It was destroyed in Smokey and the Bandit II and in a flashback scene in Part 3. The Burdettes' car is a 1974 Cadillac Eldorado convertible painted in a "Candy Red" color scheme and is seen briefly at the beginning of the movie and in the final scene as the Bandit, the Snowman, Fred the dog, and Frog use it to make their escape. How Many Police Cars Were Destroyed In Blues Brothers "Smokey and the Bandit Pursuit Pack" is formatted as a box set that in presented in full color in widescreen. 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How "Smokey and the Bandit" was born | Fortune The new Hot Pants scene had to quickly be refilmed as a part of a second unit in the San Fernando Valley and was shot at a drive-in restaurant near Hansen Dam named Baby Beef Burgers, which has since been demolished. 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. I own all three films on a dvd called the Smokey and The Bandit Pursuit Pack. This phrase achieved a level of popularity with children and the 2007 Hot Wheels release of the 1970s Firebird Trans Am has "scum bum" emblazoned on its tail. 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 was one of the most iconic movies of the 1970s. And lets not forget the Trans Am rental car Steve McQueen drove in his very last movie, The Hunter from 1980. The films are indeed classic and very funny to this day. Your email address will not be published. They destroyed all those cars in the films he said. [5], Universal Studios bankrolled Smokey and the Bandit for $5.3 million, figuring it was a good risk. [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). 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. And all of us easterners suddenly discovered it was nothing more than another Budweiser/Miller/etc. News . Coors was legal in Missouri and illegal in Illinois. Gas was a buck a gallon at the time so fuel economy wasnt a major issue. Most reports of his death still didnt have that right! I am indeed a fan. 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. With Reynolds' salary at $1 million, Needham was left with only $3.3 million to make the film. I still think its more entertaining than Star Wars. Burt Reynolds may be 79, but he shows no signs of slowing down. I remember that it had a bunch of trim badges on the center of the dashboard. The movie, in fact, caused sales of the . Luckily, both cars survived, and the Trans Am became famous only five years later. However, as our heroes were successful in delivering their truckload of Coors, the writers effectively poised themselves for a sequel. The secrets behind the cars and stunts in 'The Italian Job' - Top Gear After the movie did well, Pontiac gave Burt a free Trans Am to drive for a few years. The site's consensus states: "Not much in the head but plenty beneath the hood, Smokey and the Bandit is infectious fun with plenty of car wrecks to keep your eyes glued". And Burt may be from GA originally, but he calls Florida home, which is another reason I heard the movie was filmed here. 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 think you may be confusing the movie Honky-Tonk Freeway with the filming done during I-75 construction near Sarasota. Sure Smokey helped, but was not the sole reason T/A and F body sales went up. In return, Reynolds portrayed Boss Hogg (originally portrayed by Sorrell Booke) in the film adaptation The Dukes of Hazzard (2005). Not everything was Pontiac, as evidenced by this 1973 Plymouth Satellite coupe (CC here). If you watched the second clip above, this truck should look familiar. I think thats another line theyve edited out for the television version. I was 10 when this movie came out and I loved it then and I still do. Two cars were reportedly badly damaged in early stunts in the film, while a third car was completely destroyed during the famous bridge jump scene. It was the second-highest-grossing movie of 1977 after Star Wars. 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. 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 side vents give it away. As a publicity stunt, the Trans Ams used in the movie had different decals on the hood scoop. I certainly hope the guy hired to drive that 74 Ford Torino wagon was paid well for his work. Not all the police cars had hood scoops. 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. 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. Thats all well and good, and it worked smooth as silk for a good while. 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. Arguably the most iconic Pontiac Firebird in history. 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. S&TB was filmed primarily off Route 400 in Georgia. Needham had great difficulty getting any studios or producers to take his project seriously, being better known in the film industry as a stuntman. When it is finally torn off along with the car's roof in the impact with the girder, the missing fender still reappears later on in the film. Id like to hear from Mr. Needham why so many of those police cars had what look like shaker hood scoops. I developed a pretty good bootheel accent during my time in New Madrid. 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. While I have read undocumented accounts of there being more than three Trans Ams, Needham stated three is all that were used. The owner restored it and sold it at the Scottsdale 2016 auction by Barrett-Jackson. What were the police cars in Smokey and the Bandit? As luck and script writing would have it, Frog has left her groom at the altar. Thank you for signing up to CinemaBlend. I am pretty sure it was filmed in Florida, when I-75 was under construction so they could use the highways while empty. Great fun! [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. Burt Reynolds recently revealed the ridiculous number of Pontiac Trans Ams they went through filming 1977s Smokey and the Bandit. 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 . I have only seen pieces of the second and none of the third; I plan to keep it that way. 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. New York, Watching TV and Movies you would think that sales dropped to nil. A Pontiac wagon from earlier in the decade. The area around Helen, Georgia, was used for some locations. Smokey and the Bandit was the second highest-grossing domestic film of 1977 in the United States. AWESOME! They retained the white steering wheels until 72 or so , just the thing to preveny burned fingers in the Desert sun . Earlier DVD releases and the 40th Anniversary Blu-ray of the film have the original soundtrack intact. Sales almost doubled in two years, which is a very big deal given that the Trans Ams 1978 facelift was rather minor save for the front fascia. How many smokey and the bandit movies are there? 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. 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. Everything You Should Know About The The Trans Am From Smokey And The Always loved this movie growing up. Chevy almost did the same with its counterpart, the Camaro. As if GM owes them something. In its place was the nonsensical scum bum. The voice over actor? 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 . Ive always loved this movie. According to director Hal Needham in the DVD documentary, Pontiac gave them three Trans-Ams and two LeMans (Sheriff Justice's patrol car) for the film. Will Walker: Independence Return For Season 2 Amid CW Shakeups? Cinemablend is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. The 1977 Firebird Trans Am once owned by Burt Reynolds was sold at auction Saturday for $495,000 at a sale held by Barrett-Jackson. 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. February 27, 2023 . Of course, it wasnt hard to wake them up. Just do a search for Crown Victorias on your local CL. 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. How did any bra manufacturers survive the 70s? I will confess that by the time this movie was out, I was a Mopar guy. Jesus, did you just call Carmine a car novice? By the end of June, it had played in major Southern markets, including Charlotte, Atlanta, Jacksonville, New Orleans, Memphis, Dallas, and Oklahoma City, grossing $11.9 million. Misconception by casual novice car fans is that the Trams Am didnt sell well until S&B. It became Reed's signature song and is on multiple albums, including Country Legends and his live album Jerry Reed "Live!" 1980 ERTL SMOKEY & THE BANDIT PONTIAC FIREBIRD DIECAST CAR police car And theres beer in Texarkana.. After the movie came out, Firebird sales increased even more, but the Trans Am was now the most popular one. The tow truck driver was a local garage owner, Berlin Wike. Chevy brought back the Z28, and cant say S&B was reason. The Trans Am used for said jump was equipped with a booster rocket, the same type that was used by Evel Knievel during his failed Snake River Canyon jump. 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. Henry Corden, the voice of cartoon character Fred Flintstone. The sticker read "T/A 6.6," which was a reminder of the engine's 6.6-liter displacement. So why did they go with sound effects instead of the Trans Am's actually exhaust noise? Hes fodder enough for his own article at some point. The uncut version is the best. ARRGH! Its W.W. How many police cars were wrecked in Smokey and the Bandit? Gotta love that guy! The change was somewhat strange as most automakers were using cubic-inch numerals to advertise engines. 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. At the time, Reynolds was the top box office star in the world. 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. how many cars were destroyed in smokey and the bandit 2 - onlytows.com.au Sally Field and Burt Reynolds began a relationship after meeting on set. Mr. Reynolds elevated the dreck that he appeared in to a higher level, that is, enjoyable. [34] In 2015 a Florida-based automobile customization company built 77 Trans Ams modeled after the car that Reynolds drove in the film. In a rare public appearance, Burt Reynolds revealed how many cars they wrecked making Smokey and I will confess, however, that it was a fun movie to watch and I have caught it on TV a time or two in recent years with my kids. [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. On the DVD, there is a brief interview with both Burt Reynolds and Hal Needham, who directed this film. There has never been anything quite like late 1970s fashion in clothing. The next movie, Smokey and the Bandit II, featured the same cast and an updated version of the Trans Am.The second version of the Smokey and the Bandit car was a 1980 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am that had a similar paint job, the updated front end, and gold "Turbine" style wheels.The 1980 models featured a turbocharged 4.9L Pontiac V8, but that still wasn't enough power for the stunt personnel. Burt Reynolds once claimed in an interview that there were actually 12 Trans Ams featured in Smokey and the Banditand he wrecked every one. Behind Sheriff Justices Pontiac, there is a nice looking 1965 or 1966 Ford Mustang fastback and a Toyota pickup. So many classic quotes in this movie. Two units were 1974 models, as evidenced by standard silver Kenworth emblems on the truck grille, and one unit was a 1973 model, as evidenced by the gold-painted Kenworth emblem on the truck's grille, signifying Kenworth's 50 years in business. Put one on and the lady looks like shes not wearing a bra. 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. You can see in some shots in the movie that the Bandit Trans Am has 1976 style gold honeycomb wheels instead of the gold snowflake wheels from the 1977, I think at least one of the cars used in filming was a 1976 converted with a 1977 front clip. 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. [29] Alfred Hitchcock claimed that the film was one of his favorites. His expletive is obscured when a passing big rig sounds its horn. It cornered amazingly well for such a large car, but the posi rear end emitted ominous sounds so I passed on it (I was in college and didnt have any place to do major repairs). Mines never gone away, especially now that I spend every thee month in Memphis. . There was a true concern (for some minuscule reason) about it going east of the Mississippi River. 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. I grew up in Illinois, within eyeshot of the banks of the MIssissippi River, and ten miles from Cape Girardeau, Missouri. I only got one of them LOL. 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!) During this time, the Firebird also surpassed sales figures of the Chevrolet Camaro. How much did the Smokey and the Bandit car sell for? [11] The movie was primarily filmed in Georgia, in the cities of McDonough, Jonesboro, and Lithonia. . The second film was a modest box office success, earning $66.1 million against a $17 million budget. Called Smoke is the Bandit and playing on Stewart's nickname, the commercials featured him as the Bandit opposite commentators Darrell Waltrip as the Snowman and Jeff Hammond as Buford T. Justice. I still couldnt resist lighting up the Pontiacs tires while executing my T-turns. IMCDb.org: 1977 Pontiac LeMans in "Smokey and the Bandit, 1977" 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. But while the cars shown in the movie look like 1977-model-year Trans Ams, they were actually 1976 models. Learn how your comment data is processed. However, the scene and the obscured expletive were played for comedy value and written as such, with the passing truck being the gag of the scene more than a way to avoid the censors. Gator , Stroker Ace , lots of them . you can find it on amazon.com . In the Reynolds portion of the interview, he stated the movie prompted Trans Am sales to jump around 700%. While they did jump, from 46,700 in 1976 to 69,000 for 1977 with another 93,300 for 1978, it wasnt exactly 700%. Smokey and the Bandit: Behind-the-Scenes Details With - MotorTrend Today, Smokey and the Bandit remains one of the most popular car action films ever made, and the 1977 Pontiac Trans Am will forever be wed to the movie. [6] It would become one of Reed's biggest hits and his signature song.[7]. Though no authoritative source identifies the composition of the sandwich, there are several possibilities. The unrestored car reportedly showed up on eBay back in 2015, but no one wanted to buy it. But would the black and gold T/As be as desirable today without the movie? The most noted change made for network broadcast was the replacing of Buford's often-spoken phrase "sumbitch" (a contraction of "son of a bitch"; usually in reference to the Bandit) with the phrase "scum bum". 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. radio to help him out. That girl from the McCoys video probably looks like Paula Deen now. I have always loved this movie, watched it dozens and dozens of times on TV, video, DVD, laserdisc, almost any form of media. The film's theme song, "East Bound and Down", was written virtually overnight by Reed. S/E T/A with the round headlights. 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. East bound and down, loaded up and truckin Trigger had a big impact on my taste in cars with the Trans Ams of the late 70s being my favorite. The original uncut sumbitch version. The Pontiac Firebird Trans Am from Smokey and the Bandit is one of the most famous movie cars of all time. One of our favorite movies. It wasnt distributed in Washington in those days either. The MASSIVE year over year sales gains came from somewhere. 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.. Coors is still brewed just outside Denver, Colorado. Below is probably another DeKalb County cop car. Five-string banjo player Bobby Thompson is prominent toward the end of "East Bound and Down". A 1975 Pontiac Grand Prix with a Buick Electra behind it. Here in Canada they didnt censor it, so we always got the sumbitch version. The differences between the two are major. The Bandit takes the bet on the risky and unprecedented task, and recruits his partner Cledus "Snowman" Snow to drive the truck, while Bandit drives a black Pontiac Trans Am bought in advance from the Burdettes as a "blocker" to divert attention away from the truck and its illegal cargo. The little packy there had Coors and even though it was horribly expensive, we thought it was the elixer of the Gods. I actually remember the construction of that segment of I-75, as it stopped around Tampa prior to that time. The production team wrecked three for the four cars it received from Pontiac. This movie was filmed in Georgia as well. [4] Just two days before production was to begin, Universal sent a "hatchet man" to Atlanta to inform Needham that the budget was being trimmed by $1 million.