Everything about The Naked Gun Film Series totally explained
The Naked Gun series is a series of three comedy films from 1988 to 1994, written and produced by the
comedy filmmaking trio
Zucker, Abrahams and Zucker and distributed by
Paramount Pictures. It was based on their short-lived
1982 ABC television series
Police Squad!, which was cancelled after only six episodes. The first two films were directed by David Zucker, and the third film was directed by
Peter Segal.
The films
- (1988)
- (1991)
- (1994)
Plots
The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!
Detective Frank Drebin tries to uncover a plan to assassinate
Queen Elizabeth II, who is on a state visit to the USA. The main suspect is Vincent Ludwig a man (hired by Papshmir, a recurring villain) who has a way of turning anyone into an unknowing assassin at the press a remote control; it appears that the victims are responding to a post-hypnotic suggestion, but the film makes no effort to clarify the point. As with previous ZAZ spoof comedies, the ostensible "plot" was culled most from another serious movie. In this case, it was
Telefon wherein people were triggered into assassins via hypnotic phone calls.
As he works on the case, Drebin meets and falls in love with Ludwig's assistant Jane Spencer. It is eventually revealed that Jane knows nothing about Ludwig's plot, and after the pair spend the night together, she helps Frank with his investigation.
The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear
Frank discovers that his ex's, (Jane's), new boyfriend, Quentin Hapsburg, is involved in an evil plan to kidnap Dr. Albert S. Meinheimer (portrayed by
Richard Griffiths), a scientist whom President
George Bush (portrayed by John Roarke) has chosen to start a new national energy policy. Quentin Hapsburg plans to kidnap the real Dr. Meinheimer and replace him with a look-a-like, named Earl Hacker (also portrayed by
Richard Griffiths) who will endorse an energy policy according to the dictates of the energy lobby.
Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult
In the third film of the saga Frank is married to Jane, and he's retired from Police Squad. The film introduces the criminal Rocco Dillon, who is stuck in prison. He's contacted by Papshmir to be given a target for a bombing.
Frank is pulled out of retirement, and has to go undercover pretending to be a prisoner named "Nick 'The Slasher' McGuirk" at the jail where Rocco Dillon is being held, and they break out of jail. When outside they're escorted by Dillon's gangster mother to his country retreat. At his hideout Frank is told of the plot to blow up the
Academy Awards. While Jane arrives looking for him, she's taken hostage.
Box office
This first film grossed around $78,756,177
The second film grossed around $86,930,411
The third film grossed around $51,132,598
Cast and characters
Main characters
Leslie Nielsen as Sergeant Frank Drebin, a Dutch-Irish Detective Lieutenant Police Squad. He's the main character of all three films and the former tv series Police Squad!. In the first two movies he and Jane have a relationship, in the third film they're married, and Frank is retired from the force. He is known for being a bumbling fool, causing lots of problems and trouble for those around them, but being entirely oblivious to it all. He, Ted Olsen and Al (who only appeared in the first film) are the only characters who appeared in both Police Squad! and The Naked Gun Films and were portrayed by the same actor. Archive footage of Frank Drebin was used in various other films, documentaries and tv series.
Priscilla Presley as Jane Spencer (Jane Drebin in the third film). In the first film she's Vincent Ludwig's assistant, but knows nothing about his world domination plans. After she spends the night together with Frank, she helps him with his investigation. She returned in the second film, revealing that her relationship with Frank is over. She has a new boyfriend, Quentin Hapsburg. This is the second time she falls for a man with evil plans. She and Frank make up during the end of the second film. In the third film (in which she's married to Frank, who is retired from the force) she reveals to be a lawyer.
O. J. Simpson as Officer Nordberg, one of Frank's colleagues. He and Frank are partners for about five years, and he's Frank's best friend as stated in the first film. Nordberg always gets himself in very painful situations in all of the films. Officer Norberg (without the d) from Police Squad! seems to be the same character according to the Internet Movie Database. Norberg was portrayed by Peter Lupus.
George Kennedy as Captain Ed Hocken Frank's boss. Ed stimulates Frank to talk to Jane in the second movie. Just like Frank and Nordberg, he knows a lot about boxing. He's responsible for Quentin Hapsburg's accidental death (although the real cause of his death is that he was eaten by a lion). It's revealed in the first film that he's married to a woman named Ethel. In the TV series Police Squad he was portrayed by Alan North.
Ed Williams as Ted Olsen a scientist who works at the lab. In Police Squad! Ted was always giving a highly suspect or dangerous lesson to a kid, in a parody of Watch Mr. Wizard, when Frank interrupts him. This joke wasn't recycled for the films. Ted does create a couple of new inventions, which include: the Swiss-army shoe, the anti-graffiti wall and the cufflink dart. It's revealed in the second film that his wife is a transsexual satan-worshipper. He, Frank Drebin and Al (who only appeared in the first film) are the only characters who appeared in both Police Squad! and The Naken Gun Films and were portrayed by the same actor || David Zucker || || David Zucker directed the first two films
|-
|Driving Instructor || John Houseman || || Final appearanceRecurring cameos
| Character |
Portrayer |
Other notes |
| Papshmir |
Raye Birk |
Was the only actor to play the same villain twice in the saga, appearing as "Papshmir" in the first and last movies. |
| Himself |
"Weird Al" Yankovic |
Has appeared in all three films--as himself in the first and last, and cameoing as a holdup man in the second. |
Further Information
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