Smokey and the Bandit (1977)

Director:

Hal Needham

Writers:

Hal Needham (story) &
Robert L. Levy (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

27 May 1977 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Comedy | Crime | Romance

Tagline:

Time to take to the road, for a quiet little drive in the country...or not.

Plot:

The Bandit is hired on to run a tractor trailer full of beer over county lines in hot pursuit by a pesky sheriff.

Plot Keywords:

Texas | Sheriff | Police | Trucker | Trans Am

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Burt Reynolds	...	Bandit
Sally Field	...	Carrie
Jerry Reed	...	Cledus
Mike Henry	...	Junior
Paul Williams	...	Little Enos
Pat McCormick	...	Big Enos
Alfie Wise	...	Patrolman - Traffic Jam
George Reynolds	...	Branford
Macon McCalman	...	Mr. B
Linda McClure	...	Waynette
Susan McIver	...	Hot Pants
Laura Lizer Sommers	...	Little Beaver (as Laura Lizer)
Michael Mann	...	Branford's Deputy
Lamar Jackson	...	Sugar Bear
Ronnie Gay	...	Georgia Trooper
Quinnon Sheffield	...	Alabama Trooper
Jackie Gleason	...	Sheriff Buford T. Justice of Portague County
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Bruce Atkins	...	Man Little Enos pays off (uncredited)
Warde Q. Butler	...	Sheriff (uncredited)
Darin Chambers	...	State Police Tidwell (uncredited)
Curtis Credel	...	Country (uncredited)
David Donovan	...	Teen Car Thief (uncredited)
Pat Hustis	...	Tow Truck Driver (uncredited)
Ben Jones	...	Trucker with the redhead (uncredited)
Ingeborg Kjeldsen	...	Foxy Lady (uncredited)
Joe Klecko	...	Trucker (uncredited)
Fred Lerner	...	Member of M.C. Gang (uncredited)
Mel Pape	...	Nude 'Smokey' (uncredited)
John Schneider	...	Cowboy Extra in Crowd Scene (uncredited)
Sonny Shroyer	...	Motorcycle Cop (uncredited)
Paul Sorensen	...	DOT Inspector (uncredited)
Scott Thomson	...	Teen in Coors T-Shirt (uncredited)
Gene Witham	...	Leader of the Gang (uncredited)
Hank Worden	...	Trucker (uncredited)

Directed by
Hal Needham

Writing credits
Hal Needham		(story) &
Robert L. Levy		(story)
James Lee Barrett		(screenplay) and
Charles Shyer		(screenplay) &
Alan Mandel		(screenplay)

Produced by
Mort Engelberg	....	producer
Robert L. Levy	....	executive producer
Jules V. Levy	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Bill Justis
Jerry Reed

Cinematography by
Bobby Byrne		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Walter Hannemann
Angelo Ross

Art Direction by
Mark W. Mansbridge		(as Mark Mansbridge)

Set Decoration by
Anthony C. Montenaro		(as Tony Montenaro)

Makeup Department
Guy Del Russo	....	makeup artist
Tom Ellingwood	....	makeup artist
Bren Plaistowe	....	hair stylist
Jim Gillespie	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
James A. Westman	....	unit production manager (as James Westman)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Alan Gibbs	....	second unit director
David Hamburger	....	first assistant director
Toby Lovallo	....	second assistant director
James Quinn	....	second assistant director

Sound Department
Anthony Magro	....	sound editor
John Speak	....	sound
Ray West	....	sound

Special Effects by
Arthur Brewer	....	special effects (as Art Brewer)

Stunts
Michael Barnett	....	stunts (uncredited)
Stan Barrett	....	stunt coordinator (uncredited)
Bobby Bass	....	stunts (uncredited)
Pamela Bebermeyer	....	stunts (uncredited)
Janet Brady	....	stunt double: Sally Field (uncredited)
Janet Brady	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jophery C. Brown	....	stunts (uncredited)
Steven Burnett	....	stunts (uncredited)
Gary Combs	....	stunts (uncredited)
David R. Ellis	....	stunts (uncredited)
Alan Gibbs	....	stunt double: Burt Reynolds (uncredited)
Alan Gibbs	....	stunts (uncredited)
Scott Hamilton	....	stunt driver (uncredited)
Tommy J. Huff	....	stunts (uncredited)
Kim Kahana	....	stunts (uncredited)
Fred Lerner	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bennie Moore	....	stunts (uncredited)
Hal Needham	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bob Orrison	....	stunts (uncredited)
Mark Orrison	....	stunts (uncredited)
J.N. Roberts	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bobby Sargent	....	stunt double: Burt Reynolds (uncredited)
Bobby Sargent	....	stunts (uncredited)
Gene Witham	....	utility stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
George Bouillet	....	director of photography: second unit
Robert C. Jessup	....	director of photography: second unit (as Bob Jessup)
William D. Barber	....	second assistant camera (uncredited)
Lou Noto	....	assistant camera: "b" camera (uncredited)
Ted T. Sugura	....	assistant camera: "a" camera (uncredited)

Casting Department
Jennifer Shull	....	casting

Music Department
Al Teeter	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Ken Peterson	....	transportation captain
Jack Carpenter	....	driver: insert car (uncredited)
Chris Haynes	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Betsy Norton	....	script supervisor
Stanley Brossette	....	unit publicist (uncredited)
Dale Echols	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Michael Parkhurst	....	equipment supplier (uncredited)
Michael Parkhurst	....	technical advisor (uncredited)
Dominic Santarone	....	caterer (uncredited)
Ruth Santarone	....	caterer (uncredited)
Rich Sephton	....	car modifications (uncredited)
Jerry Whittington	....	location projectionist: Dailies (uncredited)

Thanks
George Busbee	....	our thanks to: for their cooperation in making this film (as Governor George Busbee)
Ed Spivia	....	our thanks to: for their cooperation in making this film

Production Companies

• Universal Pictures
• Rastar Pictures (as A Rastar Production)
• Pat Hustis Camera Cars (uncredited)

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1977) (USA) (theatrical)
• CIC Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• DiscoVision (USA) (laserdisc)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (199?) (USA) (VHS)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (199?) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1979) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Universal Home Entertainment (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Home Video (Brazil) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Georgia Department of Industry and Trade, The  our thanks to: for their cooperation in making this film
• Georgia Department of Public Safety, The  our thanks to: for their cooperation in making this film
• International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE)  this picture made under the jurisdiction of (as I.A.T.S.E.®)
• Kaleidoscope Films  title design
• State of Georgia  our thanks to: for their cooperation in making this film
• Unique Movie Cars  picture cars (uncredited)
• Universal Title  titles & optical effects

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Singapore:PG | Australia:M | Canada:PA (Ontario) | Canada:14A (Canadian Home Video rating) | Argentina:13 | Finland:K-16 | France:U | Norway:15 (re-rating) | Norway:16 (original rating) | Sweden:11 | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating) (1987) | USA:PG (Approved No. 24818) | Iceland:L

Filming Locations:

Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

Near the end of the movie, one of the two Georgia State Patrol cars that block the entrance to the fairgrounds (the Oldsmobile) is equipped with an airbag (very rare for the '70s). The airbag did not deploy in that minor collision but did deploy when they purposely wrecked the car years later. That car is shown in an airbag safety film used in some traffic schools.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: During the chase scene just after "Snowman" is pulled over by the motorcycle cop one of the chasing cars pulls a u-turn through median to give pursuit. However when performing this maneuver the car blows the front passenger side tire as witnessed by the large puff of white smoke disabling it from adding to the chase squad.

Quotes:

Big Enos: Twenty to one I break the son of a bitch this time.
Little Enos: Gimme five-hundred on the Bandit.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in Dead End (1985)

Soundtrack:

East Bound And Down

Best of the good old boy movies

I guess one reason I love this movie is because it doesn't pretend to be anything more than it is. It doesn't aspire to great movie-making. It was just supposed to be 90 minutes of entertainment on the big screen, and it's still entertaining. Take your brain off for a while and have fun with it.

There are hilarious lines, some funny pratfalls and even a bit of home-grown wisdom: "How ignorant you are depends a lot on which part of the United States you're standing on." Or something like that. I get a kick out of watching the convoy/rocking-chair scene every time. Makes me wonder how in the world they got around Birmingham, but that's suspension of disbelief for you. LOL.

Wish director Hal Needham had remembered that Alabama State Troopers drive Fords, not Pontiacs, but that's a small thing. My dad remarked on it every time, though.

It's just cornball entertainment, rare enough these days. Pop some popcorn and have a blast watching it.