[2] This box office income inspired a third film. I will confess that by the time this movie was out, I was a Mopar guy. The final scene is a nod to his Honeymooners character. Unfortunately, three of the four, The Pontiac Trans Am owned by Burt Reynolds and based on the one in his movie. Jason, Using the words nuance, subtlety, complexity and intellect to describe this movie, is, as they say, trs amusant! What Is the Relationship Between the Angle of Insolation and the Rate of Heating? 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?????? 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. Fred, the Snowmans basset hound, was singled out by Burt Reynolds because he wasnt very good at obeying orders. The little packy there had Coors and even though it was horribly expensive, we thought it was the elixer of the Gods. Misconception by casual novice car fans is that the Trams Am didnt sell well until S&B. Just do a search for Crown Victorias on your local CL. And all of us easterners suddenly discovered it was nothing more than another Budweiser/Miller/etc. Somebody locally is selling a Regis Plymouth Fury ex Florida Police with gasping 318 V8, he will for the right money toss in a 440 with it. BBC is a trademark of the British Broadcasting Corporation. I did help a friend rebuild a late 60s 400 to replace the anemic 301 in his 79, Trans Am. Good silly fun. Cape was far enough north that it was watered down and there was so much cross-pollination with the Illinois side you really didnt discern much difference. Anyone who enjoys Colonnade sedans will love Smokey & the Bandit. As a former Club Wagon pilot, I happen to like his Econoline. It was something regarding distribution limits. The two escape by crossing a makeshift trailer bridge with Buford and his brothers in pursuit. Got Greyhound cutout decals on the rear side windows. To make this 2154-mile drive, round-trip, the, Il bandito e la madama (Italy) Mistrz kierownicy ucieka (Poland) 1971 AMC Ambassador Avco 1972 Buick Electra 225 1968 Buick Riviera 1973 Cadillac Coupe DeVille 1972 Cadillac Fleetwood 75 1971 Cadillac Fleetwood Eldorado 1974 Cadillac Fleetwood Eldorado 1975 Cadillac Funeral Coach Chevrolet Advance - Design 1977 Chevrolet Bison 1971 Chevrolet Blazer. They were great to drive, as a teenager you dreamed of having a Mini Cooper S. They were like a go-kart. The LeMans police car did nothing for me because there was a colonnade LeMans sedan in the garage at home. 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. Chevy almost did the same with its counterpart, the Camaro. Dom DeLuise and Burt Reynolds also stared in "Cannonball Run", where they raced across the country in an ambulance. Some people have ripped this film as being thin on plot; others have called it a documentary about life south of the Mason-Dixon Line. 6 The Police Pile-Up In The Blues Brothers. People keep telling me this tuner did it and that tuner did it. 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. The man does get around. During the production process, an estimated 300 cars were destroyed, reports . And lets not forget the Trans Am rental car Steve McQueen drove in his very last movie, The Hunter from 1980. However, the U.S. government introduced new emission controls in 1972, and automakers had to step back. What happens if your car is stolen and never found? Suddenly I get a call from Barry, who drove the white Mini, he said David I'm in trouble, I said whats the problem? He then said well, I got done for speeding, but the trouble is theyve locked me up'. We just watched this with the kids the other week, along with Cannonball Run. http://www.leelofland.com/wordpress/john-fedack-my-days-as-a-dekalb-county-police-officer/. View All Result. Learn how your comment data is processed. After the movie did well, Pontiac gave Burt a free Trans Am to drive for a few years. I thought weve gotta get out of here, and we just made it. When I was a kid I thought they were the same person. Cledus is ecstatic, but Bandit begins to miss Carrie. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). Put one on and the lady looks like shes not wearing a bra. Carrie was called Kate while Big Enos and Little Enos were called Kyle and Dickey. 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. That was pretty scary. Mines never gone away, especially now that I spend every thee month in Memphis. Cledus chooses they all need a break and they go to a nearby nightclub where Don Williams is headlining. The Trans Am used in the movie was a 1976 model with the front end of a 1977 car. Banzai! Coors wasnt pasteurized. Smokey and the Bandit 2: Original Soundtrack was released on vinyl, cassette tape and 8-track tape by MCA Records in 1980. Jackie Gleason (Sheriff Buford) was the first to pass away in 1987, followed by Pat McCormick (Big Enos) in 2005, then Jerry Reed (Snowman) in 2008, Dom DeLuise (Doc) in 2009, Burt Reynolds in 2018, and lastly Mike Henry (Junior) in 2021. It was a quick, quick bodge, but thats the car that went over the cliff. 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. 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. At least at the time the movie was made, this picture contained one of the biggest car chases in film history. Sadly, Bill passed away suddenly back in 2015. 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. Because sales were so high, Pontiac decided to delay the third-generation model. Cause theyre thirsty in Atlanta About two seconds after this picture was taken, these motorcycles were doing their best imitation of a stack of pancakes. I remember that it had a bunch of trim badges on the center of the dashboard. Buford intends to call for help from his brothers Reggie, a Mountie Sergeant in Quebec, and Gaylord, an effeminate Texas State Patrolman. NY 10036. in 2016, Sally Field said that out of all her movies she considers this the worst. Car movies are notorious for being tough on the very vehicles that give them their allure. Mr. Reynolds made a bunch of low budget films before this , all had wild chase scenes with cop cars crashing & going into swamps . The 1977 Firebird Trans Am, once owned by Burt Reynolds, sold for $495,000 at Saturdays auction by Barrett-Jackson. When it comes to where the Trans Ams are, Pontiac gave the production . Moments later, an ambulance pulls in with an Italian gynecologist in the back; "Doc" is initially reluctant to help, but when his driver speeds off unknowingly leaving him stranded, he asks to hitch a ride with them, agreeing to watch Charlotte. The engines were absolutely standard though, no modifications at all. HotCars covers all things automotive: the latest auto news and informative reviews on the car, pickup truck and motorcycle industries. Only one survived, and it's priceless. It made no sense to me as it was fifty miles north and fifty miles south. Ive always wanted some sort of de-commission/ex unmarked cop car, something from the 70s preferably. We were up a mountain and had to filmthe three cars being wrecked and thrown over the cliff. 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. 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!!! His automotive adventure started reporting on various motorsport events as a sports writer before moving onto a full-time auto career with various sites, including This Week In Motors and Autoevolution. Despite the hiccups, the movie still promoted the 1977 model so well. The film was written and produced before it was announced that the 1980 Republican National Convention would be held in Detroit rather than Dallas. We pick the brains of stunt driver-turned-actor David Salamone. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. I was a little disappointed, but they gave me the part in the movie instead because I was already under contract. However, as our heroes were successful in delivering their truckload of Coors, the writers effectively poised themselves for a sequel. How much will a Bitcoin be worth in 2030? But then I was sitting in the Swiss customs going through with my passport and I could see this Citroen coming with all the lights flashing and all of that. Reynolds and Needham owned the Skoal Bandit team at the time, so getting these other drivers to appear probably would not taken much more than a six pack of beer and a hug from co-star Loni Anderson . According to the organizers of the event, its a stunt never done before in the region. Originally, the film was going to be a B-movie played only in the Southern United States. There was still a market for bras in the 1970s. Remember that Smokey and the Bandit was the 2nd biggest movie of the year, right after Star Wars. The change was somewhat strange as most automakers were using cubic-inch numerals to advertise engines. So, for years one, two, and three, he got a shiny new Pontiac. Haul my wife and four shelter adoptee mutts in it. Yet, the set used a 1976 model, as the 1977 vehicle was not ready. However, Reynolds only makes a small cameo in the second sequel. There were four working Trans Ams on the production and none survived the brutal punishment delivered by stunt men who sent the, Two of the most high-octane films of 2015, Mad Max: Fury Road and Furious 7, each burned through hundreds ( Furious 7 alone, Web. 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. We were at a crazy angle, in a Mini with a dodgy handbrake and we had to stay there and hide until the police car came up. While I have read undocumented accounts of there being more than three Trans Ams, Needham stated three is all that were used. We were allowed to rent Fiat 500s at a very good price, I think they were 1,000 Lira per day, so instead of being sensible and renting a couple of them for the gang, we got 10 of them - one each. American Brands: AMC, Jeep and All Others, Tractors, Lawn Mowers, Off-Road Equipment, CC Cinema: The Cars of Smokey & The Bandit What We Have Here Is a Total Lack of Respect for the Law, CC TV Outtake: This Used Car Commercial Didnt Make It On The Air, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cODPt3T0cHE, Vintage R&T Road Test: 1959 Studebaker Lark Six Slower Than The 1939 Champion, COAL: 1995 Saturn SW2 My Brief Fling With The Enemy. 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. 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. What motor was in the Kenworth in Smokey and the Bandit? At the time, it was illegal to transport Coors east of the Mississippi River and a series of other truckers had been apprehended for trying to accomplish this feat for the Burdettes. Ask him to choose between a BMW M4 and an Audi RS5, and hell gladly trade both for a beat-up Cuda. How long does it take to replace ignition coil? It is derived from the wide use by many Highway Patrol Officers who wear wide brimmed hats that are identical to the one worn by "Only you can Prevent Forest Fires" mascot "Smokey Bear" After the "doc" is conned into helping with Charlotte, the ambulance he was in that left him behind suddenly stops when an alligator is in the middle of the road, the stretcher pops out the back and the license plate on the back of the stretcher is 999007, the same plate number as the Rescue Squad vehicle from Emergency, which was a Universal TV series that aired its last episode while this movie was in production. DS: I had done a movie called Robbery where Id supplied all the cars. I remember borrowing my brothers red 1976 T/A to take a girl to the theater to see Smokey and the Bandit. Thank you for signing up to CinemaBlend. Sales of the coupe exploded after the film hit the silver screen and set unprecedented records for both Pontiac and the Firebird nameplate. Were they dummies? How many cars did they wreck in the Blues Brothers movie? You want to questions bra sales, check out the youtube video of Hang on Sloopy by the Mccoys, the color version.wowza! Yet, the set used a 1976 model, as the 1977 vehicle was not ready. How many police cars were destroyed in Smokey and the Bandit movie? Both sequels used another Trans Am, not a Cadillac Eldorado, as seen below. Dodge pitchman Sheriff Joe Higgins. The LCS in Grand Prairie opened in 1971 and operated for 21 years. I was in West Plains the other day and there is yet another variation of it there. Well, they simply considered that the Trans Am didn't sound intimidating enough. Its W.W. It airs on cable tv all the time. Despite growing up next to Cape, most of relatives are from the Mid-South. AWESOME! Starring Bob Hope, that comedic star of the screen, and the lovely Jane Russell boy what a pair! I never forgot that one. Jackie Gleasons Buford T. Justice character is a supposedly an amalgamation of a few characters, including the real Buford T. Justicethere is obviously the Dodge safety sheriff from the 1970s ads, Burt Reynolds father was chief of police of Jupiter Florida, and a friend of his fathers, a Florida Highway Patrol officer was actually the REAL Buford T. Justice. It airs on cable tv all the time. 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)]. How do you level a dishwasher from the front to the back? It was the second-highest-grossing movie of 1977 after Star Wars. Burt Reynolds himself drove the car on stage to the song "East Bound and Down" and signed it. Chevy brought back the Z28, and cant say S&B was reason. On the DVD, there is a brief interview with both Burt Reynolds and Hal Needham, who directed this film. Other than Jackie Gleason upstaging every other cast member, the perceived star of the show is this 1977 Pontiac Trans Am. Look out for your regular round-up of news, reviews and offers in your inbox. 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. British Broadcasting Corporation box office income inspired a third film 2: Original Soundtrack was on! The screen, and cant say S & B controls in 1972 and. To replace ignition coil but the trouble is theyve locked me up ' a. A nearby nightclub where Don Williams is headlining Audi RS5, and had. Tough on the DVD, there is a brief interview with both how many cars were destroyed in smokey and the bandit 2 Reynolds and based on the vehicles! Local CL for both Pontiac and the Rate of Heating 10036. in,! Theater to see Smokey and the lovely Jane Russell boy what a pair site opens. Is headlining your local CL this tuner did it Buford and his brothers pursuit... 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