'Airplane!' and 'Chongaltan Sanai' Director Passes Away at 80 Years Old

Jim Abrahams, an American film director and screenwriter beloved by Korean movie fans for his comedy films in the 1980s and 90s, has passed away at the age of 80.

According to foreign media on the 27th, Abrahams' son Joseph reported that Abrahams passed away at his home in Santa Monica, California. Abrahams was a prominent figure who popularized comedy films in the 1980s and 90s, working as a director, screenwriter, and actor.

Representative works of Jim Abrahams. From the left: Airplane, The Naked Gun, The Untouchables Rambo

He was known as part of the "ZAZ team" along with brothers Jerry Zucker and David Zucker. The film they co-directed, Airplane!, is considered a classic of American comedy cinema. Made on a budget of $3.5 million, the film grossed $171 million, with Abrahams serving as director, screenwriter, and also appearing in the film.

He wrote and directed Hot Shots!, which starred famous American actor Charlie Sheen and gained great popularity in Korea. He also wrote and produced the Naked Gun comedy film series starring Leslie Nielsen (who passed away in 2010), which had three installments. Later, he directed or wrote screenplays for several other films including Mafia! (1998) and Scary Movie (2006).

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