May 10 - Jim Abrahams

Happy 76th Birthday, Jim Abrahams! Born today in 1944 as James S. Abrahams, this American screenwriter, film producer and film director is best known as a member of Zucker, Abrahams and Zucker. 

  

Abrahams may be best known for the spoof movies that he co-wrote and produced with brothers. These included American film director, producer and screenwriter David and American film producer, director and writer Jerry Zucker. 

  

The team of Zucker, Abrahams and Zucker (also referred to as "ZAZ") really began when the three men grew up together in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Abrahams was born in Shorewood, just twelve minutes from Milwaukee. 

  

Abrahams directed movies on his own. This included the 1988 American comedy film 'Big Business'.  

  

Later on, he further honed his skills in parody with the 1991 American Navy comedy/parody film 'Hot Shots!' (a spoof of 'Top Gun') and its sequel, the 1993 American parody comedy/action film 'Hot Shots! Part Deux'. 

  

However, Abrahams is best known for co-writing and co-directing the 1980 American comedy/parody film 'Airplane!' (alternatively titled 'Flying High!'). 

This also includes co-writing the 1988 American crime comedy/action film 'The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!' (also known as simply 'The Naked Gun'). 

  

The latter film was based off of ABC's 1982 American television comedy series Police Squad! The program, along with the Zucker brothers, had been co-created by Abrahams. 

'The Naked Gun' was a critical and commercial success, which was followed by two sequels. 

This included the 1991 American comedy/parody film 'The 'Naked Gun 21⁄2: The Smell of Fear' and the 1994 American comedy/parody film 'Naked Gun 331⁄3: The Final Insult'. 

  

In 2010, 'Airplane!' was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

In 2013, TV Guide ranked Police Squad! at #7 on their list of sixty shows that were "Cancelled Too Soon". Police Squad! ran from March 4–July 8, 1982, with only six episodes.  

  

Abrahams and his wife, Nancy (née Cocuzzo) co-founded The Charlie Foundation To Help Cure Pediatric Epilepsy. 

  

Abrahams has been active from 1972–present. 

  

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