"21 Jump Street" (1987) TV series 1987-1991

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Creators:

Stephen J. Cannell
Patrick Hasburgh
(more)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

Release Date:

12 April 1987 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

Tagline:

Too cool for school.

Plot:

The cases of an undercover police unit composed of young looking officers specializing in youth crime.

Plot Keywords:

Police | Undercover | Address As Title | Detective | Teen

Awards:

2 wins

Cast

Steven Williams	...	Captain Adam Fuller / ... (92 episodes, 1987-1991)
Holly Robinson Peete	...	Officer Judy Hoffs (88 episodes, 1987-1991)
Peter DeLuise	...	Officer Doug Penhall (84 episodes, 1987-1990)
Dustin Nguyen	...	Officer Harry Truman Ioki (71 episodes, 1987-1990)
Johnny Depp	...	Officer Tom Hanson (69 episodes, 1987-1990)

(more)

Series Directed by
Bill Corcoran		(10 episodes, 1987-1989)
Kim Manners		(10 episodes, 1987-1989)
Jefferson Kibbee		(4 episodes, 1989-1990)
Jorge Montesi		(4 episodes, 1989-1990)
David Nutter		(3 episodes, 1987-1990)
James Whitmore Jr.		(3 episodes, 1987-1990)
David Jackson		(3 episodes, 1987-1989)
Neill Fearnley		(3 episodes, 1987-1988)
Larry Shaw		(3 episodes, 1987-1988)
Mario Van Peebles		(3 episodes, 1989)
Peter DeLuise		(3 episodes, 1990-1991)
Brenton Spencer		(3 episodes, 1990-1991)
Steve Beers		(2 episodes, 1987-1990)
James A. Contner		(2 episodes, 1988-1989)
Tucker Gates		(2 episodes, 1989-1990)
Ken Wiederhorn		(2 episodes, 1989-1990)
Jonathan Wacks		(1 episode, 1988-1990)
Daniel Attias		(unknown episodes)
Randy Bradshaw		(unknown episodes)
Zale Dalen		(unknown episodes)
Peter D. Marshall		(unknown episodes)
Brad Turner		(unknown episodes)

Series Writing credits
Stephen J. Cannell		(102 episodes, 1987-1991)
Patrick Hasburgh		(102 episodes, 1987-1991)
Glen Morgan		(11 episodes, 1989-1990)
James Wong		(10 episodes, 1989-1990)
Bill Nuss		(9 episodes, 1987-1989)
Clifton Campbell		(5 episodes, 1987-1988)
Jonathan Lemkin		(5 episodes, 1987-1988)
Jonathan Glassner		(5 episodes, 1990-1991)
Paul Bernbaum		(4 episodes, 1987)
E. Paul Edwards		(3 episodes, 1987-1989)
Marc Abraham		(unknown episodes)
Paul Abraham		(unknown episodes)
Simon Ayer		(unknown episodes)
Ann Donahue		(unknown episodes)
Sharon Elizabeth Doyle		(unknown episodes)
Stephen E. Doyle		(unknown episodes)
Julie Friedgen		(unknown episodes)
Gary S. Hall		(unknown episodes)
Grei Jewell		(unknown episodes)
Bruce Kirschbaum		(unknown episodes)
David Levinson		(unknown episodes)
Jo Perry		(unknown episodes)
Thomas Perry		(unknown episodes)
Gary Rosen		(unknown episodes)
Deborah Starr Seibel		(unknown episodes)
David Stenn		(unknown episodes)
Thania St. John		(unknown episodes)

Series Produced by
Steve Beers	....	supervising producer / producer (12 episodes, 1987)
Jo Swerling Jr.	....	supervising producer (12 episodes, 1987)
Bill Nuss	....	producer (11 episodes, 1987)
Jimmy Giritlian	....	associate producer (7 episodes, 1987)
Patrick Hasburgh	....	executive producer (7 episodes, 1987)
Joan Carson	....	associate producer (3 episodes, 1987)
Stephen J. Cannell	....	executive producer (unknown episodes)
Jonathan Glassner	....	producer (unknown episodes)
Gary S. Hall	....	associate producer (unknown episodes)

Series Original Music by
Robert Israel		(1 episode, 1990)
Peter Bernstein		(unknown episodes)
Michael Z. Gordon		(unknown episodes)

Series Cinematography by
José Louis Mignone		(34 episodes, 1987-1988)
David Geddes		(25 episodes, 1988-1989)

Series Film Editing by
Jimmy Giritlian		(1 episode, 1987)
Michael Robison		(1 episode, 1987)
Gene Ranney		(unknown episodes)
Chris G. Willingham		(unknown episodes)

Series Casting by
Victoria Burrows		(unknown episodes)
Lynne Carrow		(unknown episodes)
Trish Robinson		(unknown episodes)

Series Production Design by
Michael Nemirsky		(unknown episodes)

Series Art Direction by
Michael Nemirsky		(1 episode, 1987)
Lawrence F. Pevec		(unknown episodes)

Series Set Decoration by
William D. McLane		(2 episodes, 1990)

Series Costume Design by
Glenne Campbell		(6 episodes, 1987)
Emma Trenchard		(unknown episodes)

Series Makeup Department
Natalie Cosco	....	makeup artist (unknown episodes)
Sydney Silvert	....	makeup department head (unknown episodes)
Carolyn Stewart	....	assistant makeup artist (unknown episodes)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Brett Dowler	....	second assistant director (24 episodes, 1989-1990)
Warren Wayne	....	trainee assistant director / third assistant director (21 episodes, 1987-1988)
Tom Braidwood	....	first assistant director (unknown episodes)
Larry D. Horricks	....	second assistant director (unknown episodes)
David Markowitz	....	first assistant director: second unit (unknown episodes)
Andy Mikita	....	second assistant director (unknown episodes)
Robert Petrovicz	....	first assistant director (unknown episodes)
John H. Radulovic	....	assistant director (unknown episodes)

Series Art Department
Al Rourke	....	lead carpenter (80 episodes, 1987-1990)
Max Matsuoka	....	props buyer (unknown episodes, 1990)
Clive Edwards	....	set dresser (unknown episodes)
Alan S. Reynolds	....	charge scenic artist: Florida (unknown episodes)
David Valentine	....	property master (unknown episodes)

Series Sound Department
Chris Boyett	....	sound re-recording mixer (102 episodes, 1987-1991)
Barry Backus	....	sound effects editor (34 episodes, 1987-1988)
Jerry Jacobson	....	sound editor (26 episodes, 1989-1990)
Ron Cote	....	foley & adr recordist / sound re-recording mixer (unknown episodes)
Chris Glyn-Jones	....	boom operator (unknown episodes)
William Hooper	....	sound editor (unknown episodes)
William Jacobs	....	supervising sound editor (unknown episodes)

Series Special Effects by
Bob Comer	....	special effects first assistant (3 episodes, 1990)
Michael Clifford	....	special effects coordinator (unknown episodes)

Series Stunts
Victor Favrin	....	stunts (1 episode, 1989)
Chris J. Clayton	....	stunt driver / utility stunts (unknown episodes)
Jim Dunn	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Dave Hospes	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Kathy Hubble	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
David Jacox	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Michael Langlois	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Scott Nicholson	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
David Rigby	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Pat Romano	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Jacob Rupp	....	stunts (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
David S. Warner	....	best boy (54 episodes, 1987-1989)
Gary J. Williams	....	second grip (54 episodes, 1987-1989)
Joel Ransom	....	camera operator / assistant camera (50 episodes, 1987-1990)
Rob Parisien	....	24 frame video operator (2 episodes, 1987)
Al Campbell	....	key grip (unknown episodes)
Chris Helcermanas-Benge	....	still photographer (unknown episodes)
Kim Olsen	....	grip (unknown episodes)
James M. Reeves	....	electrician: Florida (unknown episodes)
John Rigg	....	grip (unknown episodes)
John W. Scott	....	gaffer (unknown episodes)

Series Casting Department
Susanne McLellan	....	casting assistant (40 episodes, 1987-1988)
Sherry Sims	....	casting assistant (unknown episodes)
Lori Wyman	....	casting: Florida (unknown episodes)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jennifer Grossman	....	costumer (unknown episodes)

Series Editorial Department
Patrick Lussier	....	assistant editor (34 episodes, 1987-1988)
Gary Winter	....	executive in charge of post-production (unknown episodes)

Series Music Department
John Caper Jr.	....	music supervisor (6 episodes, 1987)
Jeff Charbonneau	....	music editor (2 episodes, 1989-1990)

Series Transportation Department
James Perenseff	....	transportation coordinator: Cannell (unknown episodes)

Series Other crew
Barbara Ann Schoemaker	....	location manager (20 episodes, 1989-1990)
Jane Charles	....	production assistant (13 episodes, 1987)
David Sheppy	....	production assistant (10 episodes, 1987-1989)
Fabio M. Arber	....	location manager: Miami (unknown episodes, 1989-1990)
Eamon Buehning	....	payroll accountant (unknown episodes)
Maria K. Chavez	....	location manager (unknown episodes)
Chris J. Clayton	....	stand-in (unknown episodes)
Dori Greenberg	....	location assistant (unknown episodes)
Ian Overend	....	location manager (unknown episodes)
Stephanie Rossel	....	script supervisor (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• 20th Century Fox Television
• LBS Communications (1990-1991)
• Patrick Hasburgh Productions
• Stephen J. Cannell Productions

Distributors

• Fox Network (1987-1990) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD) (season 1)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD) (seasons 3-5)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment Japan (2006) (Japan) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD) (season 5)
• 20th Century Fox Television (????) (USA) (TV) (syndication)
• Dutch FilmWorks (DFW) (2006) (Netherlands) (DVD) (seasons 1 and 2)
• Dutch FilmWorks (DFW) (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD) (season 3)
• RTL Entertainment (1990) (Netherlands) (TV) (RTL Véronique) (RTL 4)

Other Companies

• Cherokee Studios  music recorded at

Runtime:

60 min (103 episodes) | Argentina:60 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Australia:M | Iceland:12 | UK:12 (some episodes) | UK:15 (some episodes) | UK:PG (some episodes) | Argentina:13

Filming Locations:

New Westminster Secondary School, New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

20th Century Fox Television

Trivia:

Johnny Depp had always been Patrick Hasburgh's first choice to play Tom Hanson but Depp turned the role down. Jeff Yagher was then cast as Hanson and filming for the pilot began. But Fox was unhappy with his performance and halted production after three weeks. Fox wanted Josh Brolin for the role but Hasburgh wanted to offer the role to Depp again. This time Depp accepted the role and Yagher's scenes were re-shot.

Goofs:

Incorrectly regarded as goofs: Throughout the first season Hansen repeatedly says "tail" when his mouth obviously says "ass." This was a post-production change in response to network censorship, who thought the word "ass" was inappropriate.

Quotes:

Dave, the poet junkie: Save your preach, cop. I reject everything, man. And it's not because I'm unhappy or confused or afraid of reality. See, I can, I can, chew up the nastiest tastes reality has to dish out, man. And if reality serves me up some raw sewage, man - I'll, I'll slurp up a whole toilet-bowl full and call it ambrosia.
Officer Dennis Booker: You always had a way with words, Dave.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in This Filthy World (2006)

Launching pad for teen stars; one of the better early Fox shows.

This was one of the first Fox hour-long dramas, and Fox definitely wore its heart on its sleeve. Like WB now, Fox wanted to lure in a teenage audience with its good-looking young stars. Luckily for those stars, 21 Jump Street was a rather good vehicle, and stood on its own merits.

Kind of like a Mod Squad for the 80s, the "teens" in 21 Jump Street were cops. Hip cops. They would infiltrate schools, drug rings, gangs, wherever teenagers were in trouble... unlike the Mod Squad, though, the storylines were always passable, and quite often excellent. Almost every episode touched upon subjects that were taboo for the big 3 networks (and still are)- AIDS, statutory rape, drug use, abortion, child abuse- and presented it in a moralistic way, but without being maudlin.

The show kind of faltered in its last few seasons; Johnny Depp was becoming a star, and execs started pushing other "stars" into the spotlight, hoping for cash rewards and spin-offs. Richard Greico was most heavily promoted, to an audience that didn't really care. He became a teen-age heartthrob for a while, but never achieved the momentum to carry his career skyward. With this pushing of the stars, the storylines took a back seat to character preening. The end result was faltering ratings, and cancellation.

Until it became an actors' showcase, though, 21 Jump Street was probably the best drama on TV.