so high, Pontiac decided to delay the third-generation model. I prefer Buford T. Justices 1980 Pontiac Bonneville and his 1983 Pontiac Bonneville, When it comes to where the Trans Ams are, Pontiac gave the production team four Trans Ams. Where is Armando from 90 Day Fianc from? 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. What Happens When 50 Ml of Water and 50 Ml of Alcohol Are Mixed? I dont know whose idea was to replace the wicked Two Lane Blacktop Chevy sourced engine sound effects with an authentic 200 horsepower muffled smogger 400, but that sumbitch is a scumbum!!! But while the cars shown in the movie look like 1977-model-year Trans Ams, they were actually 1976 models. View We could go round roundabouts and not let anyone on, just by going round and round. you can find it on amazon.com . Reynolds wanted Sally to express her feelings about the breakup on film because he wanted to know how she really felt about him. Blimey. 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. Yet when I think of a 70s T/A, thats the one I and Im sure millions of other folks think of. I have always loved this movie, watched it dozens and dozens of times on TV, video, DVD, laserdisc, almost any form of media. But the producer of that was Michael Deeley, who then happened to produce The Italian Job. Buford intends to call for help from his brothers Reggie, a Mountie Sergeant in Quebec, and Gaylord, an effeminate Texas State Patrolman. Olds 88. The uncut version is the best. So, it seems apt to end on this one, how was that final cliffhanger scene filmed? Sales of the coupe exploded after the film hit the silver screen and set unprecedented records for both Pontiac and the Firebird nameplate. 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. How long does it take to replace ignition coil? Smokey and the Bandit Bridge Jump. And he succeeded as far as the Pontiac Trans Am is concerned. In every movie they made together, Field played Reynolds' girlfriend. Cledus accepts on Bandit's behalf, but adds that Big Enos should give them half in advance, to which they agree. This movie came out during my early formative years pre grade school. So I bought the car, drove back up to the mountains and got there about 20 minutes before we were supposed to shoot. It cornered amazingly well for such a large car, but the posi rear end emitted ominous sounds so I passed on it (I was in college and didnt have any place to do major repairs). They were great to drive, as a teenager you dreamed of having a Mini Cooper S. They were like a go-kart. How did any bra manufacturers survive the 70s? Great fun! I never understood why dragging a truckload of beer from Colorado to Georgia was such a big deal. How many cars did they wreck in Smokey and the Bandit? Smokey and the Bandit is a 1977 American road action comedy film . Soon after the trio start off for Dallas, they are accosted for the first of several times by Sheriff Justice, but Bandit outwits him and they escape. With that in mind, Ill go with what Ive heard from my Georgia friends, to wit Sheriff Justices diablo sandwich is the Macon version, which is made with fried eggs and red hots. COAL Update: 1963 Buick Riviera A Journey Of A Thousand Miles, Etc. Although he's into just about any type of vehicle, Ciprian is not your typical car enthusiast. I went to police stations and got photos, all that nonsense. While the initial concern was it having a regional appeal, it would ultimately play as well in New York City and Chicago as it did Atlanta, Georgia, or Biloxi, Mississippi. This movie is one of a handful of pictures that Burt Reynolds made with his 1970s girlfriend Sally Field. The sound came from a 1955 Chevrolet Custom, the same car that was used in Two-Lane Blacktop and American Graffiti, films launched in 1971 and 1973, respectively. That was pretty scary. 103 cars destroyed in the 1980 film, 104 cars destroyed in Blues Brothers 2000. Lets take a look. "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. View we could go round roundabouts and not let anyone on, just watch ol Run... 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