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

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Image from Vulture

scrn logline

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!