Zero Hour!(1957) Apr 2026

While intended as a serious drama, the film's "classically structured" plot and intense dialogue eventually became the foundation for Airplane! .

: Ted Stryker (Dana Andrews), an ex-Royal Air Force squadron leader haunted by a wartime mission in Germany that resulted in the deaths of six of his men. Zero Hour!(1957)

: The character of Ted Stryker remains the protagonist in both films, though his "drinking problem" in the parody is a comedic literalization of the original's psychological struggle. While intended as a serious drama, the film's

: Many famous lines from Airplane! , such as the technical flight instructions, were originally delivered with complete sincerity in Zero Hour! . Key Production Details Letters from our February 2020 issue - AOPA : The character of Ted Stryker remains the

: The creators of Airplane! (the Zucker brothers and Jim Abrahams) bought the remake rights to Zero Hour! for approximately $2,500 and used much of its script nearly word-for-word.