The Naked Gun
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2008-07-16T21:04:11Z
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/* External links */ removed categories that is already covered under by being placed under category:The Naked Gun
{{Infobox Film
| name = The Naked Gun series
| image = Nakedguntrilogy.jpg
| imagesize = 200px
| caption = [[DVD region code|Region 1]] DVD cover for ''The Naked Gun'' film series box set
| director = '''Films''': '''[[The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!|1]]''', '''[[The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear|2]]'''<br>[[David Zucker]]<br/>'''Film''': '''[[Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult|3]]'''<br>[[Peter Segal]]
| producer = [[David Zucker]]<br>[[Jim Abrahams]]<br>[[Jerry Zucker (film director)|Jerry Zucker]]
| writer = [[David Zucker]]<br>[[Jim Abrahams]]<br>[[Jerry Zucker (film director)|Jerry Zucker]]
| starring = [[Leslie Nielsen]]<br>[[Priscilla Presley]]<br>[[O. J. Simpson]]<br>[[George Kennedy]]<br>[[Ed Williams (actor)|Ed Williams]]
| distributor = [[Paramount Pictures]]
| released = [[1988 in film|1988]] – [[1994 in film|1994]]
| runtime = 253 minutes
| country = {{USA}}
| language = [[English language|English]]
| preceded_by = ''[[Police Squad!]]''
| amg_id = 281437
}}
'''''The Naked Gun'' series''' is a series of three comedy films from 1988 to 1994, written and produced by the [[comedy film]]making trio [[Zucker, Abrahams and Zucker]] and distributed by [[Paramount Pictures]]. It was based on their short-lived [[1982 in television|1982]] [[American Broadcasting Company|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==
#''[[The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!]]'' (1988)
#''[[The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear]]'' (1991)
#''[[Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult]]'' (1994)
==Plots==
===''The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!''===
{{see|The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!}}
Detective Frank Drebin tries to uncover a plan to assassinate [[Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom|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 of 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''===
{{see|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 H. W. Bush|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''===
{{see|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 are 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 is taken hostage.
==Box office==
* This first film grossed around [[$]]78,756,177<ref name="MOJO">{{cite web | title=BoxofficeMojo|work=The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!| url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=nakedgun.htm|accessmonthday=January 19|accessyear=2008}}</ref>
* The second film grossed around [[$]]86,930,411<ref name="MOJO2">{{cite web | title=BoxofficeMojo|work=The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear| url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=thenakedgun2.htm|accessmonthday=January 19|accessyear=2008}}</ref>
* The third film grossed around [[$]]51,132,598<ref name="MOJO3">{{cite web | title=BoxofficeMojo|work=The Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult| url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=thenakedgun3.htm|accessmonthday=January 19 |accessyear=2008}}</ref>
==Cast and characters==
===Main characters===
* '''[[Leslie Nielsen]]''' as '''[[Lieutenant Frank Drebin|Sergeant Frank Drebin]]''', a [[Dutch American|Dutch]]-[[Irish American|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 are 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.<ref name="NGPS"> In the films Hocken was portrayed by [[George Kennedy]] and Nordberg by [[O.J. Simpson]], Johhny and Lincoln both didn't return in the films and Al only appeared in the first film.</ref> 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 is 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 is 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]]<ref name="IMDB">{{cite web | title=The Internet Movie Database|work=Norberg/Nordberg| url=http://www.imdb.com/character/ch0005555/|accessmonthday=February 2|accessyear=2008}}</ref>. 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 is married to a woman named Ethel, although in the second film he's married to a woman named Edna. In the TV series ''[[Police Squad]]'' he was portrayed by [[Alan North]].
* '''[[Ed Williams (actor)|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 ''[[Don Herbert|Watch Mr. Wizard]]'', when Frank interrupts him. This joke was not 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<ref name="NGPS" />
* '''[[Tiny Ron Taylor|Ronald "Tiny Ron" Taylor]]''' as '''Al''' a very tall colleague of Frank. Al was recurring character on ''[[Police Squad!]]'' but only made a cameo in the first movie. It's unknown why he didn't appear in any of the other films.
===Main villains===
[[Image:RobertGouletasHabsburg.jpg|thumb|right|130px|Quentin Hapsburg, the main villain of ''[[The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear]]'']]
{|class="wikitable" width=80%
|-
!Character
!Portrayer
!Film
!Fate
|-
|Vincent Ludwig || [[Ricardo Montalban]] || ''[[The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!]]'' || Falls from a stadium, then is run over by a bus, a steam roller, and the [[Spirit of Troy|USC Trojan Marching Band]] (the same way Ed's father died).
|-
|Quentin Hapsburg || [[Robert Goulet]] || ''[[The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear]]'' || Falls from a great height (due to Ed running to help Frank and accidentally pushing him out the window) but bounces off an awning and walks away, only to be mauled to death by a lion.
|-
|Rocco Dillon || [[Fred Ward]] || ''[[Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult]]'' || Falls from a catwalk in a theater, but because he has a cord attached to his ankles, the recoil elevates him and is sent flying away through the roof and into an overflying private airplane, which explodes seconds later (he was holding a ticking bomb).
|}
===Notable cameos===
{|class="wikitable" width=70%
|-
!Character
!Portrayer
!Film
!Other Notes
|-
|man fixing a picture up onto the wall of his house<ref name="IMDB1">{{cite web | title=The Internet Movie Database|work=The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!| url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095705/trivia|accessmonthday=January 19|accessyear=2008}}</ref> || [[David Zucker]] ||'' [[The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!]]'' || David Zucker directed the first two films
|-
|Driving Instructor<ref name="IMDB2">{{cite web | title=The Internet Movie Database|work=John Houseman| url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002144/|accessmonthday=January 19|accessyear=2008}}</ref> || [[John Houseman]] || ''[[The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!]]'' || Final appearance<ref name="IMDB1" />
|-
|Baseball Announcer || [[Dr. Joyce Brothers]] || ''[[The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!]]'' || Also made a cameo in ''[[Police Squad!]]''
|-
|Himself || [[James Earl Jones]] || ''[[Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult]]'' || Also made a cameo in ''[[Scary Movie 4]]''
|}
===Recurring cameos===
{|class="wikitable" width=70%
|-
!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.
|}
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
{{wikiquote|The Naked Gun}}
* {{imdb title|id=0095705|title=The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!}}
* {{amg title|id=1:64938|title=The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!}}
* {{imdb title|id=0102510|title=The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear}}
* {{amg title|id=1:76358|title=The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear}}
* {{imdb title|id=0110622|title=Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult}}
* {{amg title|id=1:131175|title=Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult}}
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{{s-awards}}
{{succession box
| title=Golden Screen
| years=1994<br>'''for ''[[The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear]]'' '''
| before=''[[Beauty and the Beast (1991 film)|Beauty and the Beast]], [[The Bodyguard]], [[Home Alone 2: Lost in New York]], [[Indecent Proposal]], [[Jurassic Park (film)|Jurassic Park]], [[Sister Act]] ''
| after=''[[Casper (film)|Casper]], [[Cool Runnings]], [[Die Hard: With a Vengeance]], [[Speed (film)|Speed]], [[Stargate (film)|Stargate]], [[While You Were Sleeping]]''
}}
{{end box}}
{{The Naked Gun}}
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[[Category:English-language films]]
[[Category:The Naked Gun| ]]
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