Jim Abrahams (May 10, 1944 – November 26, 2024) was an American movie director and writer. Abrahams was born in Shorewood, Wisconsin, to a Jewish family, and attended Shorewood High School. He was known for the spoof movies that he co-wrote and produced with brothers Jerry Zucker and David Zucker, such as Airplane! (for which he was nominated for a BAFTA Award for Best Screenplay) and The Naked Gun series. The team of Zucker, Abrahams and Zucker (also referred to as "ZAZ") really began when the three men grew up together in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Abrahams later produced movies on his own such as Big Business, and further honed his skills in parody with Hot Shots! and its 1993 sequel Hot Shots! Part Deux.

Filmography

• 2025The Naked Gun — Original Film Writer
• Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty — Jim Abrahams
• 2019FAT: A Documentary — Self - Father / Founder, Charlie Foundation / Filmmaker
• 2006Scary Movie 4 — Screenplay
• 1998Jane Austen's Mafia! — Director, Screenplay
• 1997...First Do No Harm — Director, Producer
• 1994An Introduction to the Ketogenic Diet — Director
• 1994Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult — Executive Producer
• 1993Hearts of Hot Shots! Part Deux—A Filmmaker's Apology
• 1993Hot Shots! Part Deux — Director, Screenplay, Characters
• 1992Brain Donors — Executive Producer
• 1991Hot Shots! — Director, Writer
• 1991Oscar — Postman (uncredited)
• 1991The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear — Executive Producer, Original Series Creator
• 1990Cry-Baby — Executive Producer
• 1990Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael — Director
• 1988Big Business — Director
• 1988Coming to America — Face on Cutting Room Floor
• 1988The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! — Writer, Executive Producer
• 1986Ruthless People — Director
• 1984Top Secret! — German Soldier in Prop Room (uncredited), Director, Screenplay, Executive Producer
• Police Squad! — Writer, Producer, Director, Creator
• 1980Airplane! — Religious Zealot #6, Director, Executive Producer, Writer
• 1977The Kentucky Fried Movie — Various, Writer
• Big John, Little John — Writer

Appearances as themselves (2)

• 2015Kareem: Minority of One — Self
• 1983Cocaine Blues — Himself