Robert Hays makes an excellent comic leading man when earnestness is the job. In Airplane, he keeps the romantic troubles clear through the interruptions, and his refusal to compete with the jokes helps them work.
Fi1m perspective
In the bar flashback in Airplane (1980), Robert Hays gives the romance enough seriousness for the disco silliness to be funny. Ted Striker's feelings still matter to Ted, however little dignity the film allows him. We laughed because Hays and Julie Hagerty keep playing the romantic encounter rather than advertising how ridiculous it is becoming. Hays takes his character seriously without asking us to take the film seriously. The joke would be weaker if he seemed to be enjoying it with us.
Hays came to prominence with the sitcom Angie (1979–80) and Airplane, then returned as Ted in Airplane II: The Sequel (1982). His subsequent career spread across television, family films and animation. He starred as Paul Forrester in the television series Starman (1986) and played Bob Seaver in Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (1993). He also voiced Tony Stark in Iron Man (1994). That is a broader working life than the familiar parody lead suggests, although our strongest recommendation rests on that early performance.
Jim Abrahams, David Zucker and Jerry Zucker get something precise from him in Airplane: a leading man who keeps the melodrama clear while their comedy continually disrupts it. Hagerty's Elaine Dickinson is essential to that, and the two deserve to be considered together. Their romantic difficulties give us a story we can return to after each interruption, without either performer insisting that it deserves more respect than the jokes. Hays is often cast as an earnest straight man, but this is a particularly good use of him.
The limitation is in the material: some of the wordplay is painfully corny, and a straight face cannot make every line worth hearing. Hays nevertheless helps weaker jokes pass because he does not stop to sell them. There is considerable skill in keeping a performance this steady amid so much silliness. Start with Airplane for Hays, and give Hagerty her share of the credit.
Biography
Robert Hays is an American actor. Born on 24 July 1947 in Bethesda, Maryland, he began his career in theatre, performing at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego. He made early television appearances in series including Wonder Woman (1975) and Angie (1979–1980).
Hays gained prominence with his role as pilot Ted Striker in the comedy film Airplane! (1980) and its sequel Airplane II: The Sequel (1982). Other film credits include Cat's Eye (1985), Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (1993) and its sequel, and Superhero Movie (2008). On television he starred in Starman (1986–1987) and appeared in That '70s Show (2000); he also provided the voice of Iron Man in the 1994 animated series Spider-Man.
