You can’t find a more classic example of a comedy franchise than the Police Academy. The first movie came out all the way back in 1984 and then had six more installments in the next 20 years. The memorable characters, the funny gags, the slapstick humor – the Police Academy has it all. So why don’t we pay a visit to some of the cast members and see how they’re doing these days?
1. Michael Winslow
Michael Winslow played probably the coolest cop character of the 80s – Larvell Jones. He was known for his incredible sound effect skill, which he produced entirely with his mouth, and often used to get out of sticky situations. After the series ended, Winslow continued acting in films and TV shows like Spaceballs and the Love Boat, but he also became known as a voice actor and a stand-up comedian. Michael has lent his unique voice to many video games and movies, and he still performs stand-up comedy to this day.
2. G.W. Bailey
G.W. Bailey played the annoying Lieutenant Harris. His character was often the antagonist to the misfit recruits, and he was known for his gruff demeanor and short temper. After the Police Academy movies, Bailey continued to appear in films and TV shows but also tried his hand at directing. G.W. is perhaps best known for his role as LAPD Detective Lieutenant Louie Provenza in the TV series “The Closer” and its spin-off “Major Crimes.”
3. Kim Cattrall
Kim Cattrall came to the Police Academy not as a rookie actress but as an already famous star of the controversial 80s comedy Porky’s. Her character, Karen, was the love interest of Mahoney, played by Steve Guttenberg. Although Cattrall continued to appear in TV shows and movies, she did not return for any of the sequels. She is quite famous for her role as Samantha Jones in the TV series Sex and the City.
4. Steve Guttenberg
Steve Guttenberg, better known to the fans as Carey Mahoney, starred in the first four Police Academy movies. His character was one of the main recruits and was pretty much the protagonist of the series. After the fourth film, Guttenberg did not have as much success as he did in the 1980s and early 1990s and is perhaps best known for his roles in Cocoon and Three Men and a Baby. In the early 2000s, he wanted to direct and started with an adaptation of James Kirkwood Jr.’s play – P.S. Your Cat Is Dead.
5. George Gaynes
George Gaynes’s character, Commandant Lassard, was the head of the police academy. The old fool was always doing something insanely silly, but in the end, everything would work out. Gaynes retired from acting in the early 2000s. He passed away in 2016 at the age of 98.
6. David Graf
David Graf appeared in all seven Police Academy movies as Eugene Tackleberry. His character had a big hard-on for guns which created some really hilarious situations. Even though his career was quite successful, David Graf sadly passed away from a heart attack in 2001 at 50.
7. Leslie Easterbrook
Leslie Easterbrook played the tough-as-nails cadet Debbie Callahan who’s also the love interest of Tackleberry in four of the seven Police Academy films. After the Academy, Easterbrook got a few roles here and there and became a singer and producer. She is perhaps best known for her various roles in horror movies like Halloween and the Afflicted, but her IMDb page keeps expanding each year.
8. Bubba Smith
The legendary Moses Hightower in the flesh! Smith’s character was known for his ginormous size and inhuman strength, which he often used flip cars and beat up criminals. After the last sequel, Smith became a spokesperson for Miller Lite beer while continuing to act in different projects. Bubba Smith passed away in 2011 at the age of 66 from overdosing on weight-loss medication.
9. Marion Ramsey
Marion Ramsey played the role of Laverne Hooks, a squeaky-voiced cadet with some seriously deep-seated anger issues. With a powerful and unique voice like that, it’s no surprise that Ramsey got numerous VA gigs in the 90s and 00s, including the animated Adams Family series and Robot Chicken. Her last role was in the 2018’s musical When I Sing. She passed away three years later, in 2021, at the age of 73.
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