"Police Squad!" (1982) TV series

User Rating:

8.8/10   

Creators:

Jim Abrahams
David Zucker
Jerry Zucker
(more)

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

4 March 1982 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Comedy | Crime | Mystery

Plot:

Sight-gags and non-sequiturs dominate this spoof of police dramas. The six episodes formed the basis for later very successful "Naked Gun" movies.

Plot Keywords:

Police | Spoof | Thief | Sleeper Hit | Detective

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Leslie Nielsen	...	Det. Frank Drebin (6 episodes, 1982)
Alan North	...	Capt. Ed Hocken (6 episodes, 1982)
Rex Hamilton	...	Abraham Lincoln (6 episodes, 1982)
Ed Williams	...	Mr. Olson (6 episodes, 1982)
William Duell	...	Johnny (6 episodes, 1982)
Marvin Miller	...	Narrator (6 episodes, 1982)
Peter Lupus	...	Norberg (4 episodes, 1982)

(more)

Series Directed by
Joe Dante		(2 episodes, 1982)

Series Writing credits
Jim Abrahams		(6 episodes, 1982)
David Zucker		(6 episodes, 1982)
Jerry Zucker		(6 episodes, 1982)
Tino Insana		(2 episodes, 1982)
Pat Proft		(2 episodes, 1982)
Nancy Steen		(2 episodes, 1982)
Neil Thompson		(2 episodes, 1982)
Robert Wuhl		(2 episodes, 1982)

Series Produced by
Jim Abrahams	....	executive producer (6 episodes, 1982)
Richard Correll	....	associate producer (6 episodes, 1982)
Deborah Hwang-Marriott	....	associate producer (6 episodes, 1982)
Robert K. Weiss	....	producer (6 episodes, 1982)
David Zucker	....	executive producer (6 episodes, 1982)
Jerry Zucker	....	executive producer (6 episodes, 1982)

Series Original Music by
Ira Newborn		(6 episodes, 1982)

Series Cinematography by
Sherman Kunkel		(6 episodes, 1982)

Series Film Editing by
Tom Benko		(3 episodes, 1982)
Malcolm Campbell		(3 episodes, 1982)

Series Casting by
Sally Powers		(6 episodes, 1982)

Series Art Direction by
Seymour Klate		(6 episodes, 1982)

Series Set Decoration by
Bruce A. Gibeson		(6 episodes, 1982)

Series Makeup Department
Linda Buffa	....	hair stylist (6 episodes, 1982)
Ron Walters	....	make-up (5 episodes, 1982)

Series Production Management
Ron Fury	....	unit production manager (6 episodes, 1982)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Alice West	....	second assistant director (6 episodes, 1982)
Rusty Meek	....	first assistant director (4 episodes, 1982)
Jack Clements	....	first assistant director (2 episodes, 1982)

Series Sound Department
Richard Bryce Goodman	....	sound mixer (6 episodes, 1982)

Series Stunts
Ralph Garrett	....	stunt coordinator (6 episodes, 1982)
Gene LeBell	....	stunts (unknown episodes)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Michael Butler	....	costumer: men / costume supervisor / ... (6 episodes, 1982)
Karen Kaufman	....	costumer: women / women's costumer (6 episodes, 1982)

Series Music Department
Darryl Duran	....	music editor (5 episodes, 1982)

Series Other crew
Tino Insana	....	story editor (6 episodes, 1982)
Jan Kemper	....	script supervisor (6 episodes, 1982)
David Misch	....	executive story editor (6 episodes, 1982)
Pat Proft	....	executive script consultant (6 episodes, 1982)
Nancy Steen	....	story editor (6 episodes, 1982)
Neil Thompson	....	story editor (6 episodes, 1982)
Robert Wuhl	....	story editor (6 episodes, 1982)

Production Companies

• Paramount Television

Distributors

• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1982) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Paramount Home Video (1991) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Paramount Home Video (1996) (USA) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Entertainment Finland (2007) (Finland) (DVD)

Runtime:

30 min (6 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M | USA:TV-PG | Singapore:PG | Sweden:15 (DVD) (2007) | Norway:15 (DVD) (2007) | Denmark:15 (DVD) (2007) | Finland:K-18 (DVD) (2007) (self applied) | UK:15 (DVD) | Ireland:15 (DVD)

Filming Locations:

Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Paramount Television

Trivia:

ABC wanted the show to have a laugh track, but Jim Abrahams, Jerry Zucker, and 'David Zucker' wouldn't give in.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "De wereld draait door: (#4.165)" (2009)

Why there were only 6 shows.

One night I was listening to talk radio and the had Leslie Nielsen on the program. He went on to explain why there were only 6 shows. '

With TV shows like MASH you could go to the fridge to get a beer and as long as you heard what was going on you didn't miss anything. But with Police Squad, you HAD to watch the show, with the sight gags you missed a whole lot if you didn't see them. Who could forget "... the part of town known as "Little Italy"..." with the coliseum in the background.

Even the movies relied heavily on the sight gags, bu then again being in the theater you were a captive audience.

Leslie also said the one reason the show, movies and other movies like Airplane were funny is because they didn't attempt to tell what was funny. It was up to the viewer to get the jokes.

Well that's just my 2 cents.