Though no authoritative source identifies the composition of the sandwich, there are several possibilities. Were they dummies? Gleason was given free rein to ad-lib dialogue and make suggestions. NY 10036. 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. 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. 2-Smokey and the Bandit II-Pretty bad, still has some funny campy crap, the Dom DeLuise Italian Dr. bit is ok, Gleason is still pretty funny, the Turbo T/A is pretty weak, but still cool to see. 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.. And it was worth it for the brand, as the nameplate sales decided following the redesign. 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. Nothing annoys him more than car electronics, and he just hates it when performance cars lack a third pedal. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 1975 Plymouth Fury Police Pursuit Arkansas State Police "Smokey and The Bandit" at the best online prices at eBay! At the time, Reynolds was the top box office star in the world. In its place was the nonsensical scum bum. The voice over actor? Mines never gone away, especially now that I spend every thee month in Memphis. The secrets behind the cars and stunts in 'The Italian Job' - Top Gear He has no less than four movies listed as coming out, and they run the gamut from romantic drama to family comedy to horror mystery to action thriller. Funny that T/A isnt on the movie poster, considering it was the obvious star of the show. This movie trailer gives you an taste of this provocative film, but fails to effectively capture all the subtleties and nuances it contains. However, the U.S. government introduced new emission controls in 1972, and automakers had to step back. I imagine that they borrowed some of the character from Sheriff JW Pepper from the 1973 and 1974 James Bond movies, Live and Let Die and The Man with the Golden Gun. and used hard. 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 . When Smokey and the Bandit first aired on American network television in the early 1980s, censors were faced with the challenge of toning down the raw language of the original film. Thats all well and good, and it worked smooth as silk for a good while. I still regret selling mine almost 30 years ago. It became Reed's signature song and is on multiple albums, including Country Legends and his live album Jerry Reed "Live!" [14] The Trans Ams were actually 1976-model cars with 1977 front ends (from 1970 to 1976, both the Firebird/Trans Am and Chevrolet Camaro have two round headlights and in 1977, the Firebird/Trans Am was changed to four rectangular headlights, and the Camaro remained unchanged). thebandit77transam 2009-04-14 14:04. andre1969 wrote Pontiac supplied 5 brand-new cars for "Smokey and the Bandit". Amazing how a combination of desire and unobtainability can make an ordinary product special. Naturally, it fetched the highest price with a . And Coors itself limited its distribution to west of the Mississippi. 1975 Plymouth Fury Police Pursuit Arkansas State Police "Smokey and The Coors was legal in Missouri and illegal in Illinois. I remember that it had a bunch of trim badges on the center of the dashboard. [34] In 2015 a Florida-based automobile customization company built 77 Trans Ams modeled after the car that Reynolds drove in the film. As a former Club Wagon pilot, I happen to like his Econoline. In return, Reynolds portrayed Boss Hogg (originally portrayed by Sorrell Booke) in the film adaptation The Dukes of Hazzard (2005). Put one on and the lady looks like shes not wearing a bra. 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. 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). A few other examples of sound effect replacement occur when the Bandit takes off after getting the reluctant Cledus involved in the bet, the Bandit comes to a screeching halt on a roadway moments before picking up Carrie, and when Buford's car top comes off. Soon as I get home, first thing Im gonna do is punch yo mamma in da mouth!. 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. Even when the 2nd gen was already coasting on fumes, and defanged, and after the reasonably shitty Smokey and the Bandit sequel, Pontiac managed to pump out 107,000 Trans Ams in 1980 and 70,000 for the 2nd gen Trans Ams swan song in 1981. [5], Universal Studios bankrolled Smokey and the Bandit for $5.3 million, figuring it was a good risk. For instance, the diesel engine start and run-up sequence in the opening sequence of the film were completely dubbed over with a new sound. It wasnt distributed in Washington in those days either. [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 updated version of the film features sound inaccurate for what would be produced by the Trans Am or the numerous other Pontiac vehicles in the film. An effort to recreate a jump from Smokey and the Bandit doesn't go perfectly when the car takes a rough course off the ramp. Smokey and the Bandit Pursuit Pack 1 2 3 DVD Burt Reynolds Cult Car Regular film-goers might not pay much attention to the car's engine sound, but gearheads will quickly notice that something is off. But that doesnt make for an interesting movie premise. There was a true concern (for some minuscule reason) about it going east of the Mississippi River. Other sources in East Texas (from whence Sheriff Justice hails) are familiar with the popular regional delicacy known as the Diablo Sandwich. Behind Sheriff Justices Pontiac, there is a nice looking 1965 or 1966 Ford Mustang fastback and a Toyota pickup. The MASSIVE year over year sales gains came from somewhere. Back then if Ida wanted an ex Police Car its be a CHP salvage Dodge or Plymouth ~ BIG roomy and _comfy_ , handled well and went like stink . 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. Sheriff Justices son, Junior. The scene where Sheriff Justice's car has the door knocked off by a passing semi-truck was shot on Georgia State Route 75, 3 miles (4.8km) north of Helen. Great article! I developed a pretty good bootheel accent during my time in New Madrid. A paper on Cognitive psychology was published in the 1990 issue of Computers in Human Perception. 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. The movies are rated PG with a run time of 282 minutes and released to video by Universal Studios. I own all three films on a dvd called the Smokey and The Bandit Pursuit Pack. I had a 78 Trigger lookalike for a while in the mid 90s, until a wrist pin went out, ended up selling it to one of my brothers buddys uncles. The rub? While watching the movie (yes, I did have to diligently research this article), one shot seemed to indicate this may be a dummy scoop. One time a friend and I drove back to Kentucky on leave rather than flying; no particular reason, we had plenty of time and wanted to see some of the country. A Pontiac wagon from earlier in the decade. 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. Reynolds actively pushed for her casting after Universal initially resisted, claiming Field was not attractive enough. While it's sad that the other two cars were destroyed . Smokey & The Bandit is the greatest movie of the 20th Century! How much did the Smokey and the Bandit car sell for? 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. I agree, despite people saying you sound cute, it seems like they think Ellie Mae Clapett or Jethro Bodean. I drive a conversion van. And theres beer in Texarkana.. I prefer Buford T. Justices 1980 Pontiac Bonneville and his 1983 Pontiac Bonneville in Smokey and The Bandit III. The worldwide gross is estimated at over $300 million. ", "The Bandit Run Brought to you by Restore A Muscle Car", "Stewart plays off 'Smokey and the Bandit in Mobil 1 ad", "Smokey and the Bandit: 40th Anniversary Edition", "Smokey and the Bandit II, Box Office Information", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Smokey_and_the_Bandit&oldid=1142751918, Pages using multiple image with auto scaled images, Album articles lacking alt text for covers, All articles that may contain original research, Articles that may contain original research from April 2022, Articles needing additional references from September 2018, All articles needing additional references, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, "Incidental CB Dialogue" (Voice ["Bandit"] , "Incidental CB Dialogue" (Voice ["Bandit"] Burt Reynolds, Voice ["Smokey"] , "Incidental CB Dialogue" (Voice ["Bandit"] Burt Reynolds, Voice ["Smokey"] Jackie Gleason), George Reynolds as Sheriff George Branford, This page was last edited on 4 March 2023, at 04:45. As if GM owes them something. Needing a fast set of wheels to distract law enforcement, Reynolds character purchases this 1977 Pontiac Trans-Am. When Smokey & The Bandit first aired on television in the early 1980s, the Gleason phrase "sum bitch"-a regional butchering of "son of a bitch"-had to be dubbed out. 1-Smokey and the Bandit-The classic, the original, and the best one by FAR. For this purpose, they overdubbed dialogue deemed offensive, which was common practice. How many cars did they wreck in Smokey and the Bandit? The truck at the shell station is actually a 75 or 76 Toyota Hilux. 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. Gleason probably wanted too much money to provide the dubbing, which is a shame because it ruins the TV version. The DVD set meets NTSC standards. For a little visual variety of sorts, and possibly an indicator of what car was about to be wrecked, the producers did branch out to use the 1975-era Plymouth Fury as another police car. There was a problem. Needham saw an advertisement for the soon-to-be-released 1977 Pontiac Trans Am and knew right away that would be the Bandit's car, or, as Needham referred to it, a character in the movie. Mr. Reynolds elevated the dreck that he appeared in to a higher level, that is, enjoyable. The Trans Am was already pretty popular in the mid-1970s, with sales hitting 68,745 units in 1977. Of course, it's difficult to asses whether these small decals did something to change buyer perception about the Trans Am, but it's an interesting part of the Smokey and the Bandit Trans Am's history. As a publicity stunt, the Trans Ams used in the movie had different decals on the hood scoop. The 79-year-old 70s and 80s heartthrob made a rare public appearance over the weekend at Wizard World Chicago. Mrs Jason wont let me sell the sumbitch. The trip to Texarkana is uneventful; soon after leaving for the return trip to Georgia, The Bandit encounters Frog, played by Sally Field. These new models were built off the same Camaro platform, came with the Pontiac arrowhead, flaming bird, and Bandit logos, and the instrument panels, center consoles, and hood scoops emulating their 1977 counterparts, and were signed by Reynolds. The original film had correct sounds that were usually recorded live as the action took place. The film features the custom clothing and costuming of Niver Western Wear of Fort Worth, Texas. How Many Police Cars Were Destroyed In Blues Brothers The film's theme song, "East Bound and Down", was written virtually overnight by Reed. How many police cars were wrecked in Smokey and the Bandit? Tragically, every Trans Am used in filming was destroyed. Let us dissect this flick to better examine it. Cledus "Snowman" Snow (Jerry Reed) drives the truck while his good buddy Bo "Bandit" Darville (Reynolds) serves as the "blocker," a fast car used to divert police attention away from payload. This movie just showed how much an urban legend the supposed unobtainability had become. Nah, they survived by coming up with bras with very thin cups. . Here is the LeMans; Gleason literally drives the wheels off: As an aside, heres a curious bit of trivia. Not that Id kick either front end style out of the garage for dripping oil, as long as they dont have the 403 in them anyway. [28] However, this is inaccurate; within seconds of Bandit picking her up, Frog tells him "there is a wedding in search of a bride" and goes on to explain her ill-advised romance with Junior, as the Bandit holds up the CB mic for the Snowman to hear. Director Hal Needham convinced Pontiac to feature the Pontiac Trans Am in the movie. It had the Modello cam kit, ported 69(I think) heads with upsized valves, headers, aftermarket intake, 3.21 gears (Up from 2.41 stock!) But the true standout of Smokey and the Bandit is the car driven by The Bandit, the iconic black and gold 1977 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am. They retained the white steering wheels until 72 or so , just the thing to preveny burned fingers in the Desert sun . you can find it on amazon.com . The unrestored car reportedly showed up on eBay back in 2015, but no one wanted to buy it. In addition to the four Trans Ams, Needham also received two Pontiac LeMans models to serve as patrol cars in the movie. The uncut version is the best. The roller coaster in the movie was the Greyhound. S&TB was filmed primarily off Route 400 in Georgia. [original research?] "Buford T. Justice" was the name of a real Florida Highway Patrolman known to Reynolds' father, who was once Police Chief of Riviera Beach, Florida. I distinctly remember my mother buying Coors and being asked if she lived in Missouri or Illinois by the cashier. 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. American Brands: AMC, Jeep and All Others, Tractors, Lawn Mowers, Off-Road Equipment, CC Outtake: The CC House, and With a New Recent Exotic Addition, CC TV Outtake: This Used Car Commercial Didn't Make It On The Air, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cODPt3T0cHE. 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. Originally, the film was going to be a B-movie played only in the Southern United States. Burt Reynolds' 1977 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am Sold for $240,000. [31] Smokey and the Bandit was released in the United Kingdom on August 28 and was a success there, garnering positive reviews. 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. Here in Canada they didnt censor it, so we always got the sumbitch version. Conversely, I could go to Paducah and be asked where up north I was from. Upon showing it to his friend, Reynolds told Needham that it was the worst script he had ever read, but that he would still make the movie. The comedy has been remastered to DVD standards. Burt Reynolds plays truck driver Bo Bandit Darville. The scene featuring the racetrack was filmed at Lakewood Speedway at the old Lakewood Fairgrounds on Atlanta's south side. There was still a market for bras in the 1970s. The movie is responsible for something, by 1979 Pontiac was selling 100,000 plus Trans Ams, not the whole Firebird line, JUST Trans Ams, Pontiac sold more T/As in 1979 than any of the cheaper Firebirds combined, Smokey and the Bandit had to have a hand in that. I think you may be confusing the movie Honky-Tonk Freeway with the filming done during I-75 construction near Sarasota. On the DVD, there is a brief interview with both Burt Reynolds and Hal Needham, who directed this film. [17], In 1977, Coors was unavailable for sale east of Oklahoma. Some differences included the use of a supercharged 454-CID (7.4-liter) Chevrolet-sourced engine that put out 840 HP, and four round headlights, which appeared on the 196769 Firebirds/Trans Ams only; the actual 197781 models had rectangular headlights. Jesus, did you just call Carmine a car novice? February 27, 2023 . 5. Field enjoyed making the film, but remembers that virtually the entire project was improvised. Future President Gerald Ford, after a trip to Colorado, hid it in his luggage to take it back to Washington, D.C. President Dwight D. Eisenhower had a steady supply airlifted by the Air Force to Washington. After the movie came out, Firebird sales increased even more, but the Trans Am was now the most popular one. In Smokey and the Bandit, there were eight 1977 Trans-Am cars and approximately the same number of police cars (but some said ten). Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). That came out in 1981. It was a powerful car, and I was glad to be issued it as my range car instead of one of the new but already disintegrating 1985 Oldsmobiles supplied by a local dealer that most people had. 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. The other range car was a Chevette for people that wanted to learn on a manual transmission. I think more of Smokey and the Bandit II and the awful part 3 were filmed largely in Florida, I dont know if I-75 construction was started by 1976-77, at least the section down to Miami part, when they filmed. As a kid that T/A, the General Lee, and KITT were largely responsible for defining my taste in cars and that carries through to today. Wealthy Texan Big Enos Burdette and his son Little Enos have sponsored a racer in Atlanta's Southern Classic and want to celebrate in style when he wins, so they are seeking a trucker willing to bootleg Coors Beer to Atlanta for their refreshment. The little packy there had Coors and even though it was horribly expensive, we thought it was the elixer of the Gods. . Chevy almost did the same with its counterpart, the Camaro. [18] A 1974 Time magazine article explains that Coors was so coveted for its lack of stabilizers and preservatives, and Coors Banquet Beer had a brief renaissance. Actor Henry Corden, who voiced Fred Flintstone after original performer Alan Reed died the same year the film was released, was used to replace a considerable amount of Sheriff Justice's dialogue. I think thats another line theyve edited out for the television version. Your email address will not be published. Weve got a long way to go and a short time to get there The secrets behind the cars and stunts in 'The Italian Job'. Pontiac gave Needham a total of four cars, three to use in the movie, and one as a promotional vehicle to drive around and advertise Smokey and the Bandit following its release. Smokey and the Bandit - Wikipedia ARRGH! Sonny Shroyer (Enos) was the motorcycle cop who was given the 1-finger salute by Sally Field. In a rare public appearance, Burt Reynolds revealed how many cars they wrecked making Smokey and how many cars were destroyed in smokey and the bandit 2 - onlytows.com.au 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. Some weren't that lucky and were discontinued altogether. Apparently the engine sounds were lifted from another movie, I think two lane blacktop? Good silly fun. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. I never understood why dragging a truckload of beer from Colorado to Georgia was such a big deal. During this time, the Firebird also surpassed sales figures of the Chevrolet Camaro.
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