Now Playing #3: Airport (1970)
The birth of the modern disaster movie can likely be traced to the 1970 hit Airport, starring Burt Lancaster and Dean Martin among others. Released on May 29 of that year, it grossed more than $100 million at the box office – an impressive number today but staggering 50 years ago.
This newspaper ad is courtesy the Arizona Daily Star from November 12, by which time Airport was still enjoying its run. Looks like the original ad from May was simply repurposed based on my research. Of note, the film spawned a pair of sequels — Airport 1975 and Airport ’77.
Michael Urbanski
Small correction: “The Concorde…Airport ’79” was the fourth and final installment of the Airport franchise.