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CHICAGO – The late playwright August Wilson left a gift to the world in the form of his “American Century Cycle,” a series of plays each individually set in a decade of the 20th Century, focusing on the black experience. Chicago’s Goodman Theatre presents Wilson’s “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone,” now through May 19th, 2024 (click here).
Podtalk: David Zucker for ‘Airplane!’ Book at Chicago Humanities Fest
Submitted by PatrickMcD on October 26, 2023 - 11:06pm
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David Zucker and His Book at Chicago Humanities Festival
Photo credit: Patrick McDonald for HollywoodChicago.com
The Chicago Humanities Fall Season 2023 is ongoing … click ChicagoHumanities.org for complete information on upcoming events, which take place through November 17th.
© 2023 Patrick McDonald, HollywoodChicago.com
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CHICAGO – Use the word “surely” in any conversation, such as “Surely …” and inevitably you’ll get the answer, “Blah Blah, and don’t call me Shirley.” One of a trio that came up with that famous riposte, David Zucker, was at the Chicago Humanities Festival as co-author of “Surely you Can’t be Serious: The True Story of Airplane!”
The book was written with the other two members of the legendary movie comedy creators nicknamed ZAZ … for (David) Zucker, (Jim) Abrahams and (Jerry) Zucker. In 1980, the trio wrote and directed one of the most influential comedy movies of their generation, the deliciously funny farce “Airplane!,” forever changing comic sensibilities and satire. The book is a look back to a different time and place in American entertainment, and David Zucker appeared on its behalf as part of the ongoing Fall Chicago Humanities Festival on October 21st, 2023.
David Zucker and His Book at Chicago Humanities Festival
Photo credit: Patrick McDonald for HollywoodChicago.com
David Zucker was born in Milwaukee, and began his career in the 1970s with his brother Jerry and friend Jim Abrahams. They adapted their stage show into their first film “The Kentucky Fried Movie” (1977, story in the Podtalk below) and then got the green light for the iconic “Airplane!” The partnership also created “Top Secret” in 1984 and “Ruthless People” in 1986, and along the way did “Police Squad” for ABC-TV in 1982. David Zucker later adapted that show into “The Naked Gun” series. Other credits include “BASEketball” and three “Scary Movie” films.
In a Podtalk with Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com, writer/producer/director David Zucker doesn’t call him Shirley …
Trailer for “Airplane!” …
Upcoming talks this weekend include (click links) Comedians Maria Bamford and Aparna Nancheria, politics pundit Andy Borowitz and Ed Begley Jr. in Conversation with Bob Balaban.
 | By PATRICK McDONALD |
