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Jim Abrahams, co-creator of Airplane! and The Naked Gun, dies aged 80

Famed comedy writer and director, who was also involved in Ruthless People and Hot Shots!, died of natural causes

Photograph: Paramount/AllstarThe team refused to take part in the sequel and instead created the 1982 television series Police Squad!, which starred Leslie Nielsen and took aim at cop procedurals at the time. Abrahams directed Big Business, a comedy starring Midler again, by himself before working again with the Zucker brothers on 1986’s The Naked Gun, a film based around Nielsen’s character from Police Squad! Abrahams went into direct the Winona Ryder comedy drama Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael before creating another spoof franchise in the form of 1991’s Hot Shots!, starring Charlie Sheen.

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