Burton C. Zucker, 91, father of filmmakers David & Jerry Zucker

[ZapRat]

http://www.legacy.com/JSOnline/DeathNotices.asp?Page=LifeStory&PersonID=109681237

Burton C. Zucker

Zucker, Burton C. Died on May 12, 2008, age 91. Beloved husband of the
late Charlotte A. Zucker. Loving father of Susan (William) Breslau,
David (Danielle) Zucker and Jerry (Janet) Zucker. Proud grandfather of
Ben and Jeremy (Heather) Breslau, Kate, Bob, Charles and Sarah Zucker.
Brother of James Zucker and brother-in-law of Clarice Zucker, Eve Joan
Zucker and Rose Lefstein. Also survived by many loving nieces and
nephews, and his loving and devoted caregiver for many years, Flora
Moore. He was predeceased by brother, Robert Zucker. Burt was an active
commercial real estate owner and developer for many years, and served as
President of the Building Owners & Managers Association of Milwaukee. He
was active in many local organizations including Congregation Emanu-El
B'ne Jeshurun where he served on the board for many years, Wisconsin
Society for Jewish Learning, U.W. Hillel Foundation in Madison, The
Milwaukee Jewish Council, The Milwaukee Jewish Federation and Technion.
Burt devoted much time and many years to the Jewish Home and Care
Center, serving as Chairman of the Board for the Milwaukee Jewish Home,
Prospect Congregate Housing, Inc., and the Milwaukee Jewish Home
Foundation. All will miss his unique sense of humor and dry wit. Funeral
services 2:00 PM Thursday, May 15, 2008, at Congregation Emanu-El B'ne
Jeshurun, 2020 W. Brown Deer Rd., River Hills. Interment following at
Second Home Cemetery, 3705 S. 43rd St., Milwaukee. Memorial
contributions to The Jewish Home and Care Center are appreciated. BLANE
GOODMAN FUNERAL SERVICE Online guestbook and information
www.blanegoodmanfunerals.com [phone]

Published in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel from 5/14/2008 - 5/15/2008.

[David Carson]

Post by ZapRat
All will miss his unique sense of humor and dry wit.

Surely his sons will.

[Brad Ferguson]

Post by David Carson

Post by ZapRat
All will miss his unique sense of humor and dry wit.

Surely his sons will.

<applause>

[AndrewJ]

Post by David Carson

Post by ZapRat
All will miss his unique sense of humor and dry wit.

Surely his sons will.

Well played.

[n***@earthlink.net]

Post by AndrewJ

Post by David Carson

Post by ZapRat
All will miss his unique sense of humor and dry wit.

Surely his sons will.

Well played.

Looks like he picked the wrong week to stop breathing (sorry I
couldn't resist)

[Bob Feigel]

[Default] On Thu, 15 May 2008 18:42:33 -0500, David Carson

Post by David Carson

Post by ZapRat
All will miss his unique sense of humor and dry wit.

Surely his sons will.

Bloody priceless ...

[Michael O'Connor]

Did he appear in any of their movies? I know his late wife (David and
Jerry's mom) played the female passenger who couldn't put her makeup
on properly in Airplane, and I think she had cameos in some of their
other movies.

[R H Draney]

This post might be inappropriate. Click to display it.

[ZapRat]

Post by R H Draney

Post by Michael O'Connor
Did he appear in any of their movies?

"Chef" in "Top Secret!"
"Airport Photographer" in "The Naked Gun"
"Lab Technician" in "Naked Gun 2½"
"Clinic Patient" in "Naked Gun 33-1/3"
"Bread Vendor" in "First Knight"
"Featured Extra" in "High School High"
"Customer" in "My Best Friend's Wedding" (not David's nor Jerry's)
I would have sworn he had also a part in "Kentucky Fried Movie"....r

He portrayed "Detroit"; as in, "Send him to Detroit." :)

[MWB]

Post by Michael O'Connor
Did he appear in any of their movies? I know his late wife (David and
Jerry's mom) played the female passenger who couldn't put her makeup
on properly in Airplane, and I think she had cameos in some of their
other movies.

Did she speak Jive?


Go RED SOX

Mark

[John M.]

Post by MWB

Post by Michael O'Connor
Did he appear in any of their movies? I know his late wife (David and
Jerry's mom) played the female passenger who couldn't put her makeup
on properly in Airplane, and I think she had cameos in some of their
other movies.

Did she speak Jive?

I don't know but Barbara Billingsley did.

[ZapRat]

Zucker's humor left mark

By AMY RABIDEAU SILVERS
May 15, 2008
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=751494

Loading Image...
Charlotte and Burt Zucker both appeared in their sons' movies.


Given half a chance - say getting on an airplane for a trip - Burt
Zucker found a way to do a little parental bragging.

"Have you ever seen the movie 'Airplane!'?" he would ask the flight
attendants and the pilots. "My sons did that movie."

"It wasn't all that subtle," said David Zucker, who became a
movie-maker with brother Jerry Zucker. "But he'd always get a positive
response."

Like other family members, Burt Zucker ended up with bit parts in his
sons' movies, but his real influence goes back to the days at the
family supper table.

"He didn't tell jokes per se, but he would say the most hilarious
things. Deadpan," David Zucker said. "We grew up, Jerry and I,
watching this, so that kind of translated into Robert Stack and Leslie
Nielsen saying crazy lines in a very serious, dry, dry way.

"He did have an impact on American comedy film that way, but that's my
dad," he said, with a laugh. "When I think about it, he really did.
Whatever we did, Jerry and I, we owe a lot to Dad."

Burton C. Zucker died of natural causes Monday. He was 91. He and his
wife, Charlotte Zucker, were longtime residents of Shorewood.

"He did kind of the extra parts, not speaking parts," David Zucker
said. "My mom and my sister could always be counted on to deliver a
line. Dad couldn't act. He couldn't even pretend to act that he was
just a guy at a board meeting."

"What am I going to do about your dad?" a director once asked.

"And I just laughed," David Zucker said.

"He couldn't even smile for a picture," his son said. "There wasn't a
phony bone in his body. They said he was the funniest person
off-screen, but he couldn't do anything on screen."

That said, Burt Zucker did appear in several films, including with his
wife in the background of a restaurant scene in "My Best Friend's
Wedding," with Julia Roberts and Cameron Diaz. He was a bread seller
in "First Knight." He was the dancing chef in "Top Secret!"

"That was his biggest scene," his son said. "He was seen off to the
side, kind of swaying and holding a chicken and a big meat cleaver,
when Val Kilmer is singing 'Tutti Frutti.' "

Burt Zucker's face appeared in "Airplane!" even though he didn't.

"It was the scene when the reporters run out of the room into the bank
of phone books and they all fall over," his son said. "We put his
picture on the wall as Employee of the Month."

In real life, Zucker was born in Milwaukee, later graduating from
Shorewood High School. He met the former Charlotte Lefstein when both
were students at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. They married
that same year, in 1941.

After his own father died, Zucker and his brothers took over the
family dress shops and related businesses.

"Eventually, all three of the brothers left that by 1959," said his
daughter, Susan Breslau. "Dad was the last with the dress business."

Zucker went into real estate, building and managing his own office
buildings. Three of those buildings were across from Mayfair Mall, now
the site of the Best Buy store.

He was long active in the Jewish community. He served with the Jewish
Home and Care Center, including as board chairman for the Milwaukee
Jewish Home, and later with the Milwaukee Jewish Home Foundation. He
was involved in the planning for Chai Point apartments.

Zucker loved people and laughing as much as he didn't like to smile
for the camera. He also believed in bragging about all of his
children, including one line he used before his sons became fathers.

"All three of my children are producers," Zucker liked to say. "My
sons produce movies, and my daughter produced my grandson."

"He tried to be fair," said his daughter, laughing at the memory.

Charlotte Zucker died in September. Other survivors include brother
James and grandchildren.

The funeral service was Thursday.

[e***@gmail.com]

Post by ZapRat
http://www.legacy.com/JSOnline/DeathNotices.asp?Page=LifeStory&PersonID=109681237
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