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Police Academy (franchise)

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Police Academy film series
File:Police Academy Boxset.jpg
Police Academy DVD boxset
Directed byHugh Wilson
(PA)
Jerry Paris
(2 & 3)
Jim Drake
(4)
Alan Myerson
(5)
Peter Bonerz
(6)
Alan Metter (7)
Produced byPaul Maslansky
StarringG. W. Bailey
Steve Guttenberg
Bubba Smith
Leslie Easterbrook
George Gaynes
Michael Winslow
Music byRobert Folk
Distributed byWarner Bros.
Release date
1984-1994
Running time
627 min. (total)
Country United States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$231.2 million

Police Academy is a long-running series of comedy films, the first six of which were made in the 1980s. The seventh and to date last installment, Mission to Moscow, was released in 1994.

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. The main character, Carey Mahoney (Steve Guttenberg), was a repeat offender who was forced to join the police academy as punishment.

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 sequels have not been well received by some critics over the years.

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

Movie details

Police Academy

Main article: Police Academy (film)

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 and their adventures at the police academy.

Released: 1984

Director: Hugh Wilson

Characters:

This film is number 59 on Bravo's "100 Funniest Movies".

Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment

Main article: Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment

The newly graduated cadets are sent to one of the worst precincts in the city to improve the conditions. Lt. Mauser undermines their attempts so that he can get Capt. Lassard fired and get the position in charge.

Released: 1985

Director: Jerry Paris

Characters:

Police Academy 3: Back in Training

Main article: Police Academy 3: Back in Training

When the governor of the state announces that budget cuts are in order to get rid of the worst of the two police academies, the Metropolitan police academy, led by Cmndt. Lassard, work on ensuring it is not theirs. This is hindered by their unusual gang of new cadets.

Released: 1986

Director: Jerry Paris

Characters:

  • Chief Henry Hurst
  • Cmndt. Eric Lassard
  • Cmndt. Mauser, Midcity Police Academy
  • Cpt. Proctor
  • Lt. Debbie Callahan
  • Sgt. Carey Mahoney
  • Sgt. Moses Hightower
  • Sgt. Eugene Tackleberry
  • Sgt. Larvell Jones
  • Sgt. Douglas Fackler
  • Sgt. Laverne Hooks
  • Sgt. Kyle Blankes
  • Sgt. Chad Copeland
  • Cadet Nogata (Brian Tochi)
  • Cadet Fackler (Debralee Scott)
  • Cadet Hedges (David Huband)
  • Cadet Bud Kirkland
  • Cadet Zed (Bobcat Goldthwait)
  • Cadet Sweetchuck
  • Cadet Karen Adams (Shawn Weatherly)
  • Governor Neilson (Ed Nelson)

Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol

Main article: Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol

New recruits are brought in when the officers work with a newly formed Citizens On Patrol group. However, Harris and Proctor are in charge and plan to dismantle the program.

Released: 1987

Director: Jim Drake

Characters:

  • Commissioner Henry Hurst
  • 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
  • Sgt. Kathleen Kirkland-Tackleberry
  • Officer Bud Kirkland
  • Officer Zed
  • Officer Sweetchuck
  • Officer Nogata
  • Mr. & Mrs. Kirkland
  • Claire Mattson (Sharon Stone)
  • C.O.P. Milt Butterworth (Derek McGrath)
  • C.O.P. Mrs. Lois Feldman (Billie Bird)
  • C.O.P. Laura (Corinne Bohrer)
  • C.O.P. Artie (Brian Backer)
  • C.O.P. Kyle (David Spade)
  • C.O.P. Thomas "House" Conklin (Tab Thacker)

Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach

Main article: 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. The thieves try to get it back.

Released: 1988

Director: Alan Myerson

Characters:

  • Commissioner Henry Hurst
  • Cmndt. Eric Lassard
  • Capt. Thaddeus Harris
  • Lt. Proctor
  • Lt. Debbie Callahan
  • Sgt. Nick Lassard (Matt McCoy)
  • Sgt. Moses Hightower
  • Sgt. Eugene Tackleberry
  • Sgt. Larvell Jones
  • Sgt. Laverne Hooks
  • Officer Thomas "House" Conklin
  • Mayor of Miami (James Hampton)
  • Kate (Janet Jones)
  • Tony (Rene Auberjonois)

Police Academy 6: City Under Siege

Main article: Police Academy 6: City Under Siege

When the city suffers from a dangerous set of crimes by a gang of jewel thieves, the Metropolitan Police Academy graduates are brought in to do something about it.

Released: 1989

Director: Peter Bonerz

Characters:

  • Commissioner Henry Hurst
  • 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
  • The Mayor/Mastermind (Kenneth Mars)
  • Ace (Gerrit Graham)
  • Flash (Brian Seeman)
  • Ox (Darwyn Swalve)

Police Academy 7: Mission to Moscow

Main article: Police Academy: Mission to Moscow

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

Released: 1994

Director: Alan Metter

Characters:

Future

Plans were in motion for an eighth Police Academy MAHONEY edition film to be released in 2007 after a decade of absence.[1] Says series creator Paul Maslansky: "I felt it was time to start again. I saw that Starsky & Hutch and a number of other revivals were doing really well. Police Academy has such a great history, so I thought, 'Why not?'"[2] Most of the main cast members were due to return,[3] except David Graf (Eugene Tackleberry), who died of a heart attack in April of 2001. Hugh Wilson was slated to direct.[4]

Leslie Easterbrook and Marion Ramsey mentioned that filming for the next Police Academy film was due to start shooting in summer 2006 for a release in 2007.[5] The film was shelved in October, 2006. Leslie Easterbrook did mention that there was still hope for a direct to DVD sequel. She added that while Warner Bros. wanted to do one, they wanted a producer to get independent financing.[6][7] In May 2008 Michael Winslow replied to a question about a possible new Police Academy film: “Anything’s possible. You’ve got to hope for Paul Maslansky and those folks over there to put it together. It’s up to them. It would be great to see everyone again.“[8]

Quotes

  • Harris: "You make me sick."
Mahoney: "Thank you sir, I make everybody sick."
  • 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.

Later, Jones is seen talking to a parrot at a pet store. Harris and Proctor walk by the pet store as Jones leaves.

Parrot: *squawks* Hey Dork! Hey Dork!
Harris: (screams) "DON'T TOUCH THOSE! DON'T YOU EVER TOUCH MY BALLS WITHOUT ASKING!"
Slowly turning to see the entire squad (who can't see the newton's cradle) watching them
  • Academy dormitory, Cadet Nogata is walking to Jones' room, and hears a house beat playing. He opens the door to find Jones himself providing the beat, pretending to play a synthesizer.
Nogata: "Excuse me, perhaps I should come back later, when all is well with your mind?"
Jones pretends to pull an earphone from his ear
Jones: "My mind's about as well as it gets, but you look a little tense."

Blue Oyster Bar

The Blue Oyster Bar is a fictional bar, and the setting of a recurring gag-scene of the comedy film series Police Academy.

The bar is a stereotypical depiction of a leathermen's/bear gay bar, featuring patrons dressed up as bikers in leather clothing, sailors, and other stereotypical masculine gay fashion archetypes.

Within the Police Academy film series, unsuspecting characters periodically enter the bar unaware of its nature (this usually happens as a prank by the lead characters). Once inside, a group of patrons are depicted as leering towards the police officer/s and ready to force the frightened victims to dance with them, invariably to a tango called "El Bimbo", a 1972 hit for creators Bimbo Jet.

The Blue Oyster Bar only appeared in the first four Police Academy movies. Among those lured into the place were...

  • Cadets Blankes and Copeland (twice in the first movie; once intentionally by Mahoney, once accidentally in order to avoid rioters)
  • Sweetchuck (as a civilian in the second movie, although he manages to escape after a brief tango)
  • Proctor (in the third and fourth movies)
  • Captain Harris (in the fourth movie)

Theme song

  • There is an instrumental theme used throughout the series. However, a pop song entitled I'm Gonna Be Somebody by Jack Mack is used at the end of #1. For #4, a rap song (with the same title as the film) Citizens on Patrol was written by John Debney and sung by Michael Winslow & The L.A. Dream Team.

Television series

There were two syndicated television series loosely based on the film.

Animated Police Academy

Main article: Police Academy (TV series)

The first was Police Academy, an animated series in 1988 lasting two seasons.

Police Academy: The Series

Main article: Police Academy: The Series

The second spin-off television series was Police Academy: The Series, a live action show starring Joe Flaherty in 1997, lasting only one season.

References

  1. ^ Police Academy 8 is in the works
  2. ^ New "Police Academy" movie in the works
  3. ^ What's happening with Police Academy 8? at Moviehole
  4. ^ Police Academy 8
  5. ^ Police Academy shuts down
  6. ^ Police Academy (2007)
  7. ^ Police Academy dead?
  8. ^ http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/51617/the_den_of_geek_interview_michael_winslow.html
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