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Airplane!’s Creators Reveal the Origins of ‘Don’t Call Me Shirley’

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The iconic 'Don't call me Shirley' line from 'Airplane!' nearly didn't make the cut, until the creators revealed its hilarious backstory.
beat sheet
  • Leslie Nielsen improvised the 'Don't call me Shirley' line on set, saving the scene from being scrapped due to a lack of laughs.
  • The Zucker brothers and Jim Abrahams initially dismissed the line as too silly, until they realized it perfectly captured the absurdist spirit of the film's 100 jokes-per-minute pace.
call sheet
Leslie Nielsen, Jerry Zucker, David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, Airplane!
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