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Jerry Zucker

Jerry Zucker

Producer, director and writer · Born March 11, 1950 (76) · Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA

Jerry Zucker (born March 11, 1950) is an American director, known for 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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Biography from TMDB.

Born
March 11, 1950 (76)
From
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
Works as
Producer, director and writer
Titles
24 on MovieCove · 27 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 63 days to Oct 26Down 52% in 30 days

What are Jerry Zucker's films like?

Across their 15 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Comedy10 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 70th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 74th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Action2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 50th percentile
: browse their Action movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
43%
Self
19%
Morality
18%
Power
6%
Ideas
5%
Survival
5%
Society
4%
Romantic love8 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship4 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds3 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception3 titles, browse their movies with this themeGreed2 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 15 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Wry: How sincerely it treats its story and characters, from ironic to earnest. Browse their wry movies.
Tone · Sincerity
ironicearnest

A split, not a type: Ironic 6 · Wry 0 · Earnest 9

Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 12 · Serious 2 · Dark 1

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 3 · Stylized 7 · Heightened 5

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 6 · Charged 9 · Intense 0

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 6 · Shifting 6 · Whiplash 3

Funny: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their funny movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 4 · Some laughs 1 · Funny 10

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 3 · Even-paced 6 · Relentless 6

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 12 · Engaged 2 · Full focus 1

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 14 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Absurd
9
Joyful
9
Romantic
4
Bittersweet
6
Manic
3
Other
10

How their films linger

Fun10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Happy9
  • Bittersweet5
  • Ambiguous1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Jerry Zucker's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 16 of their 24 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Paramount+ (7).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Jerry Zucker's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

27 credits, 24 with a MovieCove page; 5 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • The Naked Gun(2025)

    Original Film Writer

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • A Good Person(2023)

    Thanks

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty(2022)

    Show 1 episode · as Jerry Zucker

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • Asthma(2014)

    as Gus' Father

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Dear Dumb Diary(2013)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Mental(2012)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Friends with Benefits(2011)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Fair Game(2010)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Unconditional Love(2002)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Rat Race(2001)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • My Best Friend's Wedding(1997)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • First Knight(1995)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • A Walk in the Clouds(1995)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Your Studio and You (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    as Jerry Zucker

  • Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult(1994)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • My Life(1993)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Brain Donors(1992)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear(1991)

    Executive Producer · Original Series Creator

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Ghost(1990)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!(1988)

    Executive Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Ruthless People(1986)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Top Secret!(1984)

    Director · Executive Producer · Screenplay · as German Soldier in Prop Room (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Police Squad! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 6 episodes · Director · Creator · Producer · Writer

  • Airplane!(1980)

    Director · Executive Producer · Writer · as Ground Crewman #1

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Rock 'n' Roll High School(1979)

    Second Unit Director

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • The Kentucky Fried Movie(1977)

    Writer · as Various

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • 1000 Miles (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Producer

Career shape

A full career of 26 titles, 25 of them dated from 1977 to 2025.

Biggest box office

Ghost (1990)

$506M worldwide

Highest rated

Airplane! (1980)

Midcredits 95th

Most popular right now

Ghost (1990)

Film career

  • 1995Screen debut· Your Studio and You

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting6 of 26: 3 only acting, 3 with another role · typical Midcredits score87thDirecting7 of 26: 2 only directing, 5 with another role · typical Midcredits score81stWriting7 of 26: 1 only writing, 6 with another role · typical Midcredits score82ndProducing17 of 26: 10 only producing, 7 with another role · typical Midcredits score70thOther crew3 of 26: 2 only other crew, 1 with another role

26 titles, 8 with more than one role — producing and directing overlap on 5 of them.

By decade

1970s2 · 1 acting · 2 crew1980s5 · 2 acting · 5 crew1990s9 · 1 acting · 8 crew2000s2 · crew2010s4 · 1 acting · 3 crew2020s3 · 1 acting · 2 crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

How do Jerry Zucker's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 70th percentile, the median of all 23; across their 15 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 67th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

67thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 15

Approval · how many liked their films

74thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 15

Reach · how many have seen their films

94thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 15

Midcredits score across 24 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up8
  • 50th to 74th13
  • 25th to 49th3

Shape of the crowd

17 of their 24 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved3
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser17
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed1

Most divisive · producer

Dear Dumb Diary (2013)

87th percentile spread · 25% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor, director, writer, producer

Airplane! (1980)

Midcredits 95th · 84% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 66/100 and the pacing 57/100 in their films, across 15 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a director.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Jerry Zucker's work okay for kids?

Across up to 11 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity runs heavier than most films and frightening / intense lighter.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore10 titles16–55 · median 35 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity11 titles24–63 · median 42 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity10 titles23–62 · median 42 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs10 titles6–38 · median 34 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense10 titles7–37 · median 14 · minimallighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Jerry Zucker work with?

People who share at least 2 of Jerry Zucker's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; David Zucker shares the most, 7.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers