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{{short description|American movie director and writer}}
{{Short description|American film director and writer (1944–2024)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2013}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2013}}
{{Needs more sources|date=April 2024}}

{{Needs more sources|date=April 2024}}{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
| name = Jim Abrahams
| name = Jim Abrahams
| image =Jim Abrahams, 2015.jpg
| image = Jim Abrahams, 2015.jpg
| caption =Abrahams in 2015
| caption = Abrahams in 2015
| birthname = James S. Abrahams
| birthname = James Steven Abrahams
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1944|5|10}}
| birth_date = {{birth date|1944|5|10}}
| birth_place = [[Shorewood, Wisconsin|Shorewood]], [[Wisconsin]], US
| birth_place = [[Shorewood, Wisconsin]], U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|2024|11|26|1944|5|10}}
⚫
| occupation = film director<br>film producer<br>screenwriter
| death_place = [[Santa Monica, California]], U.S.
⚫
| years_active = 1976–2019
⚫
| occupation = {{hlist|Film director|film producer|screenwriter}}
⚫
| years_active = 1976–2019
| spouse = Nancy Cocuzzo
| spouse = Nancy Cocuzzo
| family = }}
| children = 3
}}


'''James S. Abrahams''' (born May 10, 1944) is an American [[film director]] and writer, best known as a member of [[Zucker, Abrahams and Zucker]].
'''James Steven Abrahams''' (May 10, 1944 – November 26, 2024) was an American film director and writer, best known as a member of [[Zucker, Abrahams and Zucker]].


==Life and career==
==Life and career==
Abrahams was born to a [[American Jews|Jewish]] family<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=W4Aqh7u9qCQC&q=Jim+Abrahams+jew&pg=PA166|first1=David|last1=Desser|first2=Lester D.|last2=Friedman|title=American Jewish Filmmakers|year=2004|pages=166|publisher=University of Illinois Press |isbn= 9780252071539}}</ref> in [[Shorewood, Wisconsin]], the son of Louise M. (née Ogens), an educational researcher, and Norman S. Abrahams, a lawyer.<ref name=jrso1>{{cite news|author=Jan Uebelherr|title=Louise Abrahams Yaffe: 'Airplane' co-creator's mother set her own course: Yaffe was advocate for the aging, occasional actress|date=December 28, 2012|work=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel|access-date=November 8, 2013|url=http://www.jsonline.com/news/obituaries/airplane-cocreators-mother-set-her-own-course-m686cai-185107091.html}}</ref> He attended [[Shorewood High School (Wisconsin)|Shorewood High School]].<ref name=jrso1/> He has a home in [[Eagle River, Wisconsin]] where he has spent summers since he was a child.<ref>[https://www.allwaysforward.org/feature/did-you-know-vilas-county/ Up-North Escape – All Ways Forward] Retrieved 2018-11-01.</ref>
James Steven Abrahams was born on May 10, 1944, to a [[American Jews|Jewish]] family<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=W4Aqh7u9qCQC&q=Jim+Abrahams+jew&pg=PA166 |first1=David |last1=Desser |first2=Lester D. |last2=Friedman |title=American Jewish Filmmakers |year=2004 |pages=166 |publisher=University of Illinois Press |isbn=9780252071539}}</ref> in [[Shorewood, Wisconsin]], the son of Louise M. (née Ogens), an educational researcher, and Norman S. Abrahams, a lawyer.<ref name=Koseluk>{{cite news |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/jim-abrahams-dead-airplane-naked-gun-hot-shots-1236071689/ |title=Jim Abrahams, 'Airplane!,' 'Naked Gun' and 'Hot Shots!' Master of Mirth, Dies at 80 |last=Kozeluk |first=Chris |date=November 26, 2024 |work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]}}</ref><ref name=jrso1>{{cite news|author=Jan Uebelherr|title=Louise Abrahams Yaffe: 'Airplane' co-creator's mother set her own course: Yaffe was advocate for the aging, occasional actress|date=December 28, 2012|work=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel|access-date=November 8, 2013|url=http://www.jsonline.com/news/obituaries/airplane-cocreators-mother-set-her-own-course-m686cai-185107091.html}}</ref> He attended [[Shorewood High School (Wisconsin)|Shorewood High School]].<ref name=jrso1/> He had a home in [[Eagle River, Wisconsin]], where he spent summers from the time he was a child.<ref>[https://www.allwaysforward.org/feature/did-you-know-vilas-county/ Up-North Escape – All Ways Forward] Retrieved 2018-11-01.</ref>


He may be best known for the [[Parody|spoof]] movies that he co-wrote and produced with brothers [[Jerry Zucker]] and [[David Zucker]], such as ''[[Airplane!]]'' (for which he was nominated for a [[BAFTA Award|BAFTA Award for Best Screenplay]]) and ''[[The Naked Gun]]'' series. The team of [[Zucker, Abrahams and Zucker]] (also referred to as "ZAZ") really began when the three men grew up together in [[Milwaukee, Wisconsin]]. He directed movies on his own, such as ''[[Big Business (1988 film)|Big Business]]'', and further honed his skills in parody with ''[[Hot Shots!]]'' and its 1993 sequel, ''[[Hot Shots! Part Deux]]''. {{citation needed|date=April 2014}}
He is best known for the [[Parody|spoof]] movies that he co-wrote and produced with brothers [[Jerry Zucker]] and [[David Zucker]], such as ''[[Airplane!]]'' (for which he was nominated for a [[BAFTA Award|BAFTA Award for Best Screenplay]]) and ''[[The Naked Gun]]'' series. The team of [[Zucker, Abrahams and Zucker]] (also referred to as "ZAZ") really began when the three men grew up together in [[Milwaukee, Wisconsin]]. He directed movies on his own, such as ''[[Big Business (1988 film)|Big Business]]'', and further honed his skills in parody with ''[[Hot Shots!]]'' and its 1993 sequel, ''[[Hot Shots! Part Deux]]''. {{citation needed|date=April 2014}}


Abrahams and his wife, Nancy (née Cocuzzo) co-founded The Charlie Foundation To Help Cure Pediatric Epilepsy.
Abrahams and his wife, Nancy (née Cocuzzo) co-founded The Charlie Foundation To Help Cure Pediatric [[Epilepsy]].<ref name=CURE>{{cite web|url=https://www.cureepilepsy.org/personal-stories/charlies-story/|title=Charlie's Story|publisher=CURE Epilepsy|accessdate=November 30, 2024|first=Jim|last=Abrams}}</ref> He was an advocate of the [[ketogenic diet]] as a treatment for epilepsy.


Abrahams had three children. His daughter, Jamie Abrahams, is also a comedy writer. He died from leukemia at his home in [[Santa Monica, California]], on November 26, 2024, at the age of 80.<ref name=Koseluk/><ref name=tmz>{{cite web|url=https://www.tmz.com/2024/11/26/jim-abrahams-dead-airplane-naked-gun/#:~:text=We're%20told%20Jim%20had,by%20family%20when%20he%20died.|title='Airplane!' and 'Naked Gun' Creator Jim Abrahams Dead at 80|publisher=TMZ|accessdate=November 27, 2024|date=November 26, 2024}}</ref> He had the disease for twenty years before his death and at one point was in remission until it returned.<ref name=tmz/>
Abrahams has three children. His daughter, Jamie Abrahams is also a comedy writer.[https://deadline.com/2024/02/oscars-writing-team-2024-ceremony-1235820577/amp/] [https://m.imdb.com/name/nm0009010/]


==Filmography==
==Filmography==
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!Notes
!Notes
|-
|-
| 1977
|1977
| ''[[The Kentucky Fried Movie]]''
|''[[The Kentucky Fried Movie]]''
| {{no}}
|{{no}}
| {{yes}}
|{{yes}}
| {{no}}
|{{no}}
⚫
|
|-
|-
|1980
|1980
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|-
|-
|rowspan=2|1988
|rowspan=2|1988
⚫
|''[[The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!]]''
⚫
| {{no}}
⚫
| {{yes}}
⚫
| {{yes}}
⚫
|
⚫
|-
|''[[Big Business (1988 film)|Big Business]]''
|''[[Big Business (1988 film)|Big Business]]''
|{{Yes}}
|{{Yes}}
|{{no}}
|{{no}}
|{{no}}
|{{no}}
|
⚫
|-
⚫
|''[[The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!]]''
⚫
|{{no}}
⚫
|{{yes}}
⚫
|{{yes}}
|
|
|-
|-
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|-
|-
|1994
|1994
|An Introduction to the Ketogenic Diet
|''An Introduction to the Ketogenic Diet''
|{{Yes}}
|{{Yes}}
|{{no}}
|{{no}}
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|
|
|-
|-
| 2006
|2006
| ''[[Scary Movie 4]]''
|''[[Scary Movie 4]]''
| {{no}}
|{{no}}
| {{yes}}
|{{yes}}
| {{no}}
|{{no}}
|
|
|}
|}
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==== Executive producer only ====
==== Executive producer only ====
* ''[[Cry-Baby]]'' (1990)
* ''[[Cry-Baby]]'' (1990)
* ''[[The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear|The Naked Gun {{frac|2|1|2}}: The Smell of Fear]]'' (1991)
* ''[[The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear]]'' (1991)
* ''[[Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult|Naked Gun {{frac|33|1|3}}: The Final Insult]]'' (1994)
* ''[[Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult|Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult]]'' (1994)


====Acting roles====
====Acting roles====
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Year
! Title
! Title
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|2019
|2019
|''Fat: A Documentary''
|''Fat: A Documentary''
|Self - Filmmaker & Founder, Charlie Foundation
|Self − Filmmaker & Founder, Charlie Foundation
|}
|}


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|-
|-
|2018
|2018
|Voice of the Epilepsies
|''Voice of the Epilepsies''
|{{no}}
|{{no}}
|{{yes|Executive}}
|{{yes|Executive}}
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====Acting roles====
====Acting roles====
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Year
! Title
! Title
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|1974
|1974
|''[[The Midnight Special (TV series)|The Midnight Special]]''
|''[[The Midnight Special (TV series)|The Midnight Special]]''
⚫
|-
|}
|}


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==External links==
==External links==
* {{IMDb name|0000720}}
* {{IMDb name|0000720}}
* [http://movies2.nytimes.com/gst/movies/filmography.html?p_id=78951&mod=bio biodata], The New York Times; accessed April 23, 2014.
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090804033153/http://movies.nytimes.com/person/78951/Jim-Abrahams/biography Biography], ''The New York Times'' (from AllMovie)
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20150806224546/http://www.cureepilepsy.org/aboutcure/psas/charlies_story.asp Charlie's Story]; accessed November 25, 2014.
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20150806224546/http://www.cureepilepsy.org/aboutcure/psas/charlies_story.asp Charlie's Story]; accessed November 25, 2014.
* {{Discogs artist|Jim Abrahams}}


{{Zucker, Abrahams and Zucker}}
{{Zucker, Abrahams and Zucker}}
{{Writers Guild of America Award for Best Adapted Screenplay}}
{{Writers Guild of America Award for Best Adapted Screenplay}}
{{Authority control}}


{{Authority control}}{{US-film-director-stub}}{{DEFAULTSORT:Abrahams, Jim}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Abrahams, Jim}}
[[Category:1944 births]]
[[Category:1944 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:2024 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century American Jews]]
[[Category:20th-century American Jews]]
[[Category:20th-century American male writers]]
[[Category:20th-century American male writers]]
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[[Category:American television producers]]
[[Category:American television producers]]
[[Category:American television writers]]
[[Category:American television writers]]
[[Category:Comedy film directors]]
[[Category:American comedy film directors]]
[[Category:Film directors from Wisconsin]]
[[Category:Film directors from Wisconsin]]
[[Category:Film producers from Wisconsin]]
[[Category:Film producers from Wisconsin]]
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[[Category:Shorewood High School (Wisconsin) alumni]]
[[Category:Shorewood High School (Wisconsin) alumni]]
[[Category:Writers Guild of America Award winners]]
[[Category:Writers Guild of America Award winners]]
[[Category:Deaths from leukemia in California]]

{{US-film-director-stub}}

Latest revision as of 13:45, 6 December 2024

Jim Abrahams
Abrahams in 2015
Born
James Steven Abrahams

(1944-05-10)May 10, 1944
Shorewood, Wisconsin, U.S.
DiedNovember 26, 2024(2024-11-26) (aged 80)
Santa Monica, California, U.S.
Occupations
  • Film director
  • film producer
  • screenwriter
Years active1976–2019
SpouseNancy Cocuzzo
Children3

James Steven Abrahams (May 10, 1944 – November 26, 2024) was an American film director and writer, best known as a member of Zucker, Abrahams and Zucker.

Life and career

[edit]

James Steven Abrahams was born on May 10, 1944, to a Jewish family[1] in Shorewood, Wisconsin, the son of Louise M. (née Ogens), an educational researcher, and Norman S. Abrahams, a lawyer.[2][3] He attended Shorewood High School.[3] He had a home in Eagle River, Wisconsin, where he spent summers from the time he was a child.[4]

He is best known for the spoof movies that he co-wrote and produced with brothers Jerry Zucker and David Zucker, such as Airplane! (for which he was nominated for a BAFTA Award for Best Screenplay) and The Naked Gun series. The team of Zucker, Abrahams and Zucker (also referred to as "ZAZ") really began when the three men grew up together in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He directed movies on his own, such as Big Business, and further honed his skills in parody with Hot Shots! and its 1993 sequel, Hot Shots! Part Deux. [citation needed]

Abrahams and his wife, Nancy (née Cocuzzo) co-founded The Charlie Foundation To Help Cure Pediatric Epilepsy.[5] He was an advocate of the ketogenic diet as a treatment for epilepsy.

Abrahams had three children. His daughter, Jamie Abrahams, is also a comedy writer. He died from leukemia at his home in Santa Monica, California, on November 26, 2024, at the age of 80.[2][6] He had the disease for twenty years before his death and at one point was in remission until it returned.[6]

Filmography

[edit]

Films

[edit]
Year Title Director Writer Executive Producer Notes
1977 The Kentucky Fried Movie No Yes No
1980 Airplane! Yes Yes Yes Co-directed with David & Jerry Zucker
1984 Top Secret! Yes Yes Yes
1986 Ruthless People Yes No No
1988 Big Business Yes No No
The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! No Yes Yes
1990 Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael Yes No No
1991 Hot Shots! Yes Yes No
1993 Hot Shots! Part Deux Yes Yes No
1994 An Introduction to the Ketogenic Diet Yes No No Documentary short
1998 Mafia! Yes Yes No
2006 Scary Movie 4 No Yes No

Executive producer only

[edit]

Acting roles

[edit]
Year Title Role
1977 The Kentucky Fried Movie Technician #1 / Announcer
1980 Airplane! Religious Zealot #6
1984 Top Secret! German Soldier in Prop Room
1988 Coming to America Face on Cutting Room Floor
1991 Oscar Postman
2019 Fat: A Documentary Self − Filmmaker & Founder, Charlie Foundation

Television

[edit]

Series

[edit]
Year Title Creator Producer Writer Notes
1976 Big John, Little John No No Yes writer of episode "Abracadabra" with David & Jerry Zucker
1982 Police Squad! Yes Executive Yes Director and writer of episode "A Substantial Gift (The Broken Promise)" with David & Jerry Zucker

Other work

[edit]
Year Title Director Producer Notes
1997 ...First Do No Harm Yes Executive TV movie
2018 Voice of the Epilepsies No Executive Documentary
2019 Late Night Berlin No Creative Episode "Folge 42"

Acting roles

[edit]
Year Title Role Note
1972 The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson Performer Part as Kentucky Fried Theatre in one episode
1974 The Midnight Special

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Desser, David; Friedman, Lester D. (2004). American Jewish Filmmakers. University of Illinois Press. p. 166. ISBN 9780252071539.
  2. ^ a b Kozeluk, Chris (November 26, 2024). "Jim Abrahams, 'Airplane!,' 'Naked Gun' and 'Hot Shots!' Master of Mirth, Dies at 80". The Hollywood Reporter.
  3. ^ a b Jan Uebelherr (December 28, 2012). "Louise Abrahams Yaffe: 'Airplane' co-creator's mother set her own course: Yaffe was advocate for the aging, occasional actress". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved November 8, 2013.
  4. ^ Up-North Escape – All Ways Forward Retrieved 2018-11-01.
  5. ^ Abrams, Jim. "Charlie's Story". CURE Epilepsy. Retrieved November 30, 2024.
  6. ^ a b "'Airplane!' and 'Naked Gun' Creator Jim Abrahams Dead at 80". TMZ. November 26, 2024. Retrieved November 27, 2024.
[edit]
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