Mother, Jugs & Speed (1976)

Competition between privately owned Los Angeles ambulance companies is played for humor.

Director:

Peter Yates

Writers:

Stephen Manes (story), Tom Mankiewicz (screenplay)

Stars:

Bill Cosby, Raquel Welch, Harvey Keitel

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Bill Cosby	...	Mother
Raquel Welch	...	Jugs
Harvey Keitel	...	Speed
Allen Garfield	...	Harry Fishbine
Larry Hagman	...	Murdoch
L.Q. Jones	...	Davey
Bruce Davison	...	Leroy
Dick Butkus	...	Rodeo
Milt Kamen	...	Barney
Barra Grant	...	Miss Crocker
Allan Warnick	...	Bliss
Valerie Curtin	...	Naomi Fishbine
Ric Carrott	...	Harvey
Severn Darden	...	Moran
Bill Henderson	...	Charles Taylor

Storyline

Los Angeles: A new law says that the first ambulance that arrives at an accident obtains the contract to transport the injured person. The result is ruthless competition between several companies.

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Plot Keywords:

ambulance | drugs | suicide | shot through the mouth | sexual harassment | 

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Taglines:

The F & B Ambulance Co. is looking for a few good men... but they will take any body they can get.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 May 1976 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Louca Ambulância

Filming Locations:

Mar Vista, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$3,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$20,000,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The producers wanted Gene Hackman, who was shooting Lucky Lady (1975) down in Mexico at the time, for the lead role of "Mother" Tucker. Tom Mankiewicz flew down to Mexico and met with Hackman, who had already read the script. Hackman explained that he was overworked, and turned down the role. Hackman recommended a wonderful comic he had seen on television for the role, Bill Cosby. Producers Mankiewicz and Yates met with Cosby after he'd read the script, and offered him the part.

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Goofs

In the final shootout scene where Larry Hagman's character has been shot, the SWAT team arrives and in the background you can see SWAT team guys climbing a ladder to a roof across the street. In the next scene, from the same angle, you see the Swat team bring in and hoisting the ladder.

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Quotes

Mother: [to Harry, after Harry yells at him on the radio to take a call] Yes'm, Massa Harry, you son of a bitch.

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Connections

Referenced in Tripping the Rift: To eBay or Not to eBay (2007)

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Soundtracks

Show Me The Way
(uncredited)
Written and Performed by Peter Frampton

User Reviews

Cosby's Funniest movie

1976 was a year for fun movies. "Mother, Jugs, and Speed" has got it all: comedy, action, drama, and adventure. This movie deals with the life of being a paramedic. Bill Cosby plays Mother, a veteran ambulance driver with a history of uncouthness: Drinking on the job; carrying a firearm; and being slothful at the final moment. However, he gets the job done. Raquel Welch plays Jennifer aka "Jugs". I don't want to go there with that! Sorry! Harvey Kitel plays Tony aka "Speed" Mother's new partner after his junkie partner was killed by another addict(Toni Basil, way before she hit it big with her 1980's hit "Mickey"). This movie deals with a lot of issues in the business: racial, sexual, economical, etc. Most of it was pretty tame. Despite the "N" word, and the finger expression which "Jugs" gave to her superior. I liked the way the ambulance was made for the movie. This movie wasn't made for kids, if Richard Pryor was the star, this would be an R-rated movie. This is made for mature audiences. It's great though!

3.5 out of 5 stars!