"I am serious. And don't call me Shirley!"
On July 2nd, 1980, the disaster comedy film, "Airplane!" was released to theaters worldwide. Written and directed by Jim Abrahams, it stars Robert Hays and Julie Hagerty, among others. It is a parody of disaster films, most notably the 1957 Paramount film, "Zero Hour!", from which it borrows the plot, central characters, and some dialogue. Upon release, the film was a critical and commercial success, grossing $171 million worldwide against a $3.5 million production budget. Since its release, the reputation of "Airplane!" has grown immensely, and it has been considered one of the greatest comedy films ever made.
