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:

Jackie Gleason reportedly modeled his character, Sheriff Buford T. Justice, after Burt Reynolds' description of his father, a Georgia sheriff. Among the character traits that came from this was the use of "sum bit" instead of "son of a bitch". Gleason later stated that one of his greatest joys was learning that people in the Deep South had picked up using "sum bit" from the film.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the scenes where the Bandit asks the convoy ahead to "slip into the rocking chair," the weather changes back and forth from sunny and clear to overcast. What is more, after the state troopers get ahead of the blocking truck (the one that cut them off and forced them onto the shoulder) and the Bandit, the Trans Am is clearly visible behind them in the right lane only a car length away, yet they don't even turn their head to see it right there.

Quotes:

Cledus Snow: Bandit, what are we gonna do about all this beer we took?
Bandit: [running to his car] Leave them a note and tell them to send the bill to Big Enos Burdette.
Cledus Snow: [writing a note] Send bill to Big Enos Burdette; B, B-r, B-u-r...
[sees Bandit take off]
Cledus Snow: Hell, I got to go!
[leaves without finishing note]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: Sally Field/Tony! Toni! Tone! (#19.9)" (1993)

Soundtrack:

East Bound And Down

My guilty pleasure film!

This movie,as far as I know,never won any special honors.It perhaps is not listed as one of the top 1,000,000 movies of all time.It may not be considered by many to be a great film,but I (and I am not ashamed to admit this),love this movie.Perhaps it is the charm exuded by Burt Reynolds and Jerry Reed.Perhaps it is the beautiful Sally Field(she never looked better on film).Perhaps it is the comic genius of Jackie Gleason.Perhaps it is all these things rolled into one.This is the absolute "king" of redneck comedy movies(and I use the term "redneck" with the utmost affection).I am a fan of great films,but I have my guilty pleasure movies as anyone has. This one tops my list of those.Love it!