Smokey and the Bandit ( Pontiac Firebird Trans-Am ) 1977
Smokey and the Bandit
Smokey and the Bandit is a 1977 American action comedy film starring Burt Reynolds, Sally Field, Jackie Gleason, Smokey and the Bandit II, and Smokey and the Bandit Part 3.It was the second highest-grossing domestic film of 1977, with $126 million against a budget of $4.3 million (only Star Wars made a higher gross that year, $775.5 million). Sally Field and Burt Reynolds began a relationship after meeting on set.
Theme Tune
Jerry Reed – Eastbound and Down
East bound and down, loaded up and truckin’,
We’re gonna do what they say can’t be done.
We’ve got a long way to go and a short time to get there.
I’m east bound, just watch ol’ “Bandit” run.
Keep your foot hard on the pedal. Son, never mind them brakes.
Let it all hang out ’cause we got a run to make.
The boys are thirsty in Atlanta and there’s beer in Texarcana.
And we’ll bring it back no matter what it takes.
East bound and down, loaded up and truckin’,
We’re gonna do what they say can’t be done.
We’ve got a long way to go and a short time to get there.
I’m east bound, just watch ol’ “Bandit” run.
East bound and down, loaded up and truckin’,
We’re gonna do what they say can’t be done.
We’ve got a long way to go and a short time to get there.
I’m east bound, just watch ol’ “Bandit” run.
Ol’ Smokey’s got them ears on and he’s hot on your trail.
He aint gonna rest ’til you’re in jail.
So you got to dodge ‘im and you got to duck ‘im,
You got to keep that diesel truckin’.
Just put that hammer down and give it hell.
East bound and down, loaded up and truckin’,
We’re gonna do what they say can’t be done.
We’ve got a long way to go and a short time to get there.
I’m east bound, just watch ol’ “Bandit” run.
Trivia
Hal Needham asked Jerry Reed to write a theme song for the film. A couple of hours later, Reed presented “East Bound and Down” to Needham. With an acoustic guitar, Reed started to play it and Needham immediately stopped him. Thinking Needham didn’t like it, Reed offered to re-write the song. To which Needham replied: “If you change one note, I’ll kill you!” The song went on to become one of Reed’s biggest hits.
Quote
Buford T. Justice: [Leaning against his car with his gun pointed at Bandit] Well as you can see Bandit, I’ve got my piece in my hand.
‘Bandit’: You’ve got your WHAT in your hand?
Cast
Burt Reynolds … Bandit
Sally Field … Carrie
Jerry Reed … Cledus
Mike Henry … Junior
Paul Williams … Little Enos
Pat McCormick … Big Enos
The Pontiac Firebird is an automobile which was built by the Pontiac division of General Motors between 1967 and 2002. The Firebird was introduced the same year as the automaker’s platform-sharing model, the Chevrolet Camaro. This coincided with the release of the 1967 Mercury Cougar, which shared its platform with another pony car, the Ford Mustang.
The vehicles were powered by various four-cylinder, six-cylinder, and V8 engines sourced from several GM divisions. While primarily Pontiac-powered until 1977, Firebirds were built with several different engines from nearly every GM division until 1982 when GM began to discontinue engines it felt were unneeded and either spread successful designs from individual divisions among all divisions or use new engines of corporate architecture.
The name ‘Firebird’ was also previously used by General Motors for the unrelated concept cars.
Trivia
A majority of the lines & quotes, spoken by Jackie Gleason as Sheriff Justice were improvised.
Quote
Buford T. Justice: Breaker, breaker for the Bandit.
Bandit: Come on back, breaker.
Buford T. Justice: Bandit I got a smokey report for you. Come on!
Bandit: Well, talk to me good buddy.
Buford T. Justice: You got trouble comin…
Bandit: Well what’s your handle son, and what’s your twenty?
Buford T. Justice: My handle’s Smokey Bear and I’m tail-grabbin yo ass right now!
| Checkpoint Charlie | Police checkpoint placed to look for intoxicated drivers, drivers with valid licenses, etc. (alludes to the former border crossing between East and West Berlin). |
|---|---|
| Evel Knievel | Police officer on a motorcycle. (Refers to the popular motorcycle stuntman.) |
| Gum ball machine/Bubble gum machine | Police vehicle, especially one with the older-style, dome-shaped red rotating/strobe light commonly mounted on the roof of police cars, which resembles a traditional “penny” gumball machine. |
| Miss Piggy | A female police officer. (Refers to the Muppet character, derived from the pejorative term “pig” for police officers.) |
| Mama bear | A less derogatory term for a female police officer. |
| Papa Bear | A male Police Supervisor, usually a Sergeant, Lieutenant, or Captain |
| Baby bear | A rookie police officer. |
| Bear in the air | A police aircraft in flight. |
| Bear | A police officer. |
| Bear trap | Police officer running radar. |
| Bear bite/Invitation | A traffic ticket/citation. |
| Bear’s den/Bear cave | A police station. |
| Bear rolling discos | A speeding police car with its lights flashing. |
| Blue Light Special | A police vehicle with its blue strobe lights flashing. (Refers to the popular Kmart sale gimmick.) |
| City kitty | A local city police officer. |
| County mounty | A county sheriff or deputy. |
| Fox in the hen House | unmarked police vehicle. |
| Kojak With a Kodak | Police Officer running radar. |
| Bear with ears | A police officer monitoring the CB airwaves. |
| Flying donut | A police helicopter. |
| Chicken coop | A scale house (truck scale). |
| Full grown Bear | A state police officer. |
| Smokey | A police officer (refers to Smokey Bear, known for wearing a campaign hat very similar to that included in many highway patrol uniforms in the United States). |
| Wall-to-wall bears | A large number of police vehicles, especially when on a chase. |
| Taco Stand | Border patrol check stations on Southern routes. |
Info
| Music by |
Bill Justis Jerry Reed |
|---|---|
|
Production
company |
Rastar
|
| Distributed by | Universal Pictures |
|
Release date
|
May 19, 1977 (NYC) July 29, 1977 LA |
|
Running time
|
96 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $4.3 million |
| Box office | $126 million |
Trivia
Three Trans-Am cars were used in this movie. Director Hal Needham claims in the DVD documentary that they could barely run towards the end of the film’s production.
QUIZ 1
The nickname Smokey is CB Radio slang for State Patrol Troopers. But Where did the Name Smokey Come From ?
A. Prohibition, Bootlegging
B. A Gun
C. A Hat
D. A Police Car in Pursuit
Press for Answer
C. A Hat
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QUIZ 2
What was the handle given to Sally Field ?
A. Frog
B. Grasshopper
C. Bunny
D. Sparrow
Press for Answer
A. Frog
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QUIZ 1
The nickname Smokey is CB Radio slang for State Patrol Troopers. But Where did the Name Smokey Come From ?
A. Prohibition, Bootlegging
B. A Gun
C. A Hat
D. A Police Car in Pursuit
Most state uniforms hats are properly called ‘campaign hats’ with a ‘Montana crease’. The hat with that type crease is vintage late 19th century. It was called a ‘Smokey Bear hat’ after the US Forest Service began publishing images (posters) of their mascot wearing one in 1944.
QUIZ 2
What was the handle given to Sally Field ?
A. Frog
B. Grasshopper
C. Bunny
D. Sparrow
Burt Reynolds, plays Bo “Bandit” Darville, a speed demon who bets he can get a bootleg load of Coors beer from Texarkana, Texas, Bandit runs interference in a Pontiac Trans Am ahead of his truck-driving buddy, Cledus “Snowman” Snow (country singer Jerry Reed, who wrote and sang the soundtrack, including “Eastbound and Down”). Along the way, Bandit picks up a runaway bride, whom he nicknames “Frog” (Sally Field)
Sally Field Also Stared in Mrs Doubtfire as the Mum of the Family.
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- Mrs Doubtfire
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