Jerry Zucker

Born: 1950-03-11

Jerry Zucker is an American movie director known for his role in directing comedy spoof films, and the hit film Ghost. Zucker was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the son of Charlotte (d. 2007) and Burton Zucker, who was a real estate developer. He graduated from Shorewood High School. Zucker's early career work started with Jim Abrahams and brother David Zucker at the Kentucky Fried Theatre on Pico Blvd in West Los Angeles where they honed their comedic skills doing skits in front of a live audience. From there the three went on and together co-directed Airplane! in 1980 and then went on to do Top Secret! in 1984, and Ruthless People in 1986. In 1990, he lent his directorial skills to the dramatic genre with Ghost, which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture. Recent directorial efforts of Zucker's include the 2001 film Rat Race (which re-teamed him with Ghost star Whoopi Goldberg). Like his brother David Zucker, Jerry often cast his mother, Charlotte (who died in 2007), and his sister, Susan Breslau, in small roles in his films. Along with Jim Abrahams, the Zuckers constitute the "ZAZ" team of directors.


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as Ground Crewman #1
Released: 1980-07-02

An ex-fighter pilot forced to take over the controls of an airliner when the flight crew...

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See!

The Kentucky Fried Movie

as Various
Released: 1977-08-10

A series of loosely connected skits that spoof news programs, commercials, porno films, kung-fu...

Movie page

Asthma

as Gus' Father
Released: 2015-10-23

A young musician takes a beautiful tattoo artist on a ride in a stolen classic car.

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Your Studio and You

as Self
Released: 1995-02-01

A parody of 1950s corporate/industrial films, commissioned by Universal Pictures executives...

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Ghost Stories: The Making of a Classic

as Self
Released: 2007-03-13

The making of Ghost

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Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty

as Jerry Zucker
First aired: 2022-03-06

A fast-break series chronicling the professional and personal lives of the 1980s Los Angeles...

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The History of Comedy

as Self
First aired: 2017-02-09

Explore what makes us laugh, why, and how that's influenced our social and political landscape...

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