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Its amazing, you should watch it. The Pontiac Firebird Trans Am from Smokey and the Bandit is one of the most famous movie cars of all time. [12] The area around Helen, Georgia, was used for some locations. How did any bra manufacturers survive the 70s? He is hired by Big Enos Burdette and his son Little Enos to transport a truck load of Coors beer from Texarkana, Texas, back to Georgia in 28 hours. However, as our heroes were successful in delivering their truckload of Coors, the writers effectively poised themselves for a sequel. The three original films introduced two generations of the Pontiac Trans Am and the Dodge Stealth in the television movies. Except for Gleason, the original actors mostly redubbed their lines for the television version. The sticker read "T/A 6.6," which was a reminder of the engine's 6.6-liter displacement. S/E T/A with the round headlights. How many smokey and the bandit movies are there? 1980 ERTL SMOKEY & THE BANDIT PONTIAC FIREBIRD DIECAST CAR police car Seven: (Three with Burt Reynolds and Crew, and Four without) Smokey and the Bandit - 1977 Smokey and the Bandit II - 1980 Smokey and the Bandit III . Well, at least that's what you saw in the movie. With Reynolds' salary at $1 million, Needham was left with only $3.3 million to make the film. Free shipping for many products! Since mentioning the Kenworth, it must be noted it was a redecorator of the highest fashion. 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. There's one black Trans Am left from 'Smokey and The Bandit.' It's While made to take advantage of the ongoing 1970s CB radio fad, the film added to the craze. They return one minute after their time limit, but instead of taking the payoff, Carrie and Bandit accept a double-or-nothing offer from Little Enos: a challenge to run up to Boston and bring back clam chowder in 18 hours. Tragically, every Trans Am used in filming was destroyed. Just after re-entering Georgia, Snowman is rescued by Bandit after being stopped by a Georgia State Patrol motorcycle trooper, and state and local police intensely pursue Bandit with roadblocks and a helicopter to track his movement. Always a favorite. Actually, there were 2 future Dukes stars in the movie: Ben Jones (Cooter) was in an early scene helping Big Enos find Bandit. His personaround, dumpy, and clipping wordsreminds one of another fictional southern sheriff. There was a true concern (for some minuscule reason) about it going east of the Mississippi River. The film features the custom clothing and costuming of Niver Western Wear of Fort Worth, Texas. I think thats another line theyve edited out for the television version. Many people believed beforehand that the film was not right for . The story replaced the Coors beer with Mobil 1 products. There are an abundance of cars in this movie. Mines never gone away, especially now that I spend every thee month in Memphis. [11] The movie was primarily filmed in Georgia, in the cities of McDonough, Jonesboro, and Lithonia. [24] With an original budget of $5.3 million (cut to $4.3 million two days before initial production),[4] the film eventually grossed $126,737,428 in North America,[25] making it the second-highest-grossing movie of 1977 (only Star Wars earned more, with $221.3 million). While Sheriff Justice doesnt deal well with the pressures of high speed pursuit, as seen above, his Pontiac LeMans (CC here) withstands the most abuse of any car in this entire movie. Yet when I think of a 70s T/A, thats the one I and Im sure millions of other folks think of. Neither Buford nor any other lawmen know of Snowman's illegal manifest, while Bandit is likewise unaware that Buford is chasing him because of Carrie, whose jumpiness inspires Bandit to give her the CB handle "Frog". HotCars covers all things automotive: the latest auto news and informative reviews on the car, pickup truck and motorcycle industries. With the Smokey and the Bandit actor gone, and the impact the actor had on the Trans Am community, having one of the few connections to him destroyed is too much. That's because Pontiac almost canceled the Firebird in the early 1970s. With Reynolds agreement to do the movie, and his insistence upon casting Gleason as Sheriff Justice, the movie became a larger venture. It became Reed's signature song and is on multiple albums, including Country Legends and his live album Jerry Reed "Live!" 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. you can find it on amazon.com . But that doesnt make for an interesting movie premise. I started cruising through EBay and the next thing I knew I won the auction for a clean 400/4 speed/T-Top 78 Trans Am. The uncut version is the best. In particular, the scene where Sheriff Justice unknowingly encounters the Bandit in the "choke and puke" (a roadside diner) was not in the original story but was rather Gleason's idea. Burt Reynolds once claimed in an interview that there were actually 12 Trans Ams featured in Smokey and the Banditand he wrecked every one. Ive always wanted some sort of de-commission/ex unmarked cop car, something from the 70s preferably. Justice. Burt Reynolds plays truck driver Bo Bandit Darville. Not everything was Pontiac, as evidenced by this 1973 Plymouth Satellite coupe (CC here). A CC for a 1973 Grand Ville convertible can be found here. Cause theyre thirsty in Atlanta Somewhere along the line, the company acquired a new president who told Reynolds: Im the new president, and I dont like your movies. In the movie . Duarte or maybe ir was Arcadia , it was white with a red & blue pinstripe , we dropped $400 (an ungodly sum back then) on a re paint and pin striping but could _not_ sell that wretched POC , it took us two years IIRC . Dont let his grumpiness fool you though; hes more than excited to provide the latest news and reviews on the most interesting cars in the industry. How "Smokey and the Bandit" was born | Fortune Three actors from the main cast of The Dukes of Hazzard appear in small uncredited roles in Smokey and the Bandit: Ben Jones, John Schneider, and Sonny Shroyer (who played a police officer in both). [8] Niver provided much of the western attire worn in the film, as well as the custom-made sheriff's uniforms (waist size 64") that Gleason wore throughout the film. The movie had an even bigger impact on the Trans Am. That's because the Trans Am in Smokey and the Bandit didn't sound like a Trans Am. Ive since read on the internet that it wasnt illegal so much as a practical thing with it being shipped in refrigerated trucks. He gave Needham a preview of the song and, getting no reaction, offered to rewrite it. "Smokey and the Bandit Pursuit Pack" is formatted as a box set that in presented in full color in widescreen. Because of the popularity of the film and the sales success of the Trans Am, the president of Pontiac Alex Mair promised to supply Reynolds with a Trans Am each year. The T/A is just as quick as my present Challenger is, but the Challenger doesnt have anything close to the throttle response it had, and I miss it. [21], Smokey and the Bandit was a sleeper hit. That is why there are not any left. 20 Surprising Facts About The Trans Am From Smokey And The Bandit - HotCars In response, Needham told Reed that he liked the song so much that if Reed changed even a word or a note, Needham would "choke him". Film critic Leonard Maltin gave the film a good rating (3 stars out of a possible 4) and characterized it as "about as subtle as The Three Stooges, but a classic compared to the sequels and countless rip-offs which followed". I agree, despite people saying you sound cute, it seems like they think Ellie Mae Clapett or Jethro Bodean. "Smokey and the Bandit" stars Burt Reynolds, Sally . Back in 1984, I went to look at a late 1970s Plymouth cop car as well. News . Was it a heathen? Pontiac should have made a radio that played that song automatically simply by pushing a button, or maybe made it the horn sound. Except that shes not sagging. He claimed that the Bandit is never made aware of Frog's leaving Junior at the altar, which is why the Bandit continually asks why a Texas sheriff is chasing him. [9] Though the film Moonrunners (1975) is the precursor to the television series The Dukes of Hazzard (19791985), from the same creator and with many identical settings and concepts, the popularity of Smokey and the Bandit and similar films helped get the Dukes series on the air. [22] It premiered at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, where it performed badly. 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. [34] In 2015 a Florida-based automobile customization company built 77 Trans Ams modeled after the car that Reynolds drove in the film. Needing a fast set of wheels to distract law enforcement, Reynolds character purchases this 1977 Pontiac Trans-Am. 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. Id been driving for years by the time I was 15, so I just wanted to complete the course with as little static as possible. 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. So these kind of represented a rebellion attitude to the government mandated diesel econo hatches everyone thought we were going to be forced to drive in the 80sinterestingly 1979 was also the best year for the Corvette too. Im gonna barbecue your ass in molasses., Re: The picture with 4 ladies and the wagon and van. and the Dixie Dance Kings, and Burts car was a 57 [56?] Luckily, both cars survived, and the Trans Am became famous only five years later. Starring Bob Hope, that comedic star of the screen, and the lovely Jane Russell boy what a pair! I never forgot that one. Most reports of his death still didnt have that right! Five-string banjo player Bobby Thompson is prominent toward the end of "East Bound and Down". The hood scoop on these cars says "6.6 LITRE", which, in 1977, would have denoted an Oldsmobile 403-equipped car or a non-W-72, 180 hp version of the 400 Pontiac engine. Producer Hal Needham intended Smokey and the Bandit to be one of the best product placement films of all time. Movies like Mad Max: Fury Road and Furious 7 may ruin a lot of cars, but they were far from the first. As a publicity stunt, the Trans Ams used in the movie had different decals on the hood scoop. The three movie cars were destroyed during various stunts, so the promo car is the only surviving Trans Am connected to this film. The movies are rated PG with a run time of 282 minutes and released to video by Universal Studios. These questions all need to be answered. In return, Reynolds portrayed Boss Hogg (originally portrayed by Sorrell Booke) in the film adaptation The Dukes of Hazzard (2005). This movie just showed how much an urban legend the supposed unobtainability had become. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Only one survived, and it's priceless. Smokey And The Bandit Tribute Jump Goes About As Well As You'd Expect 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. Jason, Using the words nuance, subtlety, complexity and intellect to describe this movie, is, as they say, trs amusant! This was the lull between Gas Crisis I and II, 1976-78, and Boomers were wanting stylish cars. 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. Theres really nothing like an old cop car. Sales jumped even higher in 1979 when Pontiac moved 117,108 Trans Ams. Sure Smokey helped, but was not the sole reason T/A and F body sales went up. The other range car was a Chevette for people that wanted to learn on a manual transmission. This gives rise to various continuity errors with Justice's patrol car, which during some chase sequences is shown with a black rear fender, which then reverts to the car's bronze color again in later scenes. S&TB was filmed primarily off Route 400 in Georgia. Please to note I didnt say _I_ didnt like them as I was in my 20s then (early 1970s) so I hustled my self and my Russian girlfriend right on down to the cinema every time Burt Reynolds had a new flick , I personally loved his movies even the chick flicks like The Man Who Loved Women , I just had to hear earfuls from everyone else about how awful he / those movies were.. We even bought one of those Pontiac Police Specials on auction from. We just watched this with the kids the other week, along with Cannonball Run. How much did the Smokey and the Bandit car sell for? And theres beer in Texarkana.. Wanting to promote the aesthetically modified 1977 model, but lacking cars owing to delays in production start-up, GM modified four 1976 Trans Ams with '77 spec bodywork and decals for the film. And Burt may be from GA originally, but he calls Florida home, which is another reason I heard the movie was filmed here. 1-Smokey and the Bandit-The classic, the original, and the best one by FAR. The cars were originally ordered by a car rental agency in Phoenix, who refused to accept the . Although he's into just about any type of vehicle, Ciprian is not your typical car enthusiast. The original uncut sumbitch version. Many hardcore fans of Burt Reynolds' most iconic movie, 1977's "Smokey and The Bandit," know that none of those cool black Pontiac Trans Ams with gold trim survived the stunts in the film. On the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, it has a 78% rating based on 32 reviews. The decals were changed to 1977-style units, as evidenced by the engine size callouts on the hood scoop being in liters rather than cubic inches, as had been the case in 1976. According to an interview with Susie McIver Ewing on The RetroZest Podcast, she was picked to play the role of Hot Pants Hilliard after the dailies footage (shot in the Atlanta area) of the original actress playing the role was inadvertently destroyed on its way from Atlanta to Los Angeles. As such, it took a lot of sweet talking by former stuntman Needham for Pontiac to cough up three Trans Ams and three LeManses. Gleasons Justice is the stereotypical Southern sheriff, as seen in this clip. I also own a 1:18 scale version of the Bandit Trans Am. This same restaurant was used for a scene in the 1983 Stephen King Movie Christine, which was ultimately cut in the final film (it can be viewed as a deleted scene on the DVD release of the film). Depends upon what he converted it from. The Bandit Run quickly became a fixture, celebrating the 40th anniversary of the movie with a special 2017 screening of the film attended by Reynolds and a recreation of the jump undertaken by the Bandit and Frog across a river. Gleason was a genius, but this was not one of his better outings I prefer the Hustler and Gigot. As deals were made for the actors and producers, the studio wanted to renegotiate my deal. The soundtrack album was released in 1977 on vinyl, cassette, and 8-track through MCA Records. As I am finishing this article while Big Truck Week is winding down, here is a Kenworth with a 1973 Dodge Polara patrol car. I developed a pretty good bootheel accent during my time in New Madrid. While I have read undocumented accounts of there being more than three Trans Ams, Needham stated three is all that were used. The scene where Sheriff Justice's car has the door knocked off by a passing . So many classic quotes in this movie. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Set with his . [4] Reynolds said in 2015 that he most enjoyed this film, and had the most fun making it, of his career.[26]. Anyway, on the trip east, we stopped at a grocery in Topeka, Kansas and bought 16-18 cases of Coors, all that we had room for in the car. In 1991, it was arranged for orchestra by Crafton Beck and recorded by Erich Kunzel and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra for their album Down on the Farm. Gleason was given free rein to ad-lib dialogue and make suggestions. They called out equipment like Radial Tuned Suspension, Calibrated Speedometer, and Power Disc Brakes. Maybe even the dual exhausts and the 400-4 merited badges. 1979 was equally successful for the brand, joining 1978 to create Pontiac's best sales years ever. The Ridiculous Number Of Cars Burt Reynolds Burned - CINEMABLEND There was still a market for bras in the 1970s. http://www.imcdb.org/vehicle_301466-Ford-LTD-II-1977.html. 12 A Total Of 3 Trans Ams Were Destroyed During Filming. The pair arrive in Texarkana one hour early and load up the truck, but just as they head back, Carrie, a runaway bride, intercepts Bandit and jumps in his car, unwittingly making him an indirect target of Sheriff Buford T. Justice, a career Texas lawman whose witless son Junior was to have married Carrie. I have worked a long time to eradicate the one I had but it still crops up periodically from exposure, like you experienced. It was his idea to have Junior alongside him throughout the film. The truck at the shell station is actually a 75 or 76 Toyota Hilux. The films are indeed classic and very funny to this day. Regular film-goers might not pay much attention to the car's engine sound, but gearheads will quickly notice that something is off. The dubbed version is awful. Frederick Amon smuggled it from Colorado to North Carolina and sold it for four times the retail price.[19]. 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. Musicians such as Beegie Adair and George Tidwell[20] played on the soundtrack. It was the second highest-grossing film of the year, trailing only Star Wars: A New Hope, and it made Burt Reynolds into a certifiable superstar. The Bandit's car was a second-generation Trans Am and the prize for completing the run was a new truck rather than $80,000. . I drive a conversion van. The value of their stock rose a startling 70 percent after the films release, and to show their appreciation to Reynolds, the president said they would give the actor a new car each and every year. Trio of Burt Reynolds movie cars fetch $330,000 at auction, including 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. 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. It was destroyed in Smokey and the Bandit II and in a flashback scene in Part 3. Were they dummies? As I did Steve McQueen and Paul Newman. Im still trying to get clarification on what a diablo sandwich is though. One guy did a while ago a fan-made trailer of Smokey & the Bandit 4. [10], Principal photography of the film began on August 30, 1976. Burt Reynolds is originally a Georgia boy. I recall a big smokey burnout right after they left Snowmans house that looked 455-worthy and also after Bandit picked up Fields he left two strips after nailing second (right before the tire thieves crossed the road), which makes me think there was also a 4 speed car used. [27] In his review in the Chicago Tribune, Gene Siskel gave the film two stars and complained that the film failed to tell the audience when the clock started on the beer run, thus reducing suspense. They find local legend Bo "Bandit" Darville at a roadeo at Lakewood Fairgrounds and offer him US$80,000 (equivalent to $357,738 in 2021) to haul 400 cases of Coors from Texarkana (the closest place it could be legally sold at that time) to Atlanta in 28 hours. Plus , I loved those late 1960s through mid 1970s Plymouths even though Im a Bowtie Guy by default . 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. Bill Justis is the first name on the credits for the soundtrack, as he composed and arranged original music throughout the film. 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. WildI watched this for the first time in years after watching the latest Archer.the whole thing is an homage to S&B. For Smokey and the Bandit II (1980), Needham asked for and received 10 Trans Ams and 55 Bonnevilles with no trouble. I distinctly remember my mother buying Coors and being asked if she lived in Missouri or Illinois by the cashier. However, in more recent years, the original version has been shown (on ITV, a commercial channel), usually with the stronger language edited out, often quite awkwardly. It airs on cable tv all the time. With four miles left, Bandit, discouraged by the unexpected mounting attention, is ready to give up, but Snowman, who initially thought they would fail, takes the lead and smashes through the roadblock at the fairgrounds' main entrance. If it wasnt for Smokey & the Bandit, the Dukes of Hazzard TV series would not exist. Well, the Corvettes success is clearly due to Corvette Summer, @Jim I remember that movie! Burt Reynolds as the Bandit can always count on the truckers on the other end of his C.B. Put one on and the lady looks like shes not wearing a bra. It consists of any of the various Louisiana-style hot sauces on Texas toast-style bread alongside the fourth most famous product of Pittsburg, Texas (behind Pilgrim's Pride, Cavender's, and Carroll Shelby)Pittsburg Hot Links. The LeMans police car did nothing for me because there was a colonnade LeMans sedan in the garage at home. They destroyed all those cars in the films he said. One of those things that will make my kids think Im crazy some day. It had amazing throttle response, with a hit that either scared people, or made them giggle. I beg to differ Mr -Nate. Smokey and the Bandit was one of the most iconic movies of the 1970s. Here is the LeMans; Gleason literally drives the wheels off: As an aside, heres a curious bit of trivia. how many cars were destroyed in smokey and the bandit 2. Soon as I get home, first thing Im gonna do is punch yo mamma in da mouth!. UNIVERSAL CUT THE BUDGET JUST AS PRODUCTION WAS ABOUT TO BEGIN. 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. how many cars were destroyed in smokey and the bandit 2 That parking lot was full of Trans Ams! 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. The man does get around. Please refresh the page and try again. 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. That song often pops into my head at the start of long drives. [30] Upon meeting Reynolds, Billy Bob Thornton told him that the South considers the film to be less cinema and more documentary. Conversely, I could go to Paducah and be asked where up north I was from. Not all the police cars had hood scoops. The third-generation Firebird was introduced in 1982, a full two years later than planned. It just seems wrong to see that car in any fashion without hearing that song. They retained the white steering wheels until 72 or so , just the thing to preveny burned fingers in the Desert sun . Everything You Should Know About The The Trans Am From Smokey And The Bandit, 10 Most Potentially Unreliable Electric Vehicles According To Consumer Reports, 10 Reasons Why It's Time You Should Buy A Bagger, Here's How Solid-State Batteries Will Change EVs Forever. Needham and assistant director David Hamburger spent 30 hours revising the shooting schedule.[4]. Coors wasnt pasteurized. NY 10036. [32], After the debut of the film, the Pontiac Trans Am became wildly popular, with sales almost doubling within two years of the film's release. I have since moved on from them, mainly because in stock form, they were not particularly great cars (though good enough for the times). As Frog leaves, we are introduced to Sheriff Buford T. Justice, played by Jackie Gleason. 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. [5], Universal Studios bankrolled Smokey and the Bandit for $5.3 million, figuring it was a good risk. It was the second-highest-grossing movie of 1977 after Star Wars. The gag with the overpass being blown up was actually a bridge built for the movie on the unfinished highway, and AFAIK, the truck driver who jumps the void ended up breaking his back in the stunt. I guess the Trans Am proved to have more staying power than the hot 71 Ford in the earlier movie. These Furys, as well as some of the LeMans units, have hood scoops. My family did all grocery shopping in Cape. Of the many cars saved from the fire was the only surviving Knight Rider KITT Super Pursuit Mode car created by Jay Orberg. [37], The first run in 2007 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the movie, The Bandit Run was the brainchild of Dave Hall, owner of Restore A Muscle Car. Whaddya expect outta a guy what drives a conversion van? I was to be paid a salary plus own 7% of the profits. He contacted Pontiac and an agreement was made that four 1977 Trans Ams and two Pontiac LeMans four-door sedans would be provided for the movie. 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!!! I remember reading somewhere that one of the cars was equipped with a 455 for some of the higher speed scenes. Bandit attracts more police attention across Dixie as Snowman barrels on toward Atlanta with the contraband beer, but they are helped en route by many colorful characters via CB radio. Mrs Jason wont let me sell the sumbitch. I just dont like car novices that assume the Pontiac T/A was soley a movie tie in car and the it started in 1977.. 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. The commercials were produced after Stewart mentioned that the movie was one of his favorites.[39]. Wouldnt the accent give you away? I enjoyed the hell out of my 1976 Dart Pursuit. Smokey & The Bandit Police Cars. Smokey and the Bandit II is a 1980 American action comedy film directed by Hal Needham, and starring Burt Reynolds, Sally Field, . And then they made the biggest mistake of their lives and went to national distribution. I dont know if I ever saw one in real life at the time, although I was pretty young then. Sonny Shroyer (Enos) was the motorcycle cop who was given the 1-finger salute by Sally Field. At the time, using "fuck" would immediately require an R rating and this self-censorship allowed the film to avoid this rating and reach a much larger audience.
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