When people think of classic comedies, one of the first that come to mind is the 1977 film Smokey and the Bandit. The movie follows two truckers, Bandit (Burt Reynolds) and Cledus (Jerry Reed), as they transport a semi-truck full of Coors beer from Texas to Georgia within 28 hours.
The movie was a huge success, grossing over $300 million in its initial release. It was so popular that it spawned two sequels and several spin-offs. But what was actually in the semi truck?
The semi truck contained illegally smuggled Coors beer. Coors beer was not available in many parts of the country at the time, and Bandit and Cledus were hired by Big Enos (Pat McCormick) to smuggle it from Texas to Georgia. It is unclear exactly how much beer they were transporting, but it had to be enough to fill up a large trailer.
The film does not go into detail about the specifics of their mission, but it is clear that they were taking part in an illegal activity.
Smokey and the Bandit is an iconic comedy classic, but there has been some confusion over what exactly was in the semi truck. After all these years, we now know that it contained illegally smuggled Coors beer.
Conclusion:
What was in the semi truck in Smokey and the Bandit? It contained illegally smuggled Coors beer that Bandit and Cledus were hired by Big Enos to transport from Texas to Georgia.