Jim Abrahams, Comedy Legend Behind Airplane! and The Naked Gun, Passes Away at 80

His son, Joseph, confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter that Abrahams died of natural causes at his home in Santa Monica. As part of the trailblazing ZAZ trio alongside Jerry and David Zucker, Abrahams transformed the comedy landscape. The team’s first major success came in 1977 with The Kentucky Fried Movie, a sketch comedy film directed by John Landis. They achieved global fame in 1980 with Airplane!, a disaster film parody that became a massive hit, earning $171 million on a $3.5 million budget.

Critics continue to hail Airplane! as one of the greatest comedies ever made. “It’s weird. It’s unexpected. It’s absurd,” noted the Guardian in 2020 for the film’s 40th anniversary. Abrahams once reflected, “We saw so many things taken seriously in the media and movies. Our instincts told us we didn’t have to do the same.”

After Airplane!, the ZAZ team created the critically acclaimed yet short-lived TV series Police Squad!, which introduced Leslie Nielsen’s hilarious detective character. Though it lasted only six episodes, it later inspired the 1988 film The Naked Gun, another box-office success, grossing $152 million.

Abrahams also co-wrote and directed other comedy classics, including Top Secret! (1984) with Val Kilmer and Ruthless People (1986) starring Danny DeVito and Bette Midler. On his own, he directed Big Business and the Winona Ryder-led drama-comedy Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael.

In 1991, Abrahams launched another popular spoof franchise with Hot Shots!, starring Charlie Sheen. Its success led to a sequel in 1993. Later, he directed the crime comedy Jane Austen’s Mafia! and co-wrote Scary Movie 4.

Beyond Hollywood, Abrahams made an impact through his philanthropic efforts. Inspired by his son Charlie’s severe epilepsy, he co-founded The Charlie Foundation to Help Cure Pediatric Epilepsy and directed the 1997 Meryl Streep TV movie First Do No Harm, based on their experiences.

Abrahams leaves behind a legacy of groundbreaking comedy and heartfelt advocacy. His contributions shaped modern humor and provided inspiration for generations of filmmakers and audiences alike.