When news broke that veteran actor Peter Graves died this past Sunday, fans of his long and storied career began to recall his many accomplishments.Television fans will remember him best as the iconic Jim Phelps on the classic spy series 'Mission: Impossible.'
But on the movies side, perhaps his most enduring contribution is the part of Captain Clarence Oveur in the 1980 comedy classic 'Airplane!' Written and directed by Jim Abrahams and Jerry and David Zucker, the disaster-film parody about a flight crew that suffers food poisoning mid-flight achieved one of the biggest joke-to-minute ratios ever captured on film. Much of the film's success came from respected character actors like Graves, Lloyd Bridges and Leslie Nielsen and their ability to deliver the most absurd lines with the most deadpan delivery. The film even achieved the unthinkable of getting a great performance out of an athlete: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who played Oveur's co-pilot.
For Graves in particular, it took immeasurable skill to get laughs out of his too-questionable relationship with young Joey.
Relive one of the most quotable comedies ever, with our collection of the best quotes from the film:
When news broke that veteran actor Peter Graves died this past Sunday, fans of his long and storied career began to recall his many accomplishments.Television fans will remember him best as the iconic Jim Phelps on the classic spy series 'Mission: Impossible.'
But on the movies side, perhaps his most enduring contribution is the part of Captain Clarence Oveur in the 1980 comedy classic 'Airplane!' Written and directed by Jim Abrahams and Jerry and David Zucker, the disaster-film parody about a flight crew that suffers food poisoning mid-flight achieved one of the biggest joke-to-minute ratios ever captured on film. Much of the film's success came from respected character actors like Graves, Lloyd Bridges and Leslie Nielsen and their ability to deliver the most absurd lines with the most deadpan delivery. The film even achieved the unthinkable of getting a great performance out of an athlete: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who played Oveur's co-pilot.
For Graves in particular, it took immeasurable skill to get laughs out of his too-questionable relationship with young Joey.
Relive one of the most quotable comedies ever, with our collection of the best quotes from the film:
Captain Oveur: You ever been in a cockpit before?
Joey: No sir, I've never been up in a plane before.
Captain Oveur: You ever seen a grown man naked?
Captain Oveur: Joey, do you like movies about gladiators?
Captain Oveur: Joey, did you ever hang around a gymnasium?
Captain Oveur: Joey, have you ever been in a... in a Turkish prison?
Rumack: "Captain, how soon can you land?
Captain Oveur: I can't tell.
Rumack: You can tell me. I'm a doctor.
Captain Oveur: No. I mean I'm just not sure.
Rumack: Well, can't you take a guess?
Captain Oveur: Well, not for another two hours.
Rumack: You can't take a guess for another two hours?
Roger Murdock: We have clearance, Clerance.
Captain Oveur: Roger, Roger. What's our vector, Victor?
(on the phone with the Mayo Clinic)
Operator: Excuse me, Captain Oveur, but I have an emergency call on line 5 from a Mr. Hamm.
Captain Oveur: Alright, give me a Hamm on 5, hold the Mayo.
Joey: Wait a minute. I know you. You're Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. You play basketball for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Roger Murdock: I'm sorry son, but you must have me confused with someone else. My name is Roger Murdock. I'm the co-pilot.
Joey: You are Kareem. I've seen you play. My dad's got season tickets.
Roger Murdock: I think you should go back to your seat now Joey. Right Clarence?
Captain Oveur: Nah, he's not bothering anyone, let him stay here.
Roger Murdock: But just remember, my name is (showing his nametag) "Roger Murdock." I'm an airline pilot.
Joey: I think you're the greatest, but my dad says you don't work hard enough on defense. And he says that lots of times, you don't even run down court. And that you don't really try... except during the playoffs.
Roger Murdock: The hell I don't. Listen kid, I've been hearing that crap ever since I was at UCLA. I'm out there busting my buns every night. Tell your old man to drag Walton and Lanier up and down the court for 48 minutes.
Elaine Dickinson: There's no reason to become alarmed, and we hope you'll enjoy the rest of your flight. By the way, is there anyone on board who knows how to fly a plane?
Randy: There's been a little problem in the cockpit.
Ted: The cockpit? What is it?
Randy: It's a little room in the front of the plane, where the pilots sit, but that's not important right now.
