how many cars destroyed in smokey and the bandit

and the Dixie Dance Kings, and Burts car was a 57 [56?] "Smokey and the Bandit Pursuit Pack" is formatted as a box set that in presented in full color in widescreen. How many cars did they wreck in Smokey and the Bandit? you can find it on amazon.com . I still regret selling mine almost 30 years ago. A dastardly scoundrel? Some fellow classmates were extras on the film set, and it was a big deal around here at the time. Dodge pitchman Sheriff Joe Higgins. Lets take a look at some more cars found in the movie. IMCDb.org: 1977 Pontiac LeMans in "Smokey and the Bandit, 1977" And Coors itself limited its distribution to west of the Mississippi. How many police cars were wrecked in Smokey and the Bandit? 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. The scene where Sheriff Justice's car has the door knocked off by a passing . WildI watched this for the first time in years after watching the latest Archer.the whole thing is an homage to S&B. Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, Smokey & The Bandit Police Cars. [5] Reynolds revealed in his autobiography that Needham had written the first draft script on legal pads. I was in West Plains the other day and there is yet another variation of it there. If I recall correctly, Firebirds in general (along with Camaros) were selling well prior to 1977, but the Trans Am was not the best-selling one. So, for years one, two, and three, he got a shiny new Pontiac. It had not been used for some time and was repainted for the film. The uncut version is the best. Soon as I get home, first thing Im gonna do is punch yo mamma in da mouth!. 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. 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. [11] The movie was primarily filmed in Georgia, in the cities of McDonough, Jonesboro, and Lithonia. Let me get the popcorn for this one. [34] In 2015 a Florida-based automobile customization company built 77 Trans Ams modeled after the car that Reynolds drove in the film. Five-string banjo player Bobby Thompson is prominent toward the end of "East Bound and Down". 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. His automotive adventure started reporting on various motorsport events as a sports writer before moving onto a full-time auto career with various sites, including This Week In Motors and Autoevolution. 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. During a Q&A session on Saturday, filmed by ComicBook.com, a fan asked how many Trans Ams they burned through during production. The theme music "East Bound and Down" was sung and co-written by Reed (credited under his birth name, Jerry Hubbard) and Dick Feller. Mr. Reynolds elevated the dreck that he appeared in to a higher level, that is, enjoyable. In fact, after Smokey and the Bandit became a box office hit, Pontiac saw a marked increase in their stock prices. I prefer Buford T. Justices 1980 Pontiac Bonneville and his 1983 Pontiac Bonneville in Smokey and The Bandit III. Below is probably another DeKalb County cop car. Depends upon what he converted it from. In the 1977 movie Smokey and the Bandit, a high-speed chase ensues between the police and the Bandit (Burt Reynolds). 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. [33] Reynolds was given the 1977 vehicle used during promotion of the film as a gift, though the car itself never actually appeared in the film. I always think scumbum because when I watched it as a kid in the early 90s, it was usually on TBS. He gave Needham a preview of the song and, getting no reaction, offered to rewrite it. They retained the white steering wheels until 72 or so , just the thing to preveny burned fingers in the Desert sun . 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. Reed also penned and performed the song for the opening credits, entitled "The Legend", which tells of some of the Bandit's escapades before the events of the film, and the ballad "The Bandit", which is in several versions in the movie and on the soundtrack. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). Conversely, I could go to Paducah and be asked where up north I was from. The whereabouts of the remaining Smokey and the Bandit car, the one that was used to promote the movie, remained a mystery for years. A group of Trans Am owners and fans of the movie take part in an annual road trip from Texarkana to Jonesboro, recreating the route taken by the characters in the film. I have always loved this movie, watched it dozens and dozens of times on TV, video, DVD, laserdisc, almost any form of media. Smokey and the Bandit | 4K Ultra HD | The Bandit Takes a 28 Hour Trip 14 Little-Known Facts About The Smokey And The Bandit Trans-Am - HotCars 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. Smokey and the Bandit was one of the most iconic movies of the 1970s. 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. Reynolds is referenced by name in several early episodes of the series. He had quite a few orders for Coors beer, and when he stopped in Weed, CA, on the way home, he went into the Safeway and asked for twenty-four cases of Coors. I thought at the time that it was a newer version of White Lightning (also with Burt Reynolds) and that Smokey would be forgotten just as soon. Further, as Pontiac has deliciously obvious product placement, anyone who delights in 70s era Pontiac iron will experience visual ecstasy. The 1977 model wasn't out yet when filming began, so General Motors provided 1976 cars with front clips from the soon-to-be-released 1977 update. Just like the exaggeration sales went up 700%. Wouldnt the accent give you away? This is obvious, because there is no fuel tank on the underside of the trailer to power the refrigeration unit, and the unit is never heard running. Reynolds actively pushed for her casting after Universal initially resisted, claiming Field was not attractive enough. 5. 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. I enjoyed the hell out of my 1976 Dart Pursuit. 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. The comedy has been remastered to DVD standards. While made to take advantage of the ongoing 1970s CB radio fad, the film added to the craze. How many cars did they wreck in Smokey and the Bandit? 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. Free shipping for many products! Oh, and a hooker girlfriend that looked like Annie Potts. Jackie Gleason ad libbed a lot of his lines too. 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. How many cop cars were destroyed in Smokey and the Bandit? This movie was filmed in Georgia as well. $30.00 + $11.45 shipping. Im pretty sure that the car that barks second when he takes off with Frog had to be a stick. Sure Smokey helped, but was not the sole reason T/A and F body sales went up. [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. I was a junior high school age kid when this film came out. 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. 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. I think Stroker Ace is after Smokey and the Bandit, though there was Hooper, which was about a stuntman, it also had Sally Field, it was from 1978 or so. In my area, nearly every one listed is an ex cop car. Misconception by casual novice car fans is that the Trams Am didnt sell well until S&B. I am still drawn to the shape of these cars, and others that have that long and low look about them. Not everything was Pontiac, as evidenced by this 1973 Plymouth Satellite coupe (CC here). He obtained the attention of studios and aimed the film at a more mainstream release after his friend Reynolds read the script and agreed to portray the Bandit, with Reed now portraying the Bandit's friend the Snowman. 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. About two seconds after this picture was taken, these motorcycles were doing their best imitation of a stack of pancakes. Everything You Should Know About The The Trans Am From Smokey And The While I have read undocumented accounts of there being more than three Trans Ams, Needham stated three is all that were used. 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 . S/E T/A with the round headlights. Reynolds was the top box office draw from 1975 to 1982, then his movies really started to go downhill. I think thats another line theyve edited out for the television version. There has never been anything quite like late 1970s fashion in clothing. 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. That's because Pontiac almost canceled the Firebird in the early 1970s. I am indeed a fan. Of course, we could argue that Needham could have used the engine note of a Pontiac GTO from the golden muscle car, but the 1955 Custom recordings were probably readily available, and he just didn't need the hassle. They destroyed all those cars in the films he said. But 1978 returned sales of 93,351 examples, a jump of around 25,000 cars. 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. [22] It premiered at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, where it performed badly. [40] Major portions of the audio background have been modified with different engine sounds or tire squeals from the original film. The sticker read "T/A 6.6," which was a reminder of the engine's 6.6-liter displacement. Trio of Burt Reynolds movie cars fetch $330,000 at auction, including Theres really nothing like an old cop car. In addition to the four Trans Ams, Needham also received two Pontiac LeMans models to serve as patrol cars in the movie. That parking lot was full of Trans Ams! Several other groups, such as the U.S. rock band Tonic and U.K.-based country cover band We Be Ploughin' have also covered it. The Smokey and the Bandit Car - Carsforsale.com I am pretty sure it was filmed in Florida, when I-75 was under construction so they could use the highways while empty. He paid $550,000 for it, likely a record for any Pontiac Firebird. S&B is one of my all-time favorite movies and Im not apologizing. Nice job, I know its cheesy as heck but I love this movie and still tend to watch it when I see its on TV. It just seems wrong to see that car in any fashion without hearing that song. Smokey and the Bandit star Burt Reynolds passed away in 2018 . 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. 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. I grew up in Illinois, within eyeshot of the banks of the MIssissippi River, and ten miles from Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Of course, nobody else cared if it was in the trunk of the car when heading back home. High estimates for the car were up to $80,000, but the actual sale price was $450,000. The scenes set in Texarkana were filmed in Jonesboro and the surrounding area and many of the chase scenes were filmed in the surrounding areas on Highway 54 between Fayetteville and Jonesboro for a majority of the driving scenes, Mundy's Mill Road, Main Street in Jonesboro, Georgia State Route 400, I-85 (Pleasant Hill exit) and in McDonough. . 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. 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 - Wikipedia The roundup sequence in the desert shows many new Pontiac Le Mans sedans decorated as police cars being destroyed. 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. A black Trans Am is parked in my garage because of this movie. February 27, 2023 . There are an abundance of cars in this movie. The Pontiac Trans Am seems like a natural choice for Smokey and the Bandit, but the car was only a few inches close to not being used in the movie. 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. The rub? Here in Canada they didnt censor it, so we always got the sumbitch version. These questions all need to be answered. A 1975 Pontiac Grand Prix with a Buick Electra behind it. (Still). How much did the Smokey and the Bandit car sell for? My favorite would have been an ex-WSP 1970 Plymouth they were all Fury IIIs, white on blue with factory air and 440s under the hood; but none ever turned up when I was buying. 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. The cop cars with the hood scoops were ex-DeKalb County (Georgia) cruisers. Your email address will not be published. Coors wasnt pasteurized. 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. Buford, with Junior along, ignores his jurisdiction and doggedly chases Bandit all the way to Georgia to retrieve Carrie while various mishaps cause his cruiser to disintegrate on the way. It was destroyed in Smokey and the Bandit II and in a flashback scene in Part 3. UNIVERSAL CUT THE BUDGET JUST AS PRODUCTION WAS ABOUT TO BEGIN. If you somehow managed to miss Smokey and the Bandit in the years between the films 1977 release and now, you should rectify that situation immediately (to be fair, it was released two days after Star Wars, so its understandable if it slipped through the cracks). 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. I know, Ive owned a 75 for 23 years. At the time, Reynolds was the top box office star in the world. The three movie cars were destroyed during various stunts, so the promo car is the only surviving Trans Am connected to this film. Justice. 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. Great fun! Lets take a look. [10], Principal photography of the film began on August 30, 1976. Due to his financial difficulties in 2014, Reynolds put his vast collection of artwork and memorabilia up for auction, including the Trans Am. 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 the Trans Am in Smokey and the Bandit didn't sound like a Trans Am. Gleason probably wanted too much money to provide the dubbing, which is a shame because it ruins the TV version. If you watched the second clip above, this truck should look familiar. [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). Also up for auction was a go-kart replica of the car, which sold for nearly $14,000. The remaining Smokey and the Bandit Trans Am is currently owned by Florida car collector John Staluppi. We gonna do what they say cant be done A strike at General Motors in 1972 limited the production of the Trans Am to less than 1,300 units that year, and Pontiac almost canceled the nameplate. "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. Good silly fun. The worldwide gross is estimated at over $300 million. 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. Jana, another oddity was that I could go to Carbondale and be asked where down south I was from. 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. 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. Gas was a buck a gallon at the time so fuel economy wasnt a major issue. [36] Another proposal, based more closely on images from the film and the shooting location of the scene (at an Old Hickory House restaurant in Georgia), is pulled pork and hot sauce on a hamburger bun. When it was over, I cried and cried and cried because I didnt want it to end. The redesign was originally planned for 1980, but 1978 and 1979 became record years for GM's division, so the new model was pushed back. [23] It then opened in just the South of the United States over the Memorial Day weekend and grossed $2,689,851 in 386 theaters. [21], Smokey and the Bandit was a sleeper hit. Gleasons Justice is the stereotypical Southern sheriff, as seen in this clip. His expletive is obscured when a passing big rig sounds its horn. And it was worth it for the brand, as the nameplate sales decided following the redesign. New York, That is why there are not any left. In a rare public appearance, Burt Reynolds revealed how many cars they wrecked making Smokey and HotCars covers all things automotive: the latest auto news and informative reviews on the car, pickup truck and motorcycle industries. Here's What We Know So Far, Jonathan Majors On Getting Jacked To Play Kang The Conqueror: Hes In The Avenger (Weight) Class, How 90 Day Fianc: The Other Way's Kris And Jeymi Might Have Already Spoiled Their Storyline, Why Creed IIIs Michael B. Jordan Avoided Saying Action Or Cut On The Set, Young Sheldon's Iain Armitage Reacting To Surprise Video From Survivor's Jeff Probst Is Like Sheldon Cooper Meeting Leonard Nimoy. The three original films introduced two generations of the Pontiac Trans Am and the Dodge Stealth in the television movies. The man does get around. I have only seen pieces of the second and none of the third; I plan to keep it that way. The cars were wrecked on purpose to create the illusion of a high-speed chase. Back in 1984, I went to look at a late 1970s Plymouth cop car as well. Field enjoyed making the film, but remembers that virtually the entire project was improvised. 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 . Let us dissect this flick to better examine it. Hal Needham did pass away as someone earlier said. Id like to hear from Mr. Needham why so many of those police cars had what look like shaker hood scoops. Here are 20 facts about the Trans Am from Smokey and the Bandit. We just watched this with the kids the other week, along with Cannonball Run. 1979 was equally successful for the brand, joining 1978 to create Pontiac's best sales years ever. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Reynolds and Field began dating during the filming.[13]. I have at least 4 really good car buddies that will from time to time love popping this movie in to watch. Her groom? [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. Burt Reynolds plays truck driver Bo Bandit Darville. 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 little packy there had Coors and even though it was horribly expensive, we thought it was the elixer of the Gods. Producers of Smokey and the Bandit wrecked 26 cars while filming the movie in 1977. The secrets behind the cars and stunts in 'The Italian Job' - Top Gear Rockford Files also featured Firebird, and was on since 1974, and Fs sold well despite gas crunch I and inflation.

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