Jim Abrahams, ‘Airplane!,’ ‘Naked Gun’ and ‘Hot Shots!’ Master of Mirth, Dies at 80

Story by Mike Barnes

Image from The Hollywood Reporter

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Comedy legend Jim Abrahams, co-creator of iconic films like 'Airplane!' and 'Naked Gun', passes away at 80, leaving behind a legacy of gut-busting laughter and a heartwarming foundation for epilepsy treatment.

beat sheet

Abrahams and the Zucker brothers pioneered a unique 'comedy judo' style, using audiences' expectations against them to deliver their signature brand of zany, satirical humor that skewered everything from movies to commercials.
After their son Charlie developed a rare, difficult-to-control form of epilepsy, the Abrahams family founded the Charlie Foundation, using their platform to help other families facing the same struggle and find relief through a ketogenic diet.

call sheet

Jim Abrahams, Jerry Zucker, David Zucker, Robert Hays, Peter Graves, Lloyd Bridges, Robert Stack, Leslie Nielsen, George Kennedy, O.J. Simpson, Winona Ryder, Jay Mohr, Christina Applegate, Meryl Streep, Paramount, Kentucky Fried Theater, Charlie Foundation for Ketogenic Therapies, Airplane!, Police Squad!, The Naked Gun, The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!, The Naked Gun 2 1/2: The Smell of Fear, The Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult, Top Secret!, Ruthless People, Big Business, Hot Shots!, Hot Shots! Part Deux, Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael, Jane Austen's Mafia!, Scary Movie 4, ... First Do No Harm

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