The Airport Series: A Retrospective 1970-79

This is a fun retrospective of the Universal film series, Airport. From 1970-1979, Universal released four films in the series. Starring the likes of Burt Lancaster, Jimmy Stewart, Jack Lemmon, Charlton Heston, Helen Hayes, and George Kennedy as Joe Paterno.

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[roberthansen]

I was on the set (representing the Navy but in mufti) for the last day's filming of Airport 77. I remember giving coffee creamer to Jack Lemon and chatting with Olivia D'Havilland while she did crossword puzzles between takes. I was able to pose for a picture with Jimmy Stewart. My favorite line in (not part of the movie) was when Joseph Cotten told Olivia "you look like shit my dear." They had to keep throwing buckets of water on her so she would look like she had just been rescued (she dried out between takes). Brenda Vacarro had a new camera and was taking my picture for practice. To this day she's probably wondering who the hell I was. I bought a souvenir chambray shirt with "AIRPORT 77" across the back. Almost 50 years later, I still have it. I know I'm in the scene where the helicopter zooms out while flying over the ship. I saw all those Airport/Airplane movies and particularly enjoyed "Airplane." I may be one of the few people who understood the jokes.

[HothGroundForcesCommander]

I'm not entirely sure why this popped up in my YouTube feed, but I'm glad it did. As someone born in the late 60's, and a child in the 70's, I had a real fascination with all of the the star-studded cast disaster movies of the era, experienced mostly as later TV presentations. These Airport movies were absolutely among my favorites (though the various Irwin Allan flicks gave them stiff competition), particularly Airport and 75. Around 20 or so years ago, I saw a bargain bin DVD box set called 'Airport Terminal Pack' that contained all 4 films. In some uncontrolled burst of childhood nostalgia, I snatched it up for 10 bucks or so mark-down price. I think I watched the first two right away, but couldn't bring myself to sit through the cheese of the last two. Taking up shelf space to this day. This was a fantastic, and funny, retrospective. Well done!

[erichuxel]

Miss Helen Hays won an Oscar for her performance in Airport!! NEVER FORGET THAT!!!

[tishirwin]

Watched all the Airport movies. Loved them!

[ricklosangeles]

For those wanting to know about the aircraft used in this series of movies:

Aircraft used in Airport ’70 ground shots was originally delivered to Flying Tiger Line in 1966 as N324F. After a series of owners, it was last flown by Trans Brazil and crashed short of the runway at Sao Paulo Brazil in 1989

Aircraft used Airport ’75 was originally delivered to American Airlines in 1971 as N9675. It was last flown by UPS as N675UP and was scrapped at Roswell in 2011.

Aircraft used Airport ’77 was originally delivered to American Airlines in 1970 as N9667. After several operators over the years, it was scrapped in 1987 at Greenwood-Lefore Mississippi

Aircraft used in Airport ’79 The Concorde was the seventh Concorde and was originally delivered to Air France 1976 as F-BTSC. Unfortunately, this was the aircraft that crashed shortly after takeoff from Paris in 2000 resulting in the deaths of 109 passengers and crew and 4 on the ground. This accident and the events after 9/11 spelled the end of Concorde.

[NormanLor]

IN THE LAST YEAR I MUST HAVE WATCHED "AIRPORT" 50 TIMES AND LOVE IT!!

[simonsmatthew]

The love theme music from Airport (1970) was a hit (in those days instrumental/orchestral music could be) and is the most well-known. But the music from 1975 was my favourite, by the legendary John Cavacas, who by the way as written some popular textbooks for students on orchestration. Despite the questionable quality of the movies, the scores were of the highest standard. Although there are some great film composers today, there are few that have the command of harmony and counterpoint to write this sort of music. This gives the movies a timeless and classy feel,

[jimw]

I have a DVD 4 pack collection of these and 77 is my favorite just because of the underwater stuff with the Navy. Great stuff 😃

[VolvoGuy]

I saw Airport ‘77 in the theater at 8 years old. As a kid, the cinematography of the plane underwater on that big screen was actually pretty wild and frightening.
Although time (and the movie Airplane!) has changed perspective of these campy disaster films, I still remember that first tense viewing of ‘77 fondly. 😉

[solipha]

The Universal Studios tour in LA used to have an attraction about special effects and editing in the movies. They had an airplane set and pulled members of the audience to sit in the seats while they filmed them acting out directions (scream, look scared, etc.). Then they spliced it into footage from Airport '77. Super cheesy but fun for a ten-year old.

[nutandboltguy]

To show how old I am, I saw all 4 of these at the movie theater. We were bored teenagers and would see anything.

[cameraman]

While there are some nods to ‘Airport’ (all 4), ‘Airplane’ is a parody of the movie, ‘Zero Hour’ (1957). Interestingly enough one of the screenplay writers was Arthur Hailey, the author of….’Airport’. Watch Zero Hour back-to-back with Airplane, you will be in stitches...😂

[muzluv]

Liked the first two movies the best. Loved the scene in Airport 1970 when the priest slaps the hysterical passenger across from him in the face after doing the Sign of the Cross and done so nonchalantly. And yes Helen Hayes was the comic relief in that movie and did it brilliantly - her Oscar was well deserved. Movies such as these would not be half as effective without the star power that existed back then. Yes, those were the days, my friend, those were the days.

[silviob]

Everybody gets to go skiing instead of eating each I'm in tears

[donovan]

My Man! This was a fun watch. The under water film scared the hell out of me when I was 8 yrs old. Thanks for making this video. I really enjoyed it. 🤘

[robertbenson]

The scenario of the bomber in the original “Airport” was based on an actual event in 1962. Everything in the movie was spot on to the real events, except for one thing.
The real bomber was Thomas Doty. He had bought a life insurance policy for $150, 000. He also had purchased another policy at O’Hare Airport in Chicago. He also had purchased six sticks of dynamite, which he took to the rear bathroom in his briefcase. There, about halfway through the flight to Kansas City, he ignited the dynamite. Unlike in the movie, when the dynamite exploded, it blew the entire tail off the Boeing 707.
Being at approximately 30, 000 feet when the explosion occurred, the plane depressurized very quickly. The flight crew, followed all their emergency procedures but with the loss of the tail, the plane was doomed.
The tail and the engines came down in Iowa but the fuselage came down in Missouri, near Unionville. One passenger actually survived the crash but later died at the hospital.
Because Missouri had more favorable laws pertaining to recovery of money from an accident, Missouri Attorney General, Thomas Eagleton, made sure the bodies were brought to a morgue set-up in Unionville.
The bomber’s wife did not collect any insurance money since it was ruled a suicide.
There is a memorial in Unionville in honor of the crash. Continental Flight 11.

[thesteveruss]

I just love the look of 70s movies. The Light, camera etc ...

[Fixxer]

As a bookwork during my 1980's high school days, I enjoyed reading the book upon which the original Airport movie was based. It really did a great job of showing life behind the scenes at a typical airport in the early 70's, even getting into a lot of minutia. It's fascinating to see how much had changed in the decade or so between the publication of the book and when I read them--and even more fascinating to see many of the changes since.

But Arthur Haley did an excellent job of doing the research for his novels. Whether it was the Hotel industry (Hotel), the banking industry (The Moneychangers), power companies (Overload) or pharmaceutical companies (Strong Medicine), he did an excellent job of portraying these sectors, with main characters that were usually well thought out. I strongly recommend anybody interested in these topics check those books out.

[natebeach]

Airport '77 is my No.1 favorite!!! 😎

[charlescontreras]

I've always had an interest in aviation, so naturally I become a fan of these films. Years ago, I had the opportunity of meeting George Kennedy, Linda Blair and Erik Estrada from Airport 1975, they were all very nice.