Both sequels used another Trans Am, not a Cadillac Eldorado, as seen below. 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 . I was just tweaking Jason. Anyone with insight is encouraged to share their knowledge on this. NY 10036. [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. Sonny Shroyer (Enos) was the motorcycle cop who was given the 1-finger salute by Sally Field. They retained the white steering wheels until 72 or so , just the thing to preveny burned fingers in the Desert sun . Want proof? 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. Remember that Smokey and the Bandit was the 2nd biggest movie of the year, right after Star Wars. I was in the Air Force during this era, stationed in California. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 1980 ERTL SMOKEY & THE BANDIT PONTIAC FIREBIRD DIECAST CAR police car set at the best online prices at eBay! Get ready to tear up the highway with the Bandit (Burt Reynolds), a fun-loving, fast-talking trucker who takes on his craziest haul yet - delivering 400 case. Some weren't that lucky and were discontinued altogether. . 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. A 1977 special-edition model once owned by the late actor Burt Reynolds recently wound up on the car auction website Bring a Trailer. At the time, Reynolds was the top box office star in the world. Pontiac should have made a radio that played that song automatically simply by pushing a button, or maybe made it the horn sound. And it was worth it for the brand, as the nameplate sales decided following the redesign. Naturally, it fetched the highest price with a . You will receive a verification email shortly. The MASSIVE year over year sales gains came from somewhere. [11] The movie was primarily filmed in Georgia, in the cities of McDonough, Jonesboro, and Lithonia. As such, it took a lot of sweet talking by former stuntman Needham for Pontiac to cough up three Trans Ams and three LeManses. I only got one of them LOL. Smokey and the Bandit was one of the most iconic movies of the 1970s. 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. Well, at least that's what you saw in the movie. 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 advertisements lampoon the film and feature a Pontiac Trans Am and a cover version of the song East Bound and Down. 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. My drivers ed driving range car was an ex-patrol colonnade Pontiac LeMans Enforcer. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. 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. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). In 2006, a DVD re-release was issued of Smokey and the Bandit featuring a digitally remastered audio track with 5.1 Dolby-compatible surround sound. 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. The theme music "East Bound and Down" was sung and co-written by Reed (credited under his birth name, Jerry Hubbard) and Dick Feller. Not a bad deal, but on the fourth year, no new car. Comments 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. Ive also looked at a Fox based LTD cop car and an early 1991 whale Caprice 9C1 detective model, burgundy on burgundy cloth. A black Trans Am is parked in my garage because of this movie. 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. Your email address will not be published. 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. Bill Justis is the first name on the credits for the soundtrack, as he composed and arranged original music throughout the film. Revisit this scene featuring "East Bound and. Check out the entire video below. Cape was far enough north that it was watered down and there was so much cross-pollination with the Illinois side you really didnt discern much difference. S&B is one of my all-time favorite movies and Im not apologizing. He gave Needham a preview of the song and, getting no reaction, offered to rewrite it. Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, I loved the fact that Jackie Gleasons brown Lemans had a blue vinyl interior and it even had the luxury cushion steering wheel! Reed would eventually play the Bandit in Smokey and the Bandit Part 3, in which Reynolds only appeared in a cameo near the end. The truck at the shell station is actually a 75 or 76 Toyota Hilux. Though no authoritative source identifies the composition of the sandwich, there are several possibilities. Of course, it wasnt hard to wake them up. Mr. Reynolds elevated the dreck that he appeared in to a higher level, that is, enjoyable. Sally Field and Burt Reynolds began a relationship after meeting on set. Car movies are notorious for being tough on the very vehicles that give them their allure. Regular film-goers might not pay much attention to the car's engine sound, but gearheads will quickly notice that something is off. I still think its more entertaining than Star Wars. 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. 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. How many cars destroyed Blues Brothers 2000? News . That is an excellent question. In the U.K., the heavily dubbed version was shown for several years, particularly by the BBC. 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). 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. What were the police cars in Smokey and the Bandit? Its lack of additives and preservatives meant that Coors could spoil in one week without refrigeration, explaining the film's 28-hour deadline. According to Wikipedia, the second movie was able to get away with destroying an INSANE number of brand-new Pontiac LeMans police cars because Pontiac had them sitting around in the southwest region, having been sent to a rental fleet in Phoenix without a/c. 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. 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. 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 . As I am finishing this article while Big Truck Week is winding down, here is a Kenworth with a 1973 Dodge Polara patrol car. Luckily, both cars survived, and the Trans Am became famous only five years later. 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. CC Cinema: The Cars of "Smokey & The Bandit - Curbside Classic 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. 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. 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). Did I mention how much I enjoy reading all the back stories and niggly details I can only get here ? Smokey and the Bandit was the second highest-grossing domestic film of 1977 in the United States. Learn how your comment data is processed. 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 think you may be confusing the movie Honky-Tonk Freeway with the filming done during I-75 construction near Sarasota. Further, as Pontiac has deliciously obvious product placement, anyone who delights in 70s era Pontiac iron will experience visual ecstasy. 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. By the film's ending, the final surviving Trans Am and LeMans were both barely running and the other cars had become parts donors to keep them running. 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. He paid $550,000 for it, likely a record for any Pontiac Firebird. These were the cans with the two circular push buttons on top instead of pull tabs. 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. Let me get the popcorn for this one. Ask him to choose between a BMW M4 and an Audi RS5, and hell gladly trade both for a beat-up Cuda. We gonna do what they say cant be done That is why there are not any left. This small modification was made to remind viewers of Trans Am models from 1969, which had in excess of 300 horsepower. Round and dumpy, just like the Colonnade LeMans! The scoops were added by the department because the engines ran so hot. In its place was the nonsensical "scum bum." . Just like the exaggeration sales went up 700%. http://www.leelofland.com/wordpress/john-fedack-my-days-as-a-dekalb-county-police-officer/. The differences between the two are major. However, as our heroes were successful in delivering their truckload of Coors, the writers effectively poised themselves for a sequel. My family did all grocery shopping in Cape. 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. The uncut version is the best. ARRGH! S&TB was filmed primarily off Route 400 in Georgia. With Reynolds agreement to do the movie, and his insistence upon casting Gleason as Sheriff Justice, the movie became a larger venture. That's because the Trans Am in Smokey and the Bandit didn't sound like a Trans Am. 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. 1975 PLYMOUTH FURY HIGHWAY PATROL "SMOKEY & THE BANDIT" 1/18 BY . Even today when I stumble across this cinematic masterpiece being rerun on cable tv, Ill watch the entire thing. While it is doubtful Pontiac sold very many LeMans police packages, if one views this show as realistic, it would seem nearly every county and highway patrol in five states purchased one of Pontiacs heavy duty offerings. Smokey & The Bandit Police Cars. Its amazing, you should watch it. [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. We stopped in that same Safeway later on the way back home from southern Cal, and they had a huge display of cases of Coors out on the floor near the checkstands. [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. Lets take a look at some more cars found in the movie. 1-Smokey and the Bandit-The classic, the original, and the best one by FAR. AWESOME! Carl Yastrzemski of the Boston Red Sox would bring several cases after playing on the West Coast, by stashing them in the equipment trunks on the team's plane. The film's editors, Walter Hannemann and Angelo Ross, were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Film Editing. The cars were wrecked on purpose to create the illusion of a high-speed chase. Producer Hal Needham intended Smokey and the Bandit to be one of the best product placement films of all time. I think thats another line theyve edited out for the television version. I am pretty sure it was filmed in Florida, when I-75 was under construction so they could use the highways while empty. [38], In 2014, petroleum company Mobil 1 produced television commercials, featuring then-NASCAR driver Tony Stewart, closely based on the film. 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. 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. The unrestored car reportedly showed up on eBay back in 2015, but no one wanted to buy it. Supposedly there was a stick car for the burnouts and an automatic car for other shots. [34] In 2015 a Florida-based automobile customization company built 77 Trans Ams modeled after the car that Reynolds drove in the film. Im pretty sure that the car that barks second when he takes off with Frog had to be a stick. A movie for the people, "Smokey and the Bandit" is more - Hagerty With this, the Sheriff begins his pursuit of the Mann Act-violating Banditall the way to Georgia. Television censorship and alternative versions, second highest-grossing domestic film of 1977, AFI's 100 Years100 Heroes and Villains, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Smokey and the Bandit at 35: A Case for the Genius of Hal Needham", "Greyhound Lakewood Park (Atlanta, Georgia, USA)", "Burt Reynolds' old Pontiac Trans Am replica sold for $317,500", "An Interview With Jim Wangers: Pontiac and the 1970's", "How the Bandit, Coors and a bunch of Makers changed the course of booze history", "Various Smokey And The Bandit (Music From The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)", "Smokey and the Bandit, Box Office Information", "Burt Reynolds at the 2015 Macon Film Festival", "Seven Quirky Lowbrow Favorite Films of Highbrow Directors", "Remembering Hal Needham and the Birth of Redneck Cinema", "Smokey and the Bandit Film from RadioTimes", "Burt Reynolds' Bandit Trans Am sells for $450,000", "See a "New" Vintage Bandit Trans Am Approved by Burt Reynolds Himself", "Diablo Sandwich Recipe from CMT's Reel Eats", "Diablo Sandwich / "Diablo & Doc" From Smokey & the Bandit, Identified! The movies are rated PG with a run time of 282 minutes and released to video by Universal Studios. 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. While I have read undocumented accounts of there being more than three Trans Ams, Needham stated three is all that were used. . Reynolds and Field began dating during the filming.[13]. Just do a search for Crown Victorias on your local CL. Some of the original sound effects (such as Cledus's dog Fred barking) and music (such as the final chase to the Southern Classic) were removed and not replaced. How "Smokey and the Bandit" was born | Fortune Put one on and the lady looks like shes not wearing a bra. 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. Jana, another oddity was that I could go to Carbondale and be asked where down south I was from. With that in mind, Ill go with what Ive heard from my Georgia friends, to wit Sheriff Justices diablo sandwich is the Macon version, which is made with fried eggs and red hots. 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. Probably the most famous TV edit of all time is I have had it with these monkey-fightin snakes on this Monday-to-Friday plane!. In addition to the four Trans Ams, Needham also received two Pontiac LeMans models to serve as patrol cars in the movie. Stroker Ace is after S&B, 1983, and features the then new for 83 aero Fox Body Thunderbird. I developed a pretty good bootheel accent during my time in New Madrid. 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. 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. 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. HotCars covers all things automotive: the latest auto news and informative reviews on the car, pickup truck and motorcycle industries. [original research?] [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). And he succeeded as far as the Pontiac Trans Am is concerned. 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. WildI watched this for the first time in years after watching the latest Archer.the whole thing is an homage to S&B. Nice article Jason I was a fan of this movie when it came out I look back now and think, wow, did I really think this was entertainment?????? Other sources in East Texas (from whence Sheriff Justice hails) are familiar with the popular regional delicacy known as the Diablo Sandwich. But would the black and gold T/As be as desirable today without the movie? Sheriff Justices son, Junior. Trio of Burt Reynolds movie cars fetch $330,000 at auction, including The 1978 Trans Am is an exact duplicate of the "Smokey and the Bandit" movie car, finished in black and gold with a screaming chicken on the hood. The movie had an even bigger impact on the Trans Am. 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". 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 . The Trans Am was already pretty popular in the mid-1970s, with sales hitting 68,745 units in 1977. It made no sense to me as it was fifty miles north and fifty miles south. The film features the custom clothing and costuming of Niver Western Wear of Fort Worth, Texas. The scene where Sheriff Justice's car has the door knocked off by a passing . [29] Alfred Hitchcock claimed that the film was one of his favorites. Smokey and the Bandit: Behind-the-Scenes Details With - MotorTrend 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. It was the second-highest-grossing movie of 1977 after Star Wars. Was it a heathen? However, the U.S. government introduced new emission controls in 1972, and automakers had to step back. IMCDb.org: 1977 Pontiac LeMans in "Smokey and the Bandit, 1977" 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. 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. I dunno about the Foley sounds, I have a T/A with a 400 and an open/no catalytic true dual exhaust, and it sounds really close to how the Bandit car sounds at idle during some scenes from the movie. I was to be paid a salary plus own 7% of the profits. Trigger had a big impact on my taste in cars with the Trans Ams of the late 70s being my favorite. When I was a kid, there was an old record from the 50s around the house that was a collection of radio and tv bloopers. One was a radio ad for a movie that went something like: . Always loved this movie growing up. Now then you mentionned Sheriff JW Pepper, I decided to post some Youtube clips of him. 20 Surprising Facts About The Trans Am From Smokey And The Bandit - HotCars 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. In fact, after Smokey and the Bandit became a box office hit, Pontiac saw a marked increase in their stock prices. And theres beer in Texarkana.. It took four evenings to see almost all of the movie in bits and pieces. What Sports Cars Are In Smokey And The Bandit - OsVehicle There definitely was a halo cast around the 2nd gen F-body from its appearance in the movie, which I believe even did extend to the Camaro, which was probably the cheapest way to at least get some of the Bandit vibe, where there other factors too, probably, the 70s, disco, cocaine, mustaches and probably a bunch others.many thought that these car would be the last hurrah for anything performance oriented. Of course, nobody else cared if it was in the trunk of the car when heading back home. (first posted 2/28/2014) The fourth highest grossing film in the United States in 1977 was the Academy Award nominatedSmokey & The Bandit. As luck and script writing would have it, Frog has left her groom at the altar. 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. 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 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. About two seconds after this picture was taken, these motorcycles were doing their best imitation of a stack of pancakes. The change was somewhat strange as most automakers were using cubic-inch numerals to advertise engines. Some people have ripped this film as being thin on plot; others have called it a documentary about life south of the Mason-Dixon Line. Burt Reynolds' 1977 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am Sold for $240,000. Haul my wife and four shelter adoptee mutts in it. 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. As Frog leaves, we are introduced to Sheriff Buford T. Justice, played by Jackie Gleason. 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. Please refresh the page and try again. 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. During this time, the Firebird also surpassed sales figures of the Chevrolet Camaro. you can find it on amazon.com . Although 1977 models also featured 6.6-liter engines, they were rated at only 200 horses. Heres how it works. All pictures from the movie were acquired from www.imcdb.org, Fred Lives!!! 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. Actually, there were 2 future Dukes stars in the movie: Ben Jones (Cooter) was in an early scene helping Big Enos find Bandit. Producers of Smokey and the Bandit wrecked 26 cars while filming the movie in 1977. Free shipping for many products! In the original script, Carrie was called Kate while Big Enos and Little Enos were called Kyle and Dickey. Gotta love that guy! [5], Universal Studios bankrolled Smokey and the Bandit for $5.3 million, figuring it was a good risk. Musicians such as Beegie Adair and George Tidwell[20] played on the soundtrack. I know that Trans Am that jumped that bridge broke the axle when it landed. Likely this isnt any rare engine venting package, but I could be wrong. Sales jumped even higher in 1979 when Pontiac moved 117,108 Trans Ams. It was destroyed in Smokey and the Bandit II and in a flashback scene in Part 3. The three movie cars were destroyed during various stunts, so the promo car is the only surviving Trans Am connected to this film.