Remember the days when Jones would make people wonder just where the hell those noises were coming from, or when Hightower could just throw people around? Perhaps you were a Tackleberry or Mahoney fan, or maybe like a lot of others you liked Zedd, or the mouse-voiced Hooks, or even the vindictive Captain Harris. Whoever you liked they were all an integral part of the Police Academy movies and it’s interesting to find out just what happened to them once the final reel was run. While a few of them still act and showcase their skills now and again, some have decided to hang it up and let the next generation take a turn.
Here are some of the most memorable figures and what they’re up to.
Jones – Michael Winslow
Known as the man of 10,000 sounds, Winslow has made appearances on Mel Brooks’ Spaceballs and The Family Guy. He still takes his act on the road occasionally and is still just as skilled as ever. It’s kind of hard to pick a favorite act considering his parts in the movie were a laugh riot each and every time.
Mahoney – Steve Guttenberg
He was a megastar in the 1980’s and then kind of quieted down in the 1990’s. Today he still has a rather busy schedule but it tends to lean more towards TV and straight to DVD movies. He’s still a funny guy, but he’s definitely aged a bit since his academy days.
Hightower – Bubba Smith
A notable NFL great and a skilled actor, Bubba Smith was present for six Police Academy movies and even went on to cameo on TV shows not long after Police Academy. He was even in the show Married with Children for two episodes, one in which he played as himself. Sadly, Smith passed away in 2011.
Tackleberry – David Graf
If you had a problem that required a liberal dose of firepower then Tackleberry was the guy to call. He had a better personal armory than the academy at times, and knew how to apply each and every weapon in his arsenal. With a near-psychotic personality he was without a doubt one of the more memorable and crazy individuals in the show. Graf passed away in 2001 due to a heart attack however, but has thankfully been immortalized as one of the greatest actors to ever appear in the films.
Captain Harris – G.W. Bailey
He wasn’t the first captain to have an issue with the hijinks at the academy, but he was probably the most memorable. As Captain Harris he was simply despicable and a complete killjoy, but strangely enough that’s what made him so memorable. At this time he’s still acting and can be seen on the show Major Crimes.
Hooks – Marion Ramsey
Despite what you might think, Hooks is not a soft-spoken woman when she’s off screen. She’s had to keep up with The Jeffersons in her career, so she’s anything but timid. She is still acting and is actually trying to keep interest in a Police Academy remake.
Zedd – Bobcat Goldthwait
Zedd is dead. No no, it’s not that the actor passed away. But Goldthwait had definitely had his fill of the snarling, clunky-voiced character that we all loved in the Police Academy movies. Despite his success as Zedd, Bobcat professes that it didn’t allow him a lot of range and as a result he felt the need to ditch the character. He’s still making indie films and enjoying life, but trust his word on this, Zedd is as good as gone.
There are a lot of characters from this franchise that could be listed, but those above are some of the obvious favorites. A good number of the old cast are still doing well and have continued their careers in Hollywood to this date.
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