Academy Awards, USA: Oscar for Best Film Editing

Golden Globes, USA: Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture Actress - Musical/Comedy

Buford T. Justice was the name of a real Florida Highway Patrolman known to Burt Reynolds' father who was once Chief of Police of Jupiter, Florida.

The second highest grossing movie released in 1977 next to Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope

According to Hal Needham on a radio show in Atlanta, the scene with the football players narrowly missed being a serious accident when, unknown to the film crew, a groundskeeper watered the grass on the field, causing the car to go out of control, slide the wrong way, and almost hit the extras.

Near the end of the movie, one of the two Georgia State Patrol cars that block the entrance to the fairgrounds (the Oldsmobile) is equipped with an airbag (very rare for the '70s). The airbag did not deploy in that minor collision but did deploy when they purposely wrecked the car years later. That car is shown in an airbag safety film used in some traffic schools.

Jackie Gleason said the cafe scene with himself and Burt Reynolds was not in the original story, it was Gleason's idea.

When scenes were filmed in the Trans Am, it was not possible to use a slate to mark the beginning and end of scenes. The actors had to clap their hands instead to mark when a scene started and ended. Several outtakes show this being done.

Jackie Gleason reportedly modeled his character, Sheriff Buford T. Justice, after Burt Reynolds' description of his father, a Georgia sheriff. Among the character traits that came from this was the use of "sum bit" instead of "son of a bitch". Gleason later stated that one of his greatest joys was learning that people in the Deep South had picked up using "sum bit" from the film.

Many of the lines spoken by Jackie Gleason as Sheriff Justice were improvised.

The dog chosen for Snowman's pet was picked by Burt Reynolds, chiefly because he refused to obey commands.

According to MapQuest, Atlanta to Texarkana is 665.2 miles, with an estimated travel time of 10 hours, 43 minutes (21:30 round trip). Atlanta to Boston is 1089 miles with an estimated travel time of 17 hours, 31 minutes. It would require an average speed of 121 miles an hour to do it in the 18 hours mandated by the "double or nothing" bet.

Ronnie Gay, Lamar Jackson and Quinnon Sheffield were real Georgia State Troopers at the time of the filming of the movie.

When the Bandit first sees Carrie, he comes to a screeching halt on the road with several skid marks from previous takes.

Carrie's position in Bandit's car when it goes off the road and hits the mailboxes.

Sheriff Justice's gun belt disappears and reappears when he is first seen.

In every shot of the Trans Am's speedometer, the odometer always shows effectively the same mileage, and the ignition is in the "off" position.

Camera mount visible in one scene looking in the Trans Am's driver's window.

Sheriff Justice's car door is closed momentarily before being stuck off.

When Bandit's truck and the Trans Am pull up to the Coors warehouse in Texarkana, the Trans Am is parked parallel to the curb behind the truck. In the next scene, the Trans Am is now parked behind the truck at a diagonal angle.

Skid marks near the wedding car are gone when the truck goes by.

A rearview mirror is missing in some chase scenes.

Two police cars go off the bridge. When the second one goes off, the first has disappeared.

The hood of Buford's car buckles in bridge accident, but it later fixed.

State of repair of Buford's left headlight.

Duplicate scenery throughout movie.

When the Trans-Am crashes through the fence at the football game, its CB antenna is knocked off only to reappear later.

The Trans-Am has an automatic transmission, but the audio tracks repeatedly use engine sounds from a manually shifted car.

No matter how many dusty roads the Bandit drives on, the Trans-Am is always washed in the next scene.

Bandit's ring moves from his ring finger to his middle finger.

Just before Carrie is picked up (Bandit is driving in the rain), two people can be seen in the Trans Am.

When the police car at the road block is knocked off the embankment, the car seen rolling down towards the river is a late-'60s Ford Galaxie, but when it comes to rest at the bottom, it is a Plymouth Fury.

After Buford's car drives under the truck and loses its roof, the side mirror is dangling and almost off, but is firmly reattached in subsequent shots.

Beer boxes being loaded on the truck are empty. Clearly visible when Snowman is thrown over them.

In numerous shots of Carrie and Bandit in the Trans Am, the top of the camera is reflected in the car's door.

As Carrie and Bandit approach the playing field's dugout in their Trans Am, the back wall is clearly made of cinderblock. But when they burst through the other side, the wall is now constructed of wood clapboard.

When Bandit and Carrie go past a highway sign, it has a outline of the State of Georgia, not of either Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi or Alabama.

In one scene that is set in Deeson County, Arkansas, a sign advertising real estate in Clayton County (Georgia) can be seen.

In the starting minutes of the movie, when the Semi is rounding a corner, two horses are near a fence by the road. IF you look closely these two horses do not move. They are props made of cardboard.

In the first car chase the police car is a Dodge when it enters the dirt road but when it goes into the creek it is a Buick.

When Carrie and Bandit are pulling up to feed Fred the hamburger, Bandit is driving. When they stop, Carrie is driving.

During the opening scenes of the movie when Bandit is driving the truck, he has to make a quick stop. The shot taken of Bandit shows him hitting the accelerator, not the brakes.

The first time Snowman computes their progress, we see him punching numbers into the trip calculator but no numbers are on the screen showing it wasn't on.

When Buford and Bandit are first talking to each other over the CB radios, Buford isn't pushing in the button on the two way radio when he's talking, so in reality, Bandit wouldn't be able to hear him. Also, Buford is talking into the back of the microphone.

When Frog asks Bandit if they are really doing 110, the speedometer shows they're going 110km/h, not mph (they're only doing about 67mph).

Reflections from a windshield in Buford's car can be seen in a scene set long after it was broken off.

When Snowman is being thrown out of the bar, as the double-doors are being opened, there is a brief shot of someone's face standing outside on the right-hand side. They are not there when they show Snowman outside. It could be a crew member there to assist with the stunt.

Followed by: Smokey and the Bandit II | Smokey and the Bandit Part 3

Version of: Bandit: Bandit Goes Country | Bandit: Bandit Bandit | Bandit: Beauty and the Bandit | Bandit: Bandit and the Silver Angel

References: The Wizard of Oz | Highway Patrol | Lawrence of Arabia | The Good, the Bad and the Ugly | Kojak

Referenced in: Laserblast | Love at First Bite | The 52nd Annual Academy Awards | The Cannonball Run | Boogeyman II | Strul | Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey | Sunny Side Up | Mallrats | Two If by Sea | Plump Fiction | Edtv | Wielkie rzeczy: Gra | Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back | Joy Ride | Grand Theft Auto: Vice City | Biker Boyz | I Love the '70s | Looking Back at 'The Hills Have Eyes' | Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy | Family Guy Presents: Stewie Griffin - The Untold Story

Featured in: Precious Images | AFI's 100 Years... 100 Heroes & Villains | I Love the '70s

Spoofed in: Smokey Bites the Dust | Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex | Austin Powers: Goldmember

Buford T. Justice: Hey boy, where is Sheriff Branford at?
Sheriff Branford: I AM Sheriff Branford.
Buford T. Justice: Oh, pardon me. For some reason you sounded a little taller on radio.

 

Buford T. Justice: Give me a diablo sandwich, a Dr. Pepper, and make it quick, I'm in a god-damn hurry.

 

Buford T. Justice: There's no way, *no* way that you came from *my* loins. Soon as I get home, first thing I'm gonna do is punch yo mamma in da mouth!

 

Buford T. Justice: I'm gonna barbecue your *** in molasses.

 

Buford T. Justice: This happens every time one of these floozies starts poontangin' around with those show folk fags.

 

[Regarding The Bandit in a hammock]
Big Enos: Son, you're looking at a legend.
Little Enos: I guess a legend and an out-of-work bum look a lot a like, daddy.

 

Buford T. Justice: What the hell is the world coming to?

 

Buford T. Justice: You sum-bitches couldn't close an umbrella.

 

Buford T. Justice: There is no way, NO way that you came from my loins. The first thing I'm gonna do when I get home is punch your momma in the mouth.

 

Buford T. Justice: What we're dealing with here is a complete lack of respect for the law.

 

Sheriff Branford: The fact that you are a sheriff is not germane to the situation.
Buford T. Justice: The god damn Germans got nothin' to do with it.

 

Buford T. Justice: And don't go home, and don't go to eat, and don't play with yourself. It wouldn't look nice on my highway.
[begins to turn away, then returns]
Buford T. Justice: Now, you can THINK about it... but don't do it!

 

[after kicking one of the car thieves in the rear]
Buford T. Justice: That's an attention-getter.

 

Junior: My hat blew off, daddy.
Buford T. Justice: I hope your g****** head was in it.

 

Buford T. Justice: Nobody, and I mean NOBODY makes Sheriff Buford T. Justice look like a possum's ***.
Junior: Except for that...
Buford T. Justice: Shut your ***.

 

Buford T. Justice: Duck, or you'll be talkin' out your ***.

 

Bandit: Oh I love your suits. It must have been a bitch to get a 68 Extra Fat and a 12 Dwarf.

 

Carrie: You have a great profile.
Bandit: Yeah, I do, don't I? Especially from the side.
Carrie: Well, at least we agree on something.
Bandit: Yeah. We both like half of my face.

 

Buford T. Justice: You sum bitch. You did that on purpose. You're going away 'till you're gray. I got the evidence.

 

Bandit: What the hell was that?
Carrie: A left. Or a half a U.

 

Bandit: Now, gettin' to Texarkana and back in 28 hours, that's no problem.
Little Enos: It ain't never been done before, hot s***.
Bandit: Watch your language, little lady.

 

Little Enos: Well, if you can't do it...
Bandit: That's real good psychology. Why don't you say something bad about my mother?
Little Enos: Your momma is so ugly...

 

Carrie: I think I'm in love with your belt buckle.

 

Carrie: Don't you ever take off that stupid hat?
Bandit: I take my hat off for one thing, one thing only.
Carrie: Oh...
[beat]
Carrie: Take your hat off.
[Bandit looks stunned]
Carrie: I mean, If you want to...
Bandit: I want to.

 

Buford T. Justice: Just keep your eye out for that Mr. Bandit ***!

 

Buford T. Justice: You want something?
Junior: Hush puppies, daddy.
Buford T. Justice: We don't got time for that crap! Dumb sumbitch!

 

[shouting out of a restaurant to Junior waiting in the car] Buford T. Justice: You want something?
Junior: Hushpuppies, Daddy!
Buford T. Justice: We got no time for that crap!

 

[last lines]
[running after Sheriff Justice's car] Junior: Daddy! Wait! Who's gonna hold your hat?

 

Cledus Snow: Whoa!
[to Bandit over the CB]
Cledus Snow: I just passed another Kojack with a Kodak, this place is crawling with bears, where the hell are you?

 

Bandit: Snowman, you got your ears on?
Cledus Snow: You lucky devil, you got him! Where the hell are you?

 

[whistles] Cledus Snow:
[hears a police motorcycle siren]
Cledus Snow: Oh, no! Hey, Bandit, Hey, Bandit, listen to this!
[siren blares out of Bandit's CB] Cledus Snow: You know who that is? That's Mr. Evil Knievel. He snuck in my back door, son, when I wasn't lookin'. You better flip-flop back here and gimme' a hand, son, or we gonna be in a heap of trouble. Please roger that transmission!
Bandit: Hold on to Fred, son! Here comes the cavalry!

 

[Buford's car runs in front of Cledus' truck] Cledus Snow:
[to bandit over the CB]
Cledus Snow: Hoss, you ain't gonna believe this, but that cray sombitch just tried to drive right up under my truck!

 

Bandit: You must be in a hell of a hurry, huh, Sheriff?
Buford T. Justice: You bet your *** on that, boy.

 

Carrie: Actually, my heaviest relationship was with an acid-rock singer... named Robert Crumly. We were together, oh, eight-and-a-half days. God, I really thought that was it.
Bandit: And?
Carrie: One day, I came home and found him in the shower... with a girl... and her mother!
Bandit: Well, at least he kept it in the family.

 

Bandit: Cledus, get the money.
Cledus: Yeah, how 'bout the money?
Little Enos: How 'bout double or nothin'?
Cledus: How 'bout forgettin' it?
Bandit: Wait a minute. What about double or nothin'?
Little Enos: You run up to Boston, and bring back some clam chowder for me and my daddy.
Carrie: You're on.
Bandit: Uh, you're on.
Big Enos: In 18 hours?
Bandit: You're still on.

 

[Communicating through the C.B. radio]
Bandit: Sheriff, uh, Buford T. Justice, please.
Buford T. Justice: Who there?
Bandit: This is Bandit Darville talkin'.
Buford T. Justice: Where are you, you sombitch?
Bandit: Before I tell you where I am, Sheriff, there's just one thing I wanna say. You must be part coon dog, 'cause I've been chased by the best of them, and son, you make 'em look like they're all runnin' in slow motion. I just wanna say that.
Buford T. Justice: Well, thank you, Mr. Bandit. And as the pursuer, may I say you're the goddamnedest pursuee I've ever pursued. Now that the mutual b******* is over, WHERE ARE YOU, YOU SOMBITCH?

 

Bandit: What do you think they do for excitement in this town?
Cledus Snow: Probably sit around and watch the cars rust.

 

Cledus Snow: Besides, I can't go with you. I got to go to Conyers in the morning and pick up a load of manure.
Bandit: Um, s***** job.

 

Cledus Snow: Atlanta to Texarkana and back in twenty eight hours? That ain't never been done before.
Bandit: That's cause *we* ain't never done it.
Cledus Snow: Suppose we don't make it?
Bandit: Hey, we ain't never not made it before, have we?

 

Bandit: I'm goin' to need a fast car.
[Watches as Little Enos begins counting out money]
Bandit: Faster than that.
Little Enos: I'd like to kick his *** just one time.

 

Waynette Snow: No, Bandit! Not this time! Cledus is not goin' with you! He got in enough trouble last time! Dammit, Bandit, look at me when I'm talking to you!
Bandit: I find it hard to look at you, Waynette. With all those curlers in your hair, you look like you're tryin' to pick up a radio station in Savannah.

 

[Bandit has just used a broken bridge to jump a river]
Carrie: That was great! I want to jump something else! I want to jump a car, or a house, anything!
[still shaking] Bandit: Then jump me!

 

[during the final chase, the motorcycle cop has landed in a ditch with water] Georgia State Trooper: Son, don't you know this ain't saturday?

 

[at the Coors warehouse in Texarkana] Cledus Snow: Hey, Bandit! It's only 6:30 in the mornin'; what time you think they open?
[drives a forklift through the warehouse door] Bandit: They're open now. Let's load up.

 

Cledus Snow: Bandit, what are we gonna do about all this beer we took?
[Running to his car] Bandit: Leave them a note and tell them to send the bill to Big Enos Burdette.
[writing a note] Cledus Snow: Send bill to Big Enos Burdette; B-i-r-d; B-u-r-d;
[sees Bandit take off]
Cledus Snow: Hell, I got to go
[leaves without finishing note]

 

Carrie: Would a cop taking a leek on the side of the road interest you?
[looking] Bandit: Yes it would... He was taking a 10-100
Carrie: Better than a 10-*2*00
[both laugh] Carrie, Bandit:

 

Cledus Snow: I don't think my dog bit you, mister. 'Cause Fred definately DON'T like grease!

 

Bandit: Sheriff... do the letters F.O mean anything to you?
[putting C.B down] Buford T. Justice: Sma't Alec!

 

Bandit: You chasin' somebody Sheriff? Somebody chasin' you?
Buford T. Justice: Nobody's chasin' me, boy!

 

Bandit: For the good old American lifestyle: For the money, for the glory, and for the fun . . . mostly for the money.

 

Buford T. Justice: One s*** at a time!

 

Buford T. Justice: Do what I say you pile a monkey nuts!