David Letterman auditioned for “Airplane!” against his better judgment: 'I can't act'

David Letterman isn't an actor, but that didn't stop his agent from forcing him to audition for Airplane!

In a new book, Surely You Can't Be Serious: The True History of Airplane!, by David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker (aka ZAZ), the comedy trio grant readers a behind-the-scenes look into the 1980 disaster spoof hit, including the story of Letterman's audition that went about as well as the film's titular flight.

The book features an account from Letterman of his truly terrible screen test for the role of Ted Striker (Robert Hays), as well as the directors' subsequent prank that included playing Letterman's audition live on Late Night with David Letterman.

Donaldson Collection/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images; Everett Collection David Letterman; Robert Hays in 'Airplane!'

"I get out there, and they had set up a cockpit for the aircraft with chairs," Letterman recounted of his audition. "I had a chair, and there was another chair where the copilot would be. We did the scene once, and then they came in and gave me some notes, and then we did it maybe two more times. And I kept saying all along, 'I can't act, I can't act, I can't act,' and then one of them came to me after the audition and said, 'You're right: you can't act!'"

The new book, out Oct. 3, is bursting with interviews from the cast, including Hays and Julie Hagerty, as well as more casting dirt (Sigourney Weaver! Caitlin Jenner!), accounts of Leslie Nielsen's pranks, and the story behind the infamous jive talk scene.

EW has an exclusive excerpt from the book on Letterman's audition and subsequent friendship with the ZAZ trio. Read on for more below.

St. Martin's Press 'Surely You Can't Be Serious' book cover

Surely You Can't Be Serious excerpt

GREGORY ITZIN (Religious Zealot #1): I had gone to college with the Zucker brothers. They were a crazy bunch. I did Guys and Dolls with Jerry back at college. Once they were out in L.A., I got a call to read for Airplane! I auditioned for the Robert Hays part but got the part of the first religious zealot. And then the Zuckers and Jim Abrahams went on to do other movies, and they didn't use me. But, you know, I was the first on-camera speaker in Airplane! When Julie Hagerty comes in the door, I offer her a flower and ask, "Would you like to make a donation?" I missed being punched out like some of the other religious guys, but I was the first person to speak on camera. So, there's that.

Jerry Zucker: We didn't find Bob [Hays] until much later. We'd read a lot of guys by then and we were starting to worry. It was getting late, and we still hadn't found anybody we thought was even close.

Jim Abrahams: We had any actor who we knew from high school or college come in to read for a part.

David Zucker: We had such a hard time casting the role of Ted Striker. We had seen David Letterman at the Comedy Store and were big fans, so we asked him to come in to read for Airplane!

David Letterman: They were really nice to consider me for a film, because I can see where people would think, "Oh, we have a thing where we're opening an Alpha Beta (supermarket); can you come out and talk to the bag boys?" That made sense. But a movie? And the guy who produced it was Howard Koch, who had a legitimate movie career and big-time credits. He was somebody that even I was aware of, and so I thought, Geez, he's not gonna want anything to do with me!

Jerry: He wasn't an actor, but he was funny. And he looked great onscreen—like, leading-man good looks. But the thing about David is, he's just really uncomfortable with the whole idea of acting. I think it all seems too phony to him, like he's bulls---ting. It just wasn't him.

Paramount David Letterman in his 'Airplane!' screen test

David Letterman: I liked those guys, and when I saw the movie, it was just delightful, and I was delighted to see it knowing that I didn't have to look at myself. Because that would've ruined it. If not the whole movie, it certainly would've ruined it for me. [In my audition], I get out there, and they had set up a cockpit for the aircraft with chairs. I had a chair, and there was another chair where the copilot would be. We did the scene once, and then they came in and gave me some notes, and then we did it maybe two more times. And I kept saying all along, "I can't act, I can't act, I can't act," and then one of them came to me after the audition and said, "You're right: you can't act!" It was all so good-natured that I just laughed my way back to the car. I never felt any sense of disappointment, because from the very beginning I told them, "I can't act." And then I was right, and we all ended up parting as friends. So it was a good time.

Jerry: Letterman's agent was on the set, and I came up to the guy, trying to be optimistic, and said, "Well, I think we can make an actor out of him." And the agent said, "Fat chance!" I remember calling Letterman to tell him he didn't get the part. He thanked me profusely.

Jerry: After the film came out, we were on his show, Late Night with David Letterman, and blindsided him with his Airplane! screen test.

David: Whether or not he was actually blindsided, or if his staff prepared him in advance for the clip, he was a good sport about it, and looked appropriately embarrassed, playing it to big laughs. Now that was acting!

From Surely You Can't Be Serious: The True Story of Airplane! by David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker. Copyright © 2023 by the author and reprinted by permission of St. Martin's Publishing Group.

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