Straight off the heels of the success of 1977’s Smokey and the Bandit, Burt Reynolds would star in this zany action comedy film, which was partially filmed in Jefferson County with primary production happening just down the road in Tuscaloosa, in an attempt to capitalize on his rising fame, especially when it came to car-based cinema. A meta tribute to the rough and tumble world of movie stuntmen, the film would also feature Sally Field (who Reynolds had recently become involved with during the filming of Smokey), Robert Klein, and Adam West of Batman fame, among other notable actors of the time, but would be best remembered for its epic rocket car jump over the Locust Fork River, which took place near a decommissioned bridge located between Sumiton and Graysville in West Jefferson County. The climactic scene, which saw an actual stuntman launch a car from one side of the river to another in dramatic Hollywood fashion, would fall into local lore as something of a mythical act and source of local pride, as its daredevil deeds inspired legions of car and stunt enthusiasts to dream about pulling off such a feat across the local ravine. The stunt was such big part of the movie in fact, that a still from the scene was featured on promotional release posters from the time, making it even more of an iconic part of the film’s narrative. And although Hooper would never reach the heights of fame that Smokey and the Bandit did, it was a box office success, and helped cement Reynolds reputation as an affable and funny lead man with an outlaw attitude, which he would use to great affect throughout the rest of the 1970s and 1980s.
FUN FACT: Hooper was one of the first films to feature the blooper reel credit roll, setting in motion a behind-the-scenes comedy trope that would be used by other films and shows for years to come.
Trailer Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_ttOm_pcqo