Jump to content

Police Academy (franchise)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 84.248.111.92 (talk) at 18:07, 28 June 2005 (→Police Academy 5: Assignment: Miami Beach). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

This page is about the movie series; for the training school for police, see police academy.

Police Academy was a series of comedy films made in the 1980s and early 1990s.

The series opened with Police Academy (1984) which started with the premise that a new mayor had announced a policy requiring the police department to accept all willing recruits. The movie followed a group of misfit recruits in their attempts to prove themselves capable of being police officers.

In general, all of the movies and television shows depended on low-brow humor, usually based on simple characterizations and physical comedy. As with many similar movies, the theme was a group of underdogs struggling to prove themselves while various stereotyped authority figures tried to suppress them. The films have not been well received by critics over the years; indeed, in 2004 the magazine Total Film said that making more than one Police Academy was the 8th "dumbest decision in movie history".

The first film grossed $81.2 million in America, with the following films earning $150 million in total.

Recently, Paul Maslansky has indicated that he is considering making another Police Academy movie. He is said to have approached actors from all the previous films (with the exception of David Graf, who died in 2001) and received a good response from many of them.

Main characters

Carey Mahoney

Played by: Steve Guttenberg

Mahoney is the lead character of the first four movies of the series. He is best known for protecting Cmndt. Lassard and playing practical jokes on Harris, Mauser and Proctor. In a recurring theme throughout the series he often manages to get these rivals into the Blue Oyster Bar, where gay bikers force them to tango to a song called "El Bimbo".

Moses Hightower

Played by: Bubba Smith

Featured in all seven films, Hightower was a florist before joining the academy. He is best known for his immense stature.

Eugene Tackleberry

Played by: David Graf

Tackleberry is in all seven films and is best known for his love of firearms. Actor David Graf died of cardiac arrest in 2001.

Larvell Jones

Played by: Michael Winslow

Jones is one of the key characters in the series and is famous for making sound effects with his mouth.

Laverne Hooks

Played by: Marion Ramsey

Little woman with a little voice... until she decides to shout!

Debbie Callahan

Played by: Leslie Easterbrook

Best known for her pure sex appeal.

Eric Lassard

Played by: George Gaynes

Eric Lassard is Commandant, or head, of the Metropolitan Police Academy (sometimes also called the Midcity Police Academy). He is initially not into the politics of the police department. When Chief Hurst and Lieutenant Harris are denouncing the new female mayor's policy change to remove race and sex as barriers from academy admissions, he plays along with them and quickly dismisses their comments once they've left the room. A few years later, however, he will initiate a program known as Citizens on Patrol (COP), which is a community outreach course. Lassard featured in all seven films.

Thaddeus Harris

Played by: G.W. Bailey

"Mister Nasty" of the Police Academy - he always attempts to discredit Lassard and his men, but ends up being the butt of most of the jokes.

Proctor

Played by: Lance Kinsey

Gullible sidekick to Harris (or Mauser).

Mauser

Played by: Art Metrano

Filled in the role while Harris was not around.

Sweetchuck

Played by: Tim Kazurinsky

Accident-prone Sweetchuck joined as a cadet in the third movie after an appearance in the second.

Zed

Played by: Bobcat Goldthwait

Featured as a punk in the second movie before joining the academy in the third.

Nick Lassard

Played by: Matt McCoy

Nephew of Eric Lassard, Nick is brought in to replace Mahoney and continues his prankster ways.

Douglas Fackler

Played by: Bruce Mahler

Four-eyed and inept police officer who unknowingly causes injury and havoc to just about everyone and everything in his path.

Chad Copeland

Played by: Scott Thomson

Hurst

Played by: George R. Robertson

Movie details

Police Academy

A new mayor has announced a policy requiring the police department to accept all willing recruits. The movie followed a group of misfit recruits in their attempts to prove themselves capable of being police officers.

Released: 1984

Director: Hugh Wilson

Characters:

  • Cmndt. Eric Lassard
  • Capt. Reed (Ted Ross)
  • Lt. Thaddeus Harris
  • Sgt. Debbie Callahan
  • Cadet Carey Mahoney
  • Cadet Moses Hightower
  • Cadet Eugene Tackleberry
  • Cadet Larvell Jones
  • Cadet Douglas Fackler
  • Cadet Karen Thompson (Kim Cattrall)
  • Cadet Leslie Barbara (Donovan Scott)
  • Cadet George Martin (Andrew Rubin)
  • Mrs. Fackler (Debralee Scott)

Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment

The newly graduated cadets are sent to one of the worst precincts in the city.

Released: 1985

Director: Jerry Paris

Characters:

  • Cmndt. Eric Lassard
  • Capt. Peter Lassard
  • Lt. Mauser
  • Sgt. Kathleen Kirkland
  • Officer Carey Mahoney
  • Officer Moses Hightower
  • Officer Eugene Tackleberry
  • Officer Larvell Jones
  • Officer Douglas Fackler
  • Officer Laverne Hooks
  • Zed
  • Sweetchuck

Police Academy 3: Back in Training

The new officers volunteer to instruct a new group of recruits at the academy in order to prevent it from being closed down.

Released: 1986

Director: Jerry Paris

Characters:

  • Cmndt. Eric Lassard
  • Cmndt. Mauser
  • Lt. Debbie Callahan
  • Sgt. Carey Mahoney
  • Sgt. Moses Hightower
  • Sgt. Eugene Tackleberry
  • Sgt. Larvell Jones
  • Sgt. Douglas Fackler
  • Sgt. Laverne Hooks
  • Sgt. Chad Copeland
  • Cadet Nogata (Brian Tochi)
  • Cadet Zed
  • Cadet Sweetchuck
  • Cadet Karen Adams (Shawn Weatherly)

Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol

New recruits are brought in when the officers work with a newly formed Citizens On Patrol group.

Released: 1987

Director: Jim Drake

Characters:

  • Cmndt. Eric Lassard
  • Capt. Thaddeus Harris
  • Lt. Proctor
  • Lt. Debbie Callahan
  • Sgt. Carey Mahoney
  • Sgt. Moses Hightower
  • Sgt. Eugene Tackleberry
  • Sgt. Larvell Jones
  • Sgt. Laverne Hooks
  • Sgt. Chad Copeland
  • Officer Zed
  • Officer Sweetchuck
  • Claire Mattson (Sharon Stone)
  • Butterworth (David McGrath)
  • Mrs. Lois Feldman (Billie Bird)

Police Academy 5: Assignment: Miami Beach

The officers attend a police convention in Florida where Cmndt. Lassard inadvertently switches his briefcase with that of a group of jewel thieves.

Released: 1988

Director: Alan Myerson

Characters:

  • Cmndt. Eric Lassard
  • Capt. Thaddeus Harris
  • Lt. Proctor
  • Lt. Debbie Callahan
  • Sgt. Nick Lassard
  • Sgt. Moses Hightower
  • Sgt. Eugene Tackleberry
  • Sgt. Larvell Jones
  • Sgt. Laverne Hooks
  • Officer Thomas Conklin (House)
  • Commissioner Hurst
  • Kate (Janet Jones)
  • Tony (Rene Auberjonois)

Police Academy 6: City Under Siege

The officers go undercover to break up a criminal gang.

Released: 1989

Director: Peter Bonerz

Characters:

  • Cmndt. Eric Lassard
  • Capt. Debbie Callahan
  • Capt. Thaddeus Harris
  • Lt. Proctor
  • Lt. Moses Hightower
  • Sgt. Nick Lassard
  • Sgt. Douglas Fackler
  • Sgt. Eugene Tackleberry
  • Sgt. Larvell Jones
  • Sgt. Laverne Hooks
  • Commissioner Hurst
  • The Mayor/Mastermind (Kenneth Mars)
  • Ace (Gerrit Graham)
  • Flash (Brian Seeman)
  • Ox (Darwyn Swalve)

Police Academy 7: Mission to Moscow

The officers go to Russia to help catch an international crime figure.

Released: 1994

Director: Alan Metter

Characters:

Television details

There were also three television series loosely based on the movies; an animated series in 1988, a second animated series in 1993, and a live action series in 1997. None lasted longer than one season.

Quotes

Captain Harris approaches a bar where Cmdt. Lassard, Chief Hurst, Chief Murdock, and the Mayor of Miami is seated. He does not realize what had been burned on to his chest.
Harris: "Oh, Mr. Mayor. Excuse me sir. I don't mean to insult your city, but the people on this beach are very rude and hostile."
Mayor: "Well, I'm sorry to hear that...Captain Dork!"
Everyone breaks down laughing. Captain Harris finally realizes that the word "Dork" had been burned on to his chest.

Hooks: "DON'T MOVE, DIRTBAG!" (recurring line)

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Police_Academy_(franchise)&oldid=17775263"