The Correct Order To Watch The Police Academy Movies
One cannot understate the strange cultural dominance Hugh Wilson's 1984 comedy "Police Academy" held over the pop zeitgeist throughout the 1980s. Clearly a child of "Animal House," "Police Academy" was a traditional snobs-vs.-slobs comedy that pitted winking wiseacres against their stern commanding officers at a police school in an unnamed city. I've long had a theory that the "Police Academy" movies take place in Metropolis, the city where Superman lives. With Superman taking care of major crimes, the local police force would likely become complacent, unused to enforcing the law.
None of the "Police Academy" movies were well-reviewed, recognized by critics as crass, dumb, and low-brow. This is a series that banks on misogyny, offensive stereotypes, and a lot of crotch/sex humor. There is no wit to the "Police Academy" movies. Roger Ebert famously gave the first film zero stars, citing merely how dreadfully unfunny and uninspired it is. The first movie has a 56% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Four of the sequels have 0% approval ratings.
Indeed, the many, many "Police Academy" sequels began to represent — in the minds of the public — a nadir in 1980s popular culture. The popularity of such terrible movies was proof that America was, culturally, on its knees.
And yet ... And yet ... There is something weirdly affable about these dated, crass comedies. Collectively, the series earned over $537 million worldwide, so writers/producers Pat Proft and Neil Israel were clearly tapping into something.
Should you want to run a "Police Academy" marathon, here's how to run through the extant seven films.
The release order
The "Police Academy" movies are handily numbered, with the exception of the seventh. As such:
- "Police Academy" (1984)
- "Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment" (1985)
- "Police Academy 3: Back in Training" (1986)
- "Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol" (1987)
- "Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach" (1988)
- "Police Academy 6: City Under Siege" (1989)
- "Police Academy: Mission to Moscow" (1994)
After the release of "Miami Beach" in March of 1988, the animation company Ruby-Spears, the company behind "Turbo Teen," "Pound Puppies," and "Alvin and the Chipmunks," released an animated "Police Academy" series that ran for two seasons and 65 episodes. It featured none of the live-action film's actors. The animated series' run overlapped with the release of "City Under Siege," released in March of 1989. The final episode aired in September of that year. It seems that the combination of a below-average TV show running concurrently with two lackluster sequels pushed "Police Academy" into overexposure and audiences began to stay away. "City Under Siege" seemed to be the last nail in the coffin, a sure sign that the 1980s had come to an end. It was a glorious six years.
Regardless, there was an attempted "Police Academy" resurgence in the 1990s. Perhaps feeling nostalgic, the makers of the series returned in 1994 with a bizarro movie about bootleg Game Boys in Moscow. Ron Perlman is in that one. That was followed by an obscure one-season "Police Academy" sitcom in 1997. That show only centrally featured one of the film's cast members, Michael Winslow. Other stars Leslie Easterbrook, David Graf, Tim Kazurinsky, Art Metrano, George Gaynes, and Colleen Camp returned for guest spots in single episodes.
Where are they now?
Sadly, many of the performers in the "Police Academy" movies are no longer with us. One should pause to celebrate their devotion to this very silly, very dumb series of films that, despite everything, captured the world's attention.
David Graf appeared in all seven "Police Academy" movies as Eugene Tackeberry, a weapons-obsessed survivalist who collected cannons and grenades. He also starred in shows like "Arli$$," "Star Trek" Deep Space Nine," "Star Trek: Voyager," "Martin," and "Becker." Graf died unexpectedly of a heart attack at age 50 in 2001.
Marion Ramsey who played the soft-spoken Cadet Hooks appeared in the first six "Police Academy" films and was always given a moment when she could scream and be tough. Ramsey also appeared in "Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!," "Robot Chicken," and two "Lavalantula" movies, so she clearly had a penchant for the strange. She passed away in 2021 at the age of 74.
Bubba Smith who played the hulking Hightower was better known for his football career playing for the Colts, the Raiders, and the Oilers. He passed away in 2011.
The clueless Commandant Lassard was played gamely by George Gaynes in all seven of the "Police Academy" films, and they served as the midpoint of a long career that began in the 1960s and stretched until his retirement in 1999. He appeared in the Oscar-winning film "Tootsie" among a hundred other credits. He passed away in 2016 at the age of 98.
Art Metrano, who played the blustering "snob" Captain Mauser in "Police Academy" parts 2 and 3 passed away in 2021 at the age of 84.
Football player Tab Thacker played the outsize cop House in "Police Academy" parts 4 and 5. He passed away in 2007 at the young age of 45.