"Police Squad!" (1982)TV series

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 | Different Gags During Credits | Police Detective | Urban

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	...	Ted Olson, Scientist (6 episodes, 1982)
William Duell	...	Johnny the Snitch (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	....	makeup artist (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 (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:

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

Filming Locations:

Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Ave., Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Paramount Television

Trivia:

Each week featured a "Special Guest Star" who is killed off in the opening credits. Lorne Greene and William Conrad are knifed and tossed out of cars; Georg Stanford Brown has a safe dropped on him; Florence Henderson is shot during a musical number; Robert Goulet is executed by a firing squad; and William Shatner avoids a burst of machine-gun-fire only to drink a glass of poisoned wine.

Quotes:

Det. Frank Drebin: Cigarette?
Mary: Yes, I know.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Warrior of the Lost World (#6.1)" (1993)

Hi, I'm Detective Lieutenant Sergeant Frank Drebin Police Squad

What can be said about this show, one of the funniest if not the funniest comedy ever?

Leslie Nielson played Frank Drebin who seemed to alternate each week between a Sergeant or a Lieutenant. He was joined by other detectives, particularly Al (only ever seen from the neck down).

The plots-if you can call them that-were crazy. The show was crazy from the opening title to the end credits. There were some hilarious one-liners throughout the show. Also, the narrator for each episode used to read out the title of the episode which always differed from the title on-screen. A special guest star was also introduced on the credits but never starred in the show itself. As for the ending credits, well Drebin seemed to be moving whilst the credits rolled. It was crazy.

Even though this series spawned three Naked Gun movies, it is the world's greatest mystery why this show only ran for six episodes. Where is the justice in the world where tripe such as Friends can run for years whilst a truly funny show like this can be cancelled after a mere six episodes?

I strongly recommend checking the series out and will someone please release it onto DVD?