‘Joey, Do You Like Movies About Gladiators?’

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Peter Graves is dead at age 83 and it’s odd that, despite his signature role as James Phelps, leader of the “Mission: Impossible” team, all I can think of is his later comic role as Capt. Oveur in “Airplane.”

Same thing with Robert Stack, Lloyd Bridges and Leslie Nielsen, I guess. They made careers on their tough-guy images and then, with the aid of Zucker/Abrahams, got a second shot at fame by spoofing those images.

“Airplane” ranks with “Blazing Saddles” and “Animal House” among my all-time favorite comedies.

15 comments

  1. Here in Oz ‘Airplane’ was known as “Flying High” and is also one of my favourite movies. I recently bought the DVD and am proud to say my 17 yo daughter and her friends now call it one of their favourite movies. Some things are timeless! Seeing all those famous actors in the original spoof of disaster movies is always fun! Oveur and out Captain.

  2. Here in Oz ‘Airplane’ was known as “Flying High” and is also one of my favourite movies. I recently bought the DVD and am proud to say my 17 yo daughter and her friends now call it one of their favourite movies. Some things are timeless! Seeing all those famous actors in the original spoof of disaster movies is always fun! Oveur and out Captain.

  3. Of course, Peter Graves will always be remembered by me as Jim Mewton, owner of the Broken Wheel Ranch on “Fury”. Every Saturday morning at 11, I’d never miss it (right before “Sky King.”

  4. Of course, Peter Graves will always be remembered by me as Jim Mewton, owner of the Broken Wheel Ranch on “Fury”. Every Saturday morning at 11, I’d never miss it (right before “Sky King.”

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