Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment
Encyclopedia
Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment is a 1985 comedy film
directed by Jerry Paris
. It is the first of six sequel
s in the Police Academy series.
Many actors return from the first film to respectively reprise their roles. Steve Guttenberg
reprises his role as Mahoney, the class clown; former American football
player Bubba Smith
returns as the high-towering Hightower; Marion Ramsey
is featured again as Laverne Hooks; David Graf
returns as gun-crazy Officer Eugene Tackleberry; Michael Winslow
returns as sound effects wizard Officer Larvell Jones, and veteran actor George Gaynes
returns as Commandant Eric Lassard.
New faces in Police Academy 2 include Howard Hesseman
as Captain Pete Lassard (the brother of police academy commandant Eric Lassard
), Bobcat Goldthwait
as Zed, the leader of "The Scullions", an obnoxious gang, Art Metrano
as Lt. Mauser, Peter Van Norden as slobbish police dog
sergeant Vinnie, as well as Julie Brown
. In the film, the Police Academy cadets have graduated and are assigned to the worst precinct in town, where they have to help Captain Pete Lassard fight Zed's gang.
) (he steals $8 from Mr. Sweetchuck), Chief Henry Hurst (George R. Robertson
) arrives at the 16th precinct and notifies its captain, Pete Lassard (Howard Hesseman
) that the precinct is the worst in the city. Nevertheless, Hurst gives him 30 days or else Lassard is out. Before he leaves, Mauser (Art Metrano
) schemes his way into talking to Hurst. Hurst promises him the rank of captain should Lassard fail. Pete calls his brother Eric (George Gaynes
) and asks him for six new recruits, as was promised by Hurst. Throughout the movie, Mauser is seen scheming with his dim-witted partner Sgt. Proctor (Lance Kinsey
) as he attempts to take control of the precinct.
Carey Mahoney (Steve Guttenberg
), Larvell Jones (Michael Winslow
), Eugene Tackleberry (David Graf
), Moses Hightower (Bubba Smith
), Laverne Hooks (Marion Ramsey
), and Douglas Fackler (Bruce Mahler
) join the 16th precinct, and some are assigned a veteran officer partner since they are rookies: Fackler has Dooley (Ed Herlihy
), Mahoney has Vinnie Schtulman (Peter van Norden), and Tackleberry has Sgt. Kathleen Kirkland (Colleen Camp
). At first, Tackleberry disapproves that his partner, Kirkland, carries stigmatized faults because of the fact she's a woman, but they later hit it off when they compare their preference of gun choices. Tackleberry later confides to Mahoney that he may have fallen in love with her.
Mahoney and Schtulman spot a robbery at a merchant's place ("Schewchuk's Lighting" a chandelier store owned by Mr. Sweetchuck - Tim Kazurinsky
), but the robbers escape through a back door before Mahoney and Schtulman even enter the shop. Eventually Fackler, Tackleberry and Kirkland arrived, each one contributing in his own characteristic way to the destruction of the store.
Mauser is ready to suspend them, but Mahoney makes a passionate plea that convinces Lassard to give them another chance. While all this is going on, Zed and his gang go shopping in a supermarket. They cause havoc as they go, leaving the store with wagon-loads without paying and Mr. Sweetchuck is already at hand in the supermarket to be further tormented this time by Zed & co.
Mauser gives Mahoney a new assignment; patrolling a tunnel, covering him and his partner with soot in the process. He gets revenge on Mauser by switching his shampoo with Tackleberry's epoxy resin solution, which glues his hands to his hair. He ends up embarrassing himself in front of the station, and has to wear a wig through the remainder of the film. On his morning drive to the station the next day, Pete Lassard spots some of Zed's men and tries to deal with them, but is eventually over-powered and spray-painted. After his rousing speech to finish what they started, the whole gang is riled up. Progress is made and most of the gang is captured (leading to 42 arrests), but Mauser informs the captain that most of the charges were dropped. Mahoney sees that Mauser did this deliberately on purpose, so as revenge has a full body cavity search
done on him (the search was supposed to go to one of the arrested gangmembers).
Tackleberry goes on a date with Kirkland, where they stay out late dancing. They profess their love for each other and have sex (but removing their concealed weapons first before clothes). Pete goes to see his brother Eric at a Japanese steakhouse, and Eric comes out with an idea to hold a fair. At the night of the fair though, Zed's men trash the place. Lassard is out of a job the next day, while Mauser is promoted Captain. His first act is to remove Mahoney and Schtulman, who is quick to object to Mahoney's dismissal.
Mahoney, Schtulman, and Lassard get together in an last-ditch attempt to stop the gang. They send in Mahoney undercover to find the leader of the gang. (Everybody at this point does not know Zed's name or that he is the gang leader.) Lassard and Schtulman wire him, using duct tape and a radio microphone. Under the guise of "Jughead," he is able to infiltrate the gang and find out both their hiding spot and the name of their leader. His cover is blown however due to the radio microphone cutting into a baseball game, which leads to Lassard calling every man to the location. Mauser intervenes, but takes Fackler through the air duct. However, Fackler accidentally bumps him and pushes him inside. The police arrive and arrest every gangmember there. Zed escapes with Mahoney, but Lassard arrives and prepares to shoot Zed with a loaded pistol. Mahoney punches him down a flight of stairs, while Hooks arrests him. It is then revealed that Lassard's gun wasn't loaded, as he "never carried live ammo since '73".
The film ends with the officers attending Tackleberry and Kirkland's wedding. They drive off the Police Academy lot in the monster truck BIGFOOT #3.
, Rocky IV
, and Rambo: First Blood Part II
. In the US rentals alone it grossed $27,200,000 after its release on VHS
.
The film was also successful in Europe, it took in SEK
18,063,063 in Sweden
alone which amounts to $2,693,005.
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
directed by Jerry Paris
Jerry Paris
Jerry Paris was an American actor and director best known for playing Jerry Helper, the dentist and next door neighbor of Rob and Laura Petrie, on The Dick Van Dyke Show.-Life and career:...
. It is the first of six sequel
Sequel
A sequel is a narrative, documental, or other work of literature, film, theatre, or music that continues the story of or expands upon issues presented in some previous work...
s in the Police Academy series.
Many actors return from the first film to respectively reprise their roles. Steve Guttenberg
Steve Guttenberg
Steven Robert "Steve" Guttenberg is an American actor and comedian. He became well known during the 1980s, after a series of starring roles in major Hollywood films, including Cocoon, Three Men and a Baby, Police Academy, and Short Circuit.-Early life:Guttenberg was born in Brooklyn, New York, the...
reprises his role as Mahoney, the class clown; former American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player Bubba Smith
Bubba Smith
Charles Aaron "Bubba" Smith was an American professional football player who became an actor after his retirement from the sport. He first came into prominence at Michigan State University, where he twice earned All-American honors as a defensive end on the Spartans football team...
returns as the high-towering Hightower; Marion Ramsey
Marion Ramsey
Marion Ramsey in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is an American actress. She was a regular on the series Cos but is best known for her role as the timid Officer Laverne Hooks in the Police Academy movies...
is featured again as Laverne Hooks; David Graf
David Graf
Paul David Graf was an American actor, best known for his role as Sgt. Eugene Tackleberry in the Police Academy series of films...
returns as gun-crazy Officer Eugene Tackleberry; Michael Winslow
Michael Winslow
Michael Winslow is an American actor and a comedian billed as the "Man of 10,000 Sound Effects" for his ability to make realistic sound effects using only his voice.-Early life:...
returns as sound effects wizard Officer Larvell Jones, and veteran actor George Gaynes
George Gaynes
George Gaynes is a Finnish-born American actor of stage, screen and television.He may be best known as Commandant Eric Lassard in the Police Academy series, and to television fans as the curmudgeonly Henry Warnimont on the NBC series Punky Brewster, in which his wife, Allyn Ann McLerie,...
returns as Commandant Eric Lassard.
New faces in Police Academy 2 include Howard Hesseman
Howard Hesseman
Howard Hesseman is an American actor best known for playing disc jockey Johnny Fever on WKRP in Cincinnati and schoolteacher Charlie Moore on Head of the Class.-Early life:...
as Captain Pete Lassard (the brother of police academy commandant Eric Lassard
Eric Lassard
Commandant Eric Lassard is a fictional character in the 1984 film Police Academy, as well as its six sequels. He is portrayed by actor George Gaynes....
), Bobcat Goldthwait
Bobcat Goldthwait
Robert Francis "Bobcat" Goldthwait is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, and film and television director. He is commonly known for his energetic, ravenous stage personality, his dark, acerbic black comedy, and his gruff but high-pitched voice.- Early life :Goldthwait was born in Syracuse,...
as Zed, the leader of "The Scullions", an obnoxious gang, Art Metrano
Art Metrano
Arthur "Art" Metrano is an American actor and comedian, born in Brooklyn, New York City. Metrano may be best known for his role as Lt./Capt./Cmdt. Mauser in Police Academy 2 and Police Academy 3....
as Lt. Mauser, Peter Van Norden as slobbish police dog
Police dog
A police dog, often referred to as a "K-9 dog" in some areas , is a dog that is trained specifically to assist police and other law-enforcement personnel in their work...
sergeant Vinnie, as well as Julie Brown
Julie Brown
Julie Ann Brown is an American actress, comedienne, screen/television writer, singer-songwriter, television director. Brown is perhaps best known for her work in the 1980s, where she often played a quintessential valley girl character...
. In the film, the Police Academy cadets have graduated and are assigned to the worst precinct in town, where they have to help Captain Pete Lassard fight Zed's gang.
Plot
After a random attack the night before by a local gang known as "The Scullions" and their infantile leader Zed McGlunk(Bobcat GoldthwaitBobcat Goldthwait
Robert Francis "Bobcat" Goldthwait is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, and film and television director. He is commonly known for his energetic, ravenous stage personality, his dark, acerbic black comedy, and his gruff but high-pitched voice.- Early life :Goldthwait was born in Syracuse,...
) (he steals $8 from Mr. Sweetchuck), Chief Henry Hurst (George R. Robertson
George R. Robertson
George R. Robertson is and American actor, most famous for his roles in the first 6 of 7 Police Academy movies and the film JFK. He also guest-starred on an episode of The Twilight Zone .-Career:...
) arrives at the 16th precinct and notifies its captain, Pete Lassard (Howard Hesseman
Howard Hesseman
Howard Hesseman is an American actor best known for playing disc jockey Johnny Fever on WKRP in Cincinnati and schoolteacher Charlie Moore on Head of the Class.-Early life:...
) that the precinct is the worst in the city. Nevertheless, Hurst gives him 30 days or else Lassard is out. Before he leaves, Mauser (Art Metrano
Art Metrano
Arthur "Art" Metrano is an American actor and comedian, born in Brooklyn, New York City. Metrano may be best known for his role as Lt./Capt./Cmdt. Mauser in Police Academy 2 and Police Academy 3....
) schemes his way into talking to Hurst. Hurst promises him the rank of captain should Lassard fail. Pete calls his brother Eric (George Gaynes
George Gaynes
George Gaynes is a Finnish-born American actor of stage, screen and television.He may be best known as Commandant Eric Lassard in the Police Academy series, and to television fans as the curmudgeonly Henry Warnimont on the NBC series Punky Brewster, in which his wife, Allyn Ann McLerie,...
) and asks him for six new recruits, as was promised by Hurst. Throughout the movie, Mauser is seen scheming with his dim-witted partner Sgt. Proctor (Lance Kinsey
Lance Kinsey
Lance Kinsey is a Canadian actor and screenwriter, best known for his role as Lt. Proctor in several of the Police Academy film series. He also played the male lead in Club Fed.-External links:...
) as he attempts to take control of the precinct.
Carey Mahoney (Steve Guttenberg
Steve Guttenberg
Steven Robert "Steve" Guttenberg is an American actor and comedian. He became well known during the 1980s, after a series of starring roles in major Hollywood films, including Cocoon, Three Men and a Baby, Police Academy, and Short Circuit.-Early life:Guttenberg was born in Brooklyn, New York, the...
), Larvell Jones (Michael Winslow
Michael Winslow
Michael Winslow is an American actor and a comedian billed as the "Man of 10,000 Sound Effects" for his ability to make realistic sound effects using only his voice.-Early life:...
), Eugene Tackleberry (David Graf
David Graf
Paul David Graf was an American actor, best known for his role as Sgt. Eugene Tackleberry in the Police Academy series of films...
), Moses Hightower (Bubba Smith
Bubba Smith
Charles Aaron "Bubba" Smith was an American professional football player who became an actor after his retirement from the sport. He first came into prominence at Michigan State University, where he twice earned All-American honors as a defensive end on the Spartans football team...
), Laverne Hooks (Marion Ramsey
Marion Ramsey
Marion Ramsey in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is an American actress. She was a regular on the series Cos but is best known for her role as the timid Officer Laverne Hooks in the Police Academy movies...
), and Douglas Fackler (Bruce Mahler
Bruce Mahler
Bruce Mahler is an American actor, producer, and writer. He is known for his role as Sgt. Fackler on the comedy films Police Academy, and as Rabbi Kirschbaum on the sitcom Seinfeld....
) join the 16th precinct, and some are assigned a veteran officer partner since they are rookies: Fackler has Dooley (Ed Herlihy
Ed Herlihy
Edward Joseph "Ed" Herlihy was an American newsreel narrator for Universal-International. His voice was heard in countless films on every subject, making him one of the best-known voices in broadcast history...
), Mahoney has Vinnie Schtulman (Peter van Norden), and Tackleberry has Sgt. Kathleen Kirkland (Colleen Camp
Colleen Camp
Colleen Celeste Camp is an American actress and film producer, known for her performances in two installments of the Police Academy series and as Yvette the Maid in the 1985 black comedy Clue. She was also the first actress to play Kristin Shepard in U.S. prime time soap opera Dallas in 1979.Camp...
). At first, Tackleberry disapproves that his partner, Kirkland, carries stigmatized faults because of the fact she's a woman, but they later hit it off when they compare their preference of gun choices. Tackleberry later confides to Mahoney that he may have fallen in love with her.
Mahoney and Schtulman spot a robbery at a merchant's place ("Schewchuk's Lighting" a chandelier store owned by Mr. Sweetchuck - Tim Kazurinsky
Tim Kazurinsky
Timothy J. Kazurinsky is an American actor, comedian and writer best known as a cast member on Saturday Night Live and for his role as Carl Sweetchuck in the Police Academy films...
), but the robbers escape through a back door before Mahoney and Schtulman even enter the shop. Eventually Fackler, Tackleberry and Kirkland arrived, each one contributing in his own characteristic way to the destruction of the store.
Mauser is ready to suspend them, but Mahoney makes a passionate plea that convinces Lassard to give them another chance. While all this is going on, Zed and his gang go shopping in a supermarket. They cause havoc as they go, leaving the store with wagon-loads without paying and Mr. Sweetchuck is already at hand in the supermarket to be further tormented this time by Zed & co.
Mauser gives Mahoney a new assignment; patrolling a tunnel, covering him and his partner with soot in the process. He gets revenge on Mauser by switching his shampoo with Tackleberry's epoxy resin solution, which glues his hands to his hair. He ends up embarrassing himself in front of the station, and has to wear a wig through the remainder of the film. On his morning drive to the station the next day, Pete Lassard spots some of Zed's men and tries to deal with them, but is eventually over-powered and spray-painted. After his rousing speech to finish what they started, the whole gang is riled up. Progress is made and most of the gang is captured (leading to 42 arrests), but Mauser informs the captain that most of the charges were dropped. Mahoney sees that Mauser did this deliberately on purpose, so as revenge has a full body cavity search
Body cavity search
A body cavity search is either a visual search or a manual internal inspection of body cavities such as for prohibited material , such as illegal drugs, money, jewelry, or weapons...
done on him (the search was supposed to go to one of the arrested gangmembers).
Tackleberry goes on a date with Kirkland, where they stay out late dancing. They profess their love for each other and have sex (but removing their concealed weapons first before clothes). Pete goes to see his brother Eric at a Japanese steakhouse, and Eric comes out with an idea to hold a fair. At the night of the fair though, Zed's men trash the place. Lassard is out of a job the next day, while Mauser is promoted Captain. His first act is to remove Mahoney and Schtulman, who is quick to object to Mahoney's dismissal.
Mahoney, Schtulman, and Lassard get together in an last-ditch attempt to stop the gang. They send in Mahoney undercover to find the leader of the gang. (Everybody at this point does not know Zed's name or that he is the gang leader.) Lassard and Schtulman wire him, using duct tape and a radio microphone. Under the guise of "Jughead," he is able to infiltrate the gang and find out both their hiding spot and the name of their leader. His cover is blown however due to the radio microphone cutting into a baseball game, which leads to Lassard calling every man to the location. Mauser intervenes, but takes Fackler through the air duct. However, Fackler accidentally bumps him and pushes him inside. The police arrive and arrest every gangmember there. Zed escapes with Mahoney, but Lassard arrives and prepares to shoot Zed with a loaded pistol. Mahoney punches him down a flight of stairs, while Hooks arrests him. It is then revealed that Lassard's gun wasn't loaded, as he "never carried live ammo since '73".
The film ends with the officers attending Tackleberry and Kirkland's wedding. They drive off the Police Academy lot in the monster truck BIGFOOT #3.
The Six New 16th Precinct Officers
- Steve GuttenbergSteve GuttenbergSteven Robert "Steve" Guttenberg is an American actor and comedian. He became well known during the 1980s, after a series of starring roles in major Hollywood films, including Cocoon, Three Men and a Baby, Police Academy, and Short Circuit.-Early life:Guttenberg was born in Brooklyn, New York, the...
as Officer Carey Mahoney - Bubba SmithBubba SmithCharles Aaron "Bubba" Smith was an American professional football player who became an actor after his retirement from the sport. He first came into prominence at Michigan State University, where he twice earned All-American honors as a defensive end on the Spartans football team...
as Officer Moses Hightower - David GrafDavid GrafPaul David Graf was an American actor, best known for his role as Sgt. Eugene Tackleberry in the Police Academy series of films...
as Officer Eugene Tackleberry - Michael WinslowMichael WinslowMichael Winslow is an American actor and a comedian billed as the "Man of 10,000 Sound Effects" for his ability to make realistic sound effects using only his voice.-Early life:...
as Officer Larvell Jones - Bruce MahlerBruce MahlerBruce Mahler is an American actor, producer, and writer. He is known for his role as Sgt. Fackler on the comedy films Police Academy, and as Rabbi Kirschbaum on the sitcom Seinfeld....
as Officer Douglas Fackler - Marion RamseyMarion RamseyMarion Ramsey in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is an American actress. She was a regular on the series Cos but is best known for her role as the timid Officer Laverne Hooks in the Police Academy movies...
as Officer Laverne Hooks
The Rest Of The 16th Precinct
- Colleen CampColleen CampColleen Celeste Camp is an American actress and film producer, known for her performances in two installments of the Police Academy series and as Yvette the Maid in the 1985 black comedy Clue. She was also the first actress to play Kristin Shepard in U.S. prime time soap opera Dallas in 1979.Camp...
as Sgt. Kathleen Kirkland - Howard HessemanHoward HessemanHoward Hesseman is an American actor best known for playing disc jockey Johnny Fever on WKRP in Cincinnati and schoolteacher Charlie Moore on Head of the Class.-Early life:...
as Capt. Peter 'Pete' Lassard - Peter Van Norden as Officer Vinnie Schtulman
- Lance KinseyLance KinseyLance Kinsey is a Canadian actor and screenwriter, best known for his role as Lt. Proctor in several of the Police Academy film series. He also played the male lead in Club Fed.-External links:...
as Sgt. Proctor - Art MetranoArt MetranoArthur "Art" Metrano is an American actor and comedian, born in Brooklyn, New York City. Metrano may be best known for his role as Lt./Capt./Cmdt. Mauser in Police Academy 2 and Police Academy 3....
as LT/Capt. Mauser
Other
- George GaynesGeorge GaynesGeorge Gaynes is a Finnish-born American actor of stage, screen and television.He may be best known as Commandant Eric Lassard in the Police Academy series, and to television fans as the curmudgeonly Henry Warnimont on the NBC series Punky Brewster, in which his wife, Allyn Ann McLerie,...
as Cmdt. Eric Lassard - George RobertsonGeorge RobertsonGeorge Robertson may refer to:*George Robertson, Baron Robertson of Port Ellen , UK Defence Secretary, NATO Secretary-General*George Croom Robertson , Scottish philosopher*George R. Robertson , American actor*George S...
as Chief Henry J. Hurst - Tim KazurinskyTim KazurinskyTimothy J. Kazurinsky is an American actor, comedian and writer best known as a cast member on Saturday Night Live and for his role as Carl Sweetchuck in the Police Academy films...
as Carl Sweetchuck - Rich HallRich HallRichard "Rich" Hall is an American comedian, writer and musician.-Early life and career:Hall was born in Alexandria, Virginia and grew up in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. He is part Cherokee Indian...
as Street Punk
Box office
The film was the 10th highest grossing film in the US in 1985 with a total of $61,600,000 over 1,613 theaters. There was high competition in 1985 in US theatres from films such as Back to the FutureBack to the Future
Back to the Future is a 1985 American science-fiction adventure film. It was directed by Robert Zemeckis, written by Zemeckis and Bob Gale, produced by Steven Spielberg, and starred Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Crispin Glover and Thomas F. Wilson. The film tells the story of...
, Rocky IV
Rocky IV
Rocky IV is a 1985 American film written by, directed by, and starring Sylvester Stallone. It is the fourth and most financially successful entry in the Rocky franchise...
, and Rambo: First Blood Part II
Rambo: First Blood Part II
Rambo: First Blood Part II is a 1985 action film. A sequel to 1982's First Blood, it is the second installment in the Rambo series starring Sylvester Stallone, who reprises his role as Vietnam veteran John Rambo...
. In the US rentals alone it grossed $27,200,000 after its release on VHS
VHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
.
The film was also successful in Europe, it took in SEK
Swedish krona
The krona has been the currency of Sweden since 1873. Both the ISO code "SEK" and currency sign "kr" are in common use; the former precedes or follows the value, the latter usually follows it, but especially in the past, it sometimes preceded the value...
18,063,063 in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
alone which amounts to $2,693,005.