The assumption is that his favorite country singer is Jerry Reed. From what I have read the artist did the poster rendering from some blown up stills that he was shown from the movie, and none of them for some mysterious reason included the Trans Am, the truck, Reynolds, Gleason, Sally Field, crashing police cars, but no T/A. Many of the movie's scenes take place in northern Palm Beach County, especially at Burt Reynolds' ranch in Jupiter, Florida. Oh, and a hooker girlfriend that looked like Annie Potts. So we all hung together. Sadly, Bill passed away suddenly back in 2015. The production office was in a big square, but he went screaming by, couldnt stop and smashed into a big Fiat 130 saloon. 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)]. Great fun! Car movies are notorious for being tough on the very vehicles that give them their allure. So, we were on a tight schedule and had to reshoot the scene, but we didnt have a DB4. 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 . 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. Even today when I stumble across this cinematic masterpiece being rerun on cable tv, Ill watch the entire thing. It was ultimately closed down in 1992 due to constant flooding from its proximity to the Trinity River. 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. When Smokey & The Banditfirst aired on television in the early 1980s, the Gleason phrase sum bitcha regional butchering of son of a bitchhad to be dubbed out. I have worked a long time to eradicate the one I had but it still crops up periodically from exposure, like you experienced. What Are Desktop Computers Attached to a Network in a Business Setting Called Quizlet? My drivers ed driving range car was an ex-patrol colonnade Pontiac LeMans Enforcer. 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.. The dog, Fred, was personally picked by lead actor Burt Reynolds because it refused to obey commands. NY 10036. The film is the sequel to the 1977 film Smokey and the Bandit. In the original screenplay, Bandit's last name is LaRoue (first name never mentioned), Carrie's name was Kate, Cledus' handle was simply just Bandit II, Big Enos and Little Enos' names were Kyle and Dickey, Junior was not a character, Buford's name was different, Bandit's car was not a Trans Am, and the reward for making the run was a new truck . On Rotten Tomatoes, it has an approval rating of 14% based on reviews from seven critics. Just before we got to the Swiss border some guy was annoying us in a big Citroen, and I thinkwe might have edged him off the road a little bit. I remember borrowing my brothers red 1976 T/A to take a girl to the theater to see Smokey and the Bandit. Bandit is ready to load them both back up in the truck, but Cledus refuses and then knocks Bandit down when he insults him. If you stopped at a traffic light the guy behind would push you forward. Reynolds replied: We went through 12. Although 1977 models also featured 6.6-liter engines, they were rated at only 200 horses. 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. Despite growing up next to Cape, most of relatives are from the Mid-South. Whaddya expect outta a guy what drives a conversion van? Web. 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. Ironically I never really cared all that much for Coors, I dont think it has much flavor, but it was well received when we got to Kentucky. The production team wrecked three for the four cars it received from Pontiac. I went to police stations and got photos, all that nonsense. The 1977 features rectangular quad headlamps instead of only two round lights, a unique slanted and V-shaped nose, and a center-mounted hood scoop. Thats all well and good, and it worked smooth as silk for a good while. The car used in the movie was a 1980 Pontiac Firebird Turbo Trans-Am. Blues Brothers held the record for the most cars smashed until its own sequel deliberately destroyed just one more. How do you level a dishwasher from the front to the back? Burt Reynolds is originally a Georgia boy. Luckily, both cars survived, and the Trans Am became famous only five years later. Yet, the set used a 1976 model, as the 1977 vehicle was not ready. Check out the entire video below. About two seconds after this picture was taken, these motorcycles were doing their best imitation of a stack of pancakes. I am pretty sure it was filmed in Florida, when I-75 was under construction so they could use the highways while empty. Thats all true. 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. Cora is nearly 60 years old now. Soon as I get home, first thing Im gonna do is punch yo mamma in da mouth!. 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. That was a nightmare. The final scene is a nod to his Honeymooners character. But that doesnt make for an interesting movie premise. There was a whole gang of young lads on that movie. The Bandit's car was a second-generation Trans Am and the prize for completing the run was a . They were maneuverable. 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. Did Jerry Reed drive the truck in Smokey and the Bandit 2? Gas was a buck a gallon at the time so fuel economy wasnt a major issue. Have the movie, cheesy as hell, but does have appearances by several NASCAR drivers of the day, including Dale Earnhardt (Senior, not Jr) Kyle Petty, Harry Gant, and one of my favorites of the era, Tim Richmond. Misconception by casual novice car fans is that the Trams Am didnt sell well until S&B. Torque numbers were a lot higher at around 320 ft/lbs. Can I move monarch caterpillars from one milkweed plant to another? Burdette schemes to earn the governor's endorsement and have the crate delivered to the convention in his name and tracks down Cledus "Snowman" Snow and offers him and Bo "Bandit" Darville $200,000 to do the run. Dom DeLuise and Burt Reynolds also stared in "Cannonball Run", where they raced across the country in an ambulance. With this, the Sheriff begins his pursuit of the Mann Act-violating Banditall the way to Georgia. mascot) which Cledus names "Charlotte" after his aunt. Heres how it works. 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. Stroker Ace is after S&B, 1983, and features the then new for 83 aero Fox Body Thunderbird. Only one survived, and it's priceless. Two of the most high-octane films of 2015, Mad Max: Fury Road and Furious 7, each burned through hundreds (Furious 7 alone destroyed a reported 230 cars), but theyre far from the first to do so. The profits we make from it go back to BBC programme-makers to help fund great new BBC programmes. Buford's brothers were both portrayed by Gleason; "Reggie" was a Canadian version of "Reginald Van Gleason III", a popular character from Gleason's television show. The character Cletus Snow (Jerry Reed) mentions that Don Williams is his second favorite country singer. The checker, not batting an eye, Do you want that chilled?. 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. It wasnt distributed in Washington in those days either. In Smokey and the Bandit, there were eight 1977 Trans-Am cars and approximately the same number of police cars (but some said ten). This website is made by BBC Studios Distribution. Here is the LeMans; Gleason literally drives the wheels off: As an aside, heres a curious bit of trivia. Then I had these huge magnesium sump guards made and we had roll bars inside the car. I never understood why dragging a truckload of beer from Colorado to Georgia was such a big deal. Nuts about any form of classic motorsport and muscle cars, Ciprian's currently working on a time machine that would take him back to the 1960s for a long vacation alongside Dan Gurney and Jim Hall. Starring Bob Hope, that comedic star of the screen, and the lovely Jane Russell boy what a pair! I never forgot that one. They destroyed over 350 cars during the filming of Fast and Furious 9. Smokey and the Bandit II was filmed simultaneously with The Cannonball Run, in which Burt Reynolds and Dom DeLuise also starred. Id be surprised. Carrie is overjoyed when she sees Charlotte's baby, and Bandit asks Charlotte's permission for him and Carrie to get hitched, to which Charlotte trumpets her approval; Doc, now riding in the cab with Cledus and Fred, also voices his approval, and they all drive away with Charlotte and her baby in tow in circus carts, with Buford still in pursuit, now driving a Greyhound bus. A number of records were broken at the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale sale in Arizona, which ended last weekend. The scoops were added by the department because the engines ran so hot. 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. Sales of the coupe exploded after the film hit the silver screen and set unprecedented records for both Pontiac and the Firebird nameplate. [6] Roger Ebert gave it a one out of four stars and stated that there was "[in 1980] no need for this movie. If you notice there are several different angled skid marks on the road in the scene where the Bandit picks up Frog, you can see that they did a couple of takes of the T/A skidding to a stop and taking off again. Although he's into just about any type of vehicle, Ciprian is not your typical car enthusiast. After the movie came out, Firebird sales increased even more, but the Trans Am was now the most popular one. Burt Reynolds plays truck driver Bo Bandit Darville. What was public reaction like at the time to seeing all those beautiful cars being destroyed? I was just tweaking Jason. I was a little disappointed, but they gave me the part in the movie instead because I was already under contract. I also own a 1:18 scale version of the Bandit Trans Am. How many cars were ruined in Smokey and the Bandit? The film was a sleeper hit, and following a poor initial performance, it went on to gross $126.7 million in North America, versus a budget of only $4.3 million. How many cars were destroyed in fast and furious? I have only seen pieces of the second and none of the third; I plan to keep it that way. What Conditions Require You to Report a Boating Accident to the Alabama Marine Police? Big Enos Burdette is in a literal mudslinging campaign against John Conn for Governor of Texas. The name / word "Smokey' is C.B. Required fields are marked *. 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. And theres this nugget from the director of the coming new Shazam movie; I first watched Smokey on quiet swing shifts from the drivers seat of a 1977 Pontiac Le Mans patrol car, parked by thr back fence of the drive-in theater at the far end of town. 1979 was equally successful for the brand, joining 1978 to create Pontiac's best sales years ever. Burt Reynolds himself drove the car on stage to the song "East Bound and Down" and signed it. Id like to hear from Mr. Needham why so many of those police cars had what look like shaker hood scoops. Why Is It Important to Break the Vacuum Seal Before Turning Off the Vacuum? When it comes to where the Trans Ams are, Pontiac gave the production . You want to questions bra sales, check out the youtube video of Hang on Sloopy by the Mccoys, the color version.wowza! Smokey and the Bandit II is a 1980 American action comedy film directed by Hal Needham, and starring Burt Reynolds, Sally Field, Jerry Reed, Jackie Gleason and Dom DeLuise. 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. I looked at a Bluesmobile worthy 1977 Plymouth Grand Fury, the big ones, it was an ex Florida Highway Patrol car, but it had a pretty good amount of rust and it was pretty beat. Both of his sons have also worked add elephant trainers. The three movie cars were destroyed during various stunts, so the promo car is the only surviving Trans Am connected to this film. Theres really nothing like an old cop car. Ill probably get told off for saying this, but the general kind of English stunt man, I could say to him get in that car and drive through that wall and hed just say how much? Rmy was different. I did help a friend rebuild a late 60s 400 to replace the anemic 301 in his 79, Trans Am. In 1976-78, while a high school student in Norwalk, CT, me and a few buddies would routinely drive up to Vista, NY, which was just over the state line. Behind Sheriff Justices Pontiac, there is a nice looking 1965 or 1966 Ford Mustang fastback and a Toyota pickup. Watch on. In its place was the nonsensical scum bum. The voice over actor? Radio slang for any member of Law Enforcement. Henry Corden, the voice of cartoon character Fred Flintstone. Smokey and the Bandit is a 1977 American road action comedy film . And Burt may be from GA originally, but he calls Florida home, which is another reason I heard the movie was filmed here. How many protons and electrons are in a nitrogen atom? I enjoyed the hell out of my 1976 Dart Pursuit. That said, an uncomplimentary accent does exist. Dodge pitchman Sheriff Joe Higgins. Logos 1996. Cinemablend is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Cora was owned by Bill and Cindy Morris of Elephant Encounter. Except that shes not sagging. I prefer Buford T. Justices 1980 Pontiac Bonneville and his 1983 Pontiac Bonneville in Smokey and The Bandit III. That is why there are not any left. Pontiac took the cars back and eventually gave them to the producers to be used in the film. So why did they go with sound effects instead of the Trans Am's actually exhaust noise? Burt Reynolds discusses how many Pontiacs were used in the making of Smokey and the Bandit and shares a funny story about the president of Pontiac. This movie came out during my early formative years pre grade school. 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?????? However, two of the principal stars of the film, Burt Reynolds and Sally Field declined to participate due to a contract dispute. in 2016, Sally Field said that out of all her movies she considers this the worst. The owner restored it and sold it at the Scottsdale 2016 auction by Barrett-Jackson. At the beginning of the film, Sheriff Buford T. Justice stands in front of a church named "Texarkana Reformed United Evangelical Fundamental Church of God, the Twelve Apostles and Assorted Saints.". After critics panned the film and his work as Director, Hal Needham took out a full page ad in 'Variety' depicting himself sitting on a wheelbarrow full of cash. Of course there was no movie at the time or nothing to show for it, so they couldnt work it out. When Bandit removes a splinter from Charlotte's foot, she takes a liking to him. "Smokey and the Bandit" was so successful that it saw sales of the Pontiac Trans Am jump by 25,000 in . Ive also looked at a Fox based LTD cop car and an early 1991 whale Caprice 9C1 detective model, burgundy on burgundy cloth. These questions all need to be answered. There was a true concern (for some minuscule reason) about it going east of the Mississippi River. Look out for your regular round-up of news, reviews and offers in your inbox. Since mentioning the Kenworth, it must be noted it was a redecorator of the highest fashion. I was in West Plains the other day and there is yet another variation of it there. a custom mandrel bent dual exhaust, and the Mondello bottom end plate to stabilize the windowed mains. I guess the Trans Am proved to have more staying power than the hot 71 Ford in the earlier movie. Her groom? Alan Reed was the original voice of Fred Flintstone; Henry Corden only took over after Reeds death in 1977. After the movie did well, Pontiac gave Burt a free Trans Am to drive for a few years. In fact, after Smokey and the Bandit became a box office hit, Pontiac saw a marked increase in their stock prices. Coors wasnt pasteurized. Lets take a look. The film was written and produced before it was announced that the 1980 Republican National Convention would be held in Detroit rather than Dallas. 12/14 A Total Of 3 Trans Ams Were Destroyed During Filming via iconic premier Out of four Trans Ams used for the filming of Smokey And The Bandit, three were completely totaled in the process. I dunno about the Foley sounds, I have a T/A with a 400 and an open/no catalytic true dual exhaust, and it sounds really close to how the Bandit car sounds at idle during some scenes from the movie. That was a car we abandoned on the side of the road. And theres beer in Texarkana.. What happens if your car is stolen and never found? The remaining Smokey and the Bandit Trans Am is currently owned by Florida car collector John Staluppi. The 'Smokey and the Bandit' Trans Am was a 1976 model, and three were destroyed. http://www.leelofland.com/wordpress/john-fedack-my-days-as-a-dekalb-county-police-officer/. Smokey and the Bandit II " was the eighth most popular 1980 movie at the U.S.A. and Canada box office. Likely this isnt any rare engine venting package, but I could be wrong. 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. What Trans Am was in Smokey and the Bandit 2? They destroyed all those cars in the films he said. Everything was calculated to one mile an hour. 6 The Police Pile-Up In The Blues Brothers. 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. Of course, it wasnt hard to wake them up. Just do a search for Crown Victorias on your local CL. Mrs Jason wont let me sell the sumbitch. I grew up in Illinois, within eyeshot of the banks of the MIssissippi River, and ten miles from Cape Girardeau, Missouri. See where the "Fast and Furious" movies and "Mad Max: Fury Road" land on our list. As luck and script writing would have it, Frog has left her groom at the altar. We were given a living allowance. If you watched any of these clips, you heard a goodly number of phrases that still cannot be used on television in the United States. [3][4] It also set a record for an opening week, with a gross of $18,108,031. Back in 1984, I went to look at a late 1970s Plymouth cop car as well. Yet when I think of a 70s T/A, thats the one I and Im sure millions of other folks think of. I was in the Air Force during this era, stationed in California. 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. We had to carry on shooting and it wasnt worth it. The . Reynolds was the top box office draw from 1975 to 1982, then his movies really started to go downhill. Bandit orders Cledus to get to Dallas, but he enlists a large convoy of his trucker pals and comes to Bandit's rescue instead, wrecking nearly all of the cruisers in a giant demolition derby while Doc and Charlotte watch from the sidelines. So I bought the car, drove back up to the mountains and got there about 20 minutes before we were supposed to shoot. Smokey and the Bandit 2: Original Soundtrack was released on vinyl, cassette tape and 8-track tape by MCA Records in 1980. Buford intends to call for help from his brothers Reggie, a Mountie Sergeant in Quebec, and Gaylord, an effeminate Texas State Patrolman. There was still a market for bras in the 1970s. http://www.imcdb.org/vehicle_301466-Ford-LTD-II-1977.html. Your email address will not be published. I think even the 2nd gen Camaro enjoyed some of the blast wave from Smokey and the Bandit, 1979 was the best year ever for Camaros as well, with over 280,000 Camaros being sold. 1500 gallons each of both day-glo orange paint and cow manure was dropped by five vintage World War II planes during the aerial battle sequence. The 'Smokey and the Bandit' Trans Am was a 1976 model, and three were destroyed. So you sourced all of the cars for the film, then how did you get them down to Italy? complete answer on americanmusclecarmuseum.com. The truck in Smokey and the Bandit (1977) that Cledus 'Snowman' Snow drove was a black and gold 1974 Kenworth W900 Model. The world record for the longest stunt car jump by a car powered with its own engine, at 163 feet, was performed for the film. While I have read undocumented accounts of there being more than three Trans Ams, Needham stated three is all that were used. "I think with all of these films, you read the . Ive since read on the internet that it wasnt illegal so much as a practical thing with it being shipped in refrigerated trucks. I think thats another line theyve edited out for the television version. But the producer of that was Michael Deeley, who then happened to produce The Italian Job. One of those things that will make my kids think Im crazy some day. Cause theyre thirsty in Atlanta This movie was filmed in Georgia as well. The differences between the two are major. Then they checked the registration number, which was completely fake. Lets take a look at some more cars found in the movie. 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. So, for years one, two, and three, he got a shiny new Pontiac. It was practiced and worked at first, then hed modify things if it wasnt quite right. RCMP constable Reginald Van Justice and the woman with whom he sings are supposed to lampoon Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google, I am indeed a fan. Bandit later finds Carrie and tells her that he likes himself now, and that he does not want to be without her. Needham stated that by the end of production, there really wasnt much left of any of the three. 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. Mr. Reynolds elevated the dreck that he appeared in to a higher level, that is, enjoyable. He's a proud member of the TopSpeed team since early 2014. To give the 1976 model the look of the upcoming vehicle, the automaker installed the bumper of the 1977 Pontiac. What was your favourite stunt to be involved in? Unfortunately he passed away a few months ago or that would have been a great question to ask. 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. How many Trans Am cars were used in the original smokey and The Bandit movie? The $%&#* Germans got nuthin to do with it!, Such a great movie I grew up in the 80s, so it was comforting to watch this, Blues Brothers, or Animal House once a week on TBS/TNT. Sales jumped even higher in 1979 when Pontiac moved 117,108 Trans Ams. On the DVD, there is a brief interview with both Burt Reynolds and Hal Needham, who directed this film. 20. Many brand new Pontiac Le Mans sedan cars decked out as police cars were seen during the roundup sequence. Always a favorite. Both the 1976 and '77 models had a similar body except for a few bumper and grille modifications. The truck in Smokey and the Bandit (1977) that Cledus 'Snowman' Snow drove was a black and gold 1974 Kenworth W900 Model. We were up a mountain and had to filmthe three cars being wrecked and thrown over the cliff. Where is Armando from 90 Day Fianc from? Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, BBC is a trademark of the British Broadcasting Corporation. The sticker read "T/A 6.6," which was a reminder of the engine's 6.6-liter displacement. Needing a fast set of wheels to distract law enforcement, Reynolds character purchases this 1977 Pontiac Trans-Am. I remember reading somewhere that one of the cars was equipped with a 455 for some of the higher speed scenes. We stopped in that same Safeway later on the way back home from southern Cal, and they had a huge display of cases of Coors out on the floor near the checkstands. What motor was in the Kenworth in Smokey and the Bandit? That girl from the McCoys video probably looks like Paula Deen now. Your information will be used in accordance with our privacy policy. The Trans Am was a high-performance package for the Firebird, Pontiac's take on the Chevrolet Camaro. His personaround, dumpy, and clipping wordsreminds one of another fictional southern sheriff. And lets not forget the Trans Am rental car Steve McQueen drove in his very last movie, The Hunter from 1980. No, the T/A was selling fine before the movie, and the black/gold package dates to 1976, a full year before the movie was out in summer 77. People keep telling me this tuner did it and that tuner did it. 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