Jim Abrahams, Co-Creator of ‘Airplane!’ and ‘Naked Gun,’ Dies at 80

The filmmaker, who teamed with David and Jerry Zucker on several hit ‘80s comedies, died at his home in Santa Monica, California.

Jim Abrahams speaks onstage at the screening of 'Top Secret!' during the 2017 TCM Classic Film Festival in Los Angeles on April 8, 2017. Charley Gallay/Getty Images for TCM

Jim Abrahams, a pioneering filmmaker known for his spoof comedy films such as “Airplane!” and the “Naked Gun” franchise, which he co-created alongside his childhood friends David and Jerry Zucker, has died at the age of 80.

David, 77, and Jerry, 74, grew up with the writer-director in their hometown of Shorewood, Wisconsin, a suburb of Milwaukee. The elder Zucker confirmed Abrahams’s death in a statement shared online, noting that he passed away early Tuesday morning.