Jerry Zucker Explained

Jerry Zucker
Birth Name:Jerry Gordon Zucker
Birth Date:11 March 1950
Birth Place:Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
Occupation:Film director, producer, screenwriter
Years Active:1976–present
Children:2
Family:David Zucker (brother)

Jerry Gordon Zucker (born March 11, 1950) is an American film producer, director, and writer known for his role in directing comedy spoof films such as Airplane! and Top Secret!, and the Best Picture-nominated supernatural drama film Ghost.[1] He and his older brother, David Zucker, collaborated on several films.

Life and career

Zucker was born to a Jewish family[2] in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the son of Charlotte A. (Lefstein) (d. 2007) and Burton C. Zucker, who was a real estate developer.[3] [4] He graduated from Shorewood High School.[5] His paternal grandfather was Leonard Zucker who emigrated from Russia to the United States and became a naturalized citizen.

Zucker's early career work started with Jim Abrahams and brother David Zucker. The trio performed in Madison, Wisconsin as a sketch and comedy troupe called "Kentucky Fried Theater". From there the three went on and together co-directed Airplane! in 1980 and then went on to do Top Secret! in 1984, and Ruthless People in 1986. In 1987, both Jerry and David Zucker through Zucker Brothers Productions had inked an agreement with Paramount Pictures for a two-year non-exclusive production agreement and development deal with the studio. The brothers had anticipated cranking out four comedies for Paramount Pictures during the life of the pact; the first film was a feature film version of the early 1980s television show Police Squad!, which was originally cancelled after six episodes on the air.[6] In 1990, he lent his directorial skills to the dramatic genre with Ghost, which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture. Zucker's most recent directorial effort is the 2001 film Rat Race.

Zucker's films have been ranked among the greatest comedies of all time: Airplane! was ranked at the top of Entertainment Weekly's list of best comedy films and AFI listed it as #10; Top Secret! made Entertainment Weeklys Top 100 list.[7]

Like his brother David Zucker, Jerry often cast his mother, Charlotte (who died in 2007), and his sister, Susan Breslau, in small roles in his films. Along with Jim Abrahams, the Zuckers constitute the "ZAZ" team of directors.

Filmography

Films

YearTitlewidth=65Directorwidth=65Writerwidth=65ProducerNotes
1977The Kentucky Fried Movie
1980Airplane!Co-directed with Jim Abrahams & David Zucker
1984Top Secret!
1986Ruthless People
1988
1990Ghost
1991
1992Brain Donors
1993My Life
1994
1995First Knight
A Walk in the Clouds
1997My Best Friend's Wedding
2001Rat Race
2002Unconditional Love
2010Fair Game
2011Friends with Benefits
2012Mental

Acting roles

YearTitleRole(s)Notes
1977The Kentucky Fried MovieTechnician #3 / Man / Beaver / Hands
1980Airplane!Ground Crewman #1
1984Top Secret!German Soldier
1995Your Studio and YouHimselfShort film
2014AsthmaGus' Father

Television

TV series

YearTitleDirectorProducerWriterNotes
1976Big John, Little Johnwriter of episode "Abracadabra" with Jim Abrahams & David Zucker
1982Police Squad!director and writer of episode "A Substantial Gift (The Broken Promise)" with Jim Abrahams & David Zucker
1987Our Planet TonightTV movie
2013Dear Dumb Diary
2019Late Night BerlinEpisode "Folge 42"

Acting roles

YearTitleRoleNote
1972The Tonight Show Starring Johnny CarsonPerformerPart as Kentucky Fried Theater in one episode
1974The Midnight Special

Notes and References

  1. News: Jerry Zucker-Biography. Yahoo! Movies.
  2. Book: American Jewish Filmmakers. David. Desser. Lester D.. Friedman. 2004. 166. University of Illinois Press . 9780252071539.
  3. http://www.filmreference.com/film/71/David-Zucker.html David Zucker Biography (1947-)
  4. Web site: Charlotte Zucker Obituary (2007) - Mequon, WI - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Legacy.com.
  5. http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=332493 "25 years and still laughing: 'Airplane!' maintains its cruising altitude with a non-stop zany attitude"
  6. News: 1987-10-07 . Zucker Bros. Sign A 2-Year Par Pact . 4, 119 . Variety.
  7. News: Kaltenbach. Chris. Jerry Zucker Still Flies High on 'Airplane!'. Los Angeles Times. August 22, 2001.