Police Academy (TV series)

Police Academy (also known as Police Academy: The Animated Series) is a 1989 American animated television series based on the Police Academy series of films. The show was produced by Ruby-Spears Enterprises for Warner Bros. Television. It aired weekdays and lasted two seasons for a total of 65 episodes.

Some episodes feature a crime boss named Kingpin. His keen intelligence, girth, and stature are very similar to the Marvel Comics character of the same name. Other new characters were added to the show as well. Among them were a group of talking police dogs called the Canine Corps. They were made up of Samson (the bulldog leader), Lobo (the noble yet clumsy husky), Bonehead (the dimwitted giant St. Bernard), Chilipepper (the excitable chihuahua), and Schitzy (the only female golden retriever with an identity crisis). The theme song is performed by the Fat Boys who also make an appearance in two episodes as House's Friends: Big Boss, Cool and Mark. Robert Folk's theme for the movies is used, uncredited, over the closing credits.

Synopsis
The animated series takes place chronologically between the fourth and fifth films.

Thirteen characters are re-created for this animated version, including a team of Academy graduates led by Carey Mahoney, a likeable rogue bachelor boy, who unconsciously—and consistently—does his best to make life miserable for Captain Harris and his knucklehead assistant Sgt. Proctor.

Mahoney's friends include the aptly named Moses Hightower, sound effects master Larvell Jones, trigger-happy Eugene Tackleberry, sweet and timid Laverne Hooks, hardened Debbie Callahan, colossal House, and the duo of reformed gang member Zed McGlunk and his best buddy, Carl Sweetchuck.

Eric Lassard is the highly respected (albeit dreamy) Commandant, and Academy newcomer The Professor is also on hand, and also the cadets new friends, the K-9 Corps, a group of police dogs, and stocking the crime-fighting heroes with an endless supply of wacky gadgets as they combat a motley crew of Kingpin and other recurring villains such as Numbskull, The Claw, Mr. Sleaze, Lockjaw, and Amazona.

Characters
 Carey Mahoney – The most clever among the cadets. Mahoney is always ready to lend a hand to his companions. He is the patrol partner of Larvell Jones.
 Larvell Jones – Mahoney's usual sidekick. He is a martial arts master, but his main talent is beatboxing – he is able to imitate all manner of noises, including sirens, gunfire, helicopters, and so forth.
 Carl Sweetchuck – Sweetchuck is the most cowardly of the group. He is very accident prone and oblivious to the harm caused by his clumsiness. His patrol partner is Zed.
 Zed McGlunk – Zed is the messy and unkempt member of the group. Zed usually drags his partner along in his wily and erratic pursuits.
 Moses Hightower – Hightower is known for his great size and physical strength. His stature often comes into play when the characters find themselves in situations in which bars must be bent or walls need to smashed through. He is patrol partner with Laverne Hooks.
 Laverne Hooks – Hooks is small, soft-spoken, and passive. However, she has shown herself capable of being extremely forceful and loud in situations in which she is provoked.
 Thomas "House" Conklin – "House" is known for his large frame and his congenial nature. He is always hungry and proves himself to be cowardly. He patrols with Sweetchuck and Zed and often accompanies them in their escapades.
 Eugene Tackleberry – Characterized by a pronounced jaw and almost always wears glasses and helmet, is a weapons fanatic. He has a weakness for his fellow patrol Callahan. He often uses the armored car of the police which he usually wrecks. He is fond of using a bazooka.
 Debbie Callahan – Is the statuesque beauty of the group who is extremely resilient and has a beautiful singing voice.
 Capt. Thaddeus Harris – Always carries a walking stick and is almost always in the company of his sidekick Proctor. He often tries to humiliate the officers in order to gain a promotion, but fails miserably.
 Sgt. Carl Proctor – Is Capt. Harris' dim witted lieutenant.
 Capt. Ernie Mauser - Is a captain and head of the K-9 corps. He became good friends with Mahoney and his gang. He acts similar to Hurst when facing up to Harris' shenanigans.
 Com. Eric Lassard – The easygoing and idealistic commandant.
 Professor – He is the inventor of numerous devices.
 K-9 corps – They are trained dogs. They can talk, but only to themselves and other animals.

Other characters

Villains (criminals)
 Kingpin – He is the largest of all the bandits of various episodes of the series, and together makes a great ceremony to the Council of Crime.  He is a parody of Marvel Comic's Kingpin.  He is drawn as overweight, bald and always wearing a white suit.
 Weasel and Wooley - Kingpin's henchman.
 Numbskull - a not-too-bright criminal who uses a trick helmet to bash through the walls of his robbery targets.
 Mr. Sleaze
 Claw
 Phoenix Amazona a roller derby star turned thief.  She is a childhood friend of Callahan's.
 Lockjaw
 The Clown Gang
 The Phantom
 The London Bridge Gang
 The Phantom of the Opera
 George and Lenny
 Seedy McLeech
 Mr. Crameneil
 The Highway Robbers (Auntie Bertha and Cousins Ed and Ned)
 Madame Zelda and the Land Pirates
 Krantz
 The Magnificent Mystopholes
 Dr. Kamaleon
 Mr. Bimmelman
 Flung Hi
 The Hang Ten Gang
 Mr. Glitch and Cratchit
 Waxen Wayne
 Barracuda and his Diamond Gang
 Muggsy
 King Neptune
 Ace, Queen of Hearths and Chester
 Dr. Mackle, Miss Bomb and Marsupialman
 Falcon
 Big Sal
 Fox
 Mr. Watkips and Watso
 Lady Tina and Smalto
 Skull Ned and the Rock Gang
 Sheikh and the Guards
 The Incredible Shandar - a magician who uses reflective material to make his targets seem to disappear.
 Maxine
 Krutz and his gang
 The Mexican Gang
 Slik and his gang
 Pop Corn and Family
 Bad Knight and his Throttle Gang
 The Twin Humongo
 Professor Pilpers/Bates
 Jaguar
 Mr. Shee, Pork, Squitty and Fufy the crocodile
 Big Burger
 Mr. Ego and Charles
 Prof. Pherril and Pack
 Dr. Deadstone
 The Hillbilly Sheriff and Jack
 Noxo
 The Junkman John Lurid and Freker
 Mob Balsom
 Old Clyde Barrow, Bonnie and Butch
 Lidya and Pongo
 Schubert Von Schuters
 Robin Good  A parody of Robin Hood, who claims to give his stolen goods to the poor, but in fact he just keeps it.
 Tex and Mulgrew

Voice cast

Main

 Ron Rubin as Carey Mahoney
 Dan Hennessey as Zed McGlunk, Eugene "Tack" Tackleberry 
 Howard Morris as Carl Sweetchuck, Professor
 Greg Morton as Larvell Jones, Moses Hightower
 Len Carlson as Capt. Thaddeus Harris
 Don Francks as Thomas "House" Conklin, Sgt. Carl Proctor
 Denise Pidgeon as Debbie Callahan, Laverne Hooks
 Tedd Dillon as Com. Eric Lassard

Additional

 R. Nelson Brown as Elwin Bixby -
 Dorian Joe Clark -
 Anthony Correa
 Gary Crawford -
 Catherine Gallant -
 Charles W. Gray -
 Rex Hagon as Mauser
 Elizabeth Hanna -
 Suzette Myers as Anchor
 Greg Swanson -
 Frank Welker -
 Noam Zylberman - Bobby, Bill

Crew
 Howard Morris - Voice Director

Broadcasting history
  United States
 First-run syndication

International broadcasts

In other languages
 Italian: Scuola di polizia (Police School)
 Spanish: Loca academia de policía/locademia de policía (Crazy Police Academy)
 Hungarian: Rendőrakadémia (Police College)
 Lithuanian: Policijos akademija (Police Academy)
 Arabic: أكاديمية الشرطة (Police Academy)

Other media

Home video releases

VHS
Police Academy was released through chronological volumes on VHS. At least 6 volumes were released, each including two episodes:

1° The Good, the Bad, and the Bogus + Cops and Robots
2° The Phantom of the Precinct + My Mummy Lies Over the Ocean
3° Worth Her Weight Gold + Westward Ho Hooks
4° Numbskull's Revenge + Mr. Sleaze Versus Lockjaw
5° Proctor, Call a Doctor! + Puttin' on the Dogs
6° Little Zed & Big Bertha + Lights, Action, Coppers

DVD
On December 11, 2012, Warner Archive released Police Academy: The Animated Series - Volume 1 with 30 episodes on DVD in region 1. This is a Manufacture-on-Demand (MOD) release, available exclusively through Warner's online store and Amazon.com.

Action figures
Kenner produced a line of Police Academy action figures based on the animated series. Each features multiple points of articulation and comical accessories. Two accessories, included with Claw and Eugene Tackleberry, would be reused for the Joker figures in Kenner's Dark Knight Collection. Five of the vehicles and playsets planned were left unproduced; however, the Copper Corner playset would later be released through the Argentinian company Josca.

Series 1 (1988)
 Carey Mahoney and Samson Dog
 Claw with Mouser Cat
 Eugene Tackleberry with Armed Flak Vest
 Larvell Jones and Bullhorn
 Moses Hightower and Meter Reader Scooter
 Mr. Sleaze with Fodo Dog
 Numbskull with Smashing Helmets
 Zed and Police Skateboard

Series 2 (1988)
 Captain Harris (mail-away)
 S.W.A.T. Eugene Tackleberry with Fistzooka
 Flung Hi with Crazy Karate Gear
 Kingpin with Thief-Trap Safe
 Karate Larvell Jones

Special Assignment Rookies (1989)
 Undercover Carey Mahoney
 Snack Attack House with Hoagie Blaster
 Stakeout Sweetchuck (mail-away)
 Sky Glidin' Zed with Hang Glider

Vehicles and playsets (1988)
 Crazy Cruiser
 Crash Cycle
 Precinct Police Station
 Copper Corner (released through Josco)

Comic books
Based on the cartoon series, Marvel comics released a short-lived comic book series under its "Star Comics" imprint.

Outsourced production work
 Hanna-Barbera
 Toei Animation

References

External links
 STA: Police Academy (Kenner)
 
 

Category:1988 American television series debuts
Category:1989 American television series endings
Category:Police Academy (franchise)
Category:1980s American animated television series
Category:Animated television programs based on films
Category:Television series by Ruby-Spears
Category:Television series by Warner Bros. Television
Category:First-run syndicated television programs in the United States
Category:American animated television programs featuring anthropomorphic characters
Category:Action figures
Category:1980s toys
Category:English-language television programs
Category:TV Asahi shows
Category:Animation based on real people
Category:American children's animated comedy television series