In all seriousness, there was never anything to do with a stupid story and witty comedy in Police Academy. These were the kinds of things about anarchy, slapstick, and a group of zany misfits who, although they never spoke a word, were the ones who brought the mayhem together. Whichever way you managed to catch it, be it in the ’80s cinema or caught a repeat a couple of days later, the show left a very clear imprint.
And be honest, anyone who has ever tried to replicate a siren sound using only their mouth is totally owing it to Michael Winslow for needing to do it only once. However, among the numerous bizarre characters and authority figures who have gone through the Academy, there were only a handful who stood out from the rest considerably. Relive the time of the 10 most memorable characters – a combination of hilarious, ridiculous, and downright eternal – to remember them again.
10. Mrs. Fackler (Debralee Scott)
She wasn’t center stage, but whenever Mrs. Fackler appeared, she stole her scenes. Brought in originally as the forever patient wife of the hapless Douglas Fackler, she later joined the Academy herself in Back in Training. That mix of devotion and comedic annoyance was a treat to watch. Actress Debralee Scott also had a good TV track record (Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, Angie), and although she died in 2005 at the ripe old age of 52, her charm still illuminates every repeat viewing.
9. Sergeant Proctor (Lance Kinsey)
Villains require muscle; villains require brains. Harris and Mauser had… Proctor. Nonthreatening to the extreme, Sergeant Proctor was the bumbling sidekick who could always be relied on to mess up. Lance Kinsey got the job done with spot-on clueless line readings and pratfalls that buoyed the franchise’s weaker sequels.
8. Sergeant Debbie Callahan (Leslie Easterbrook)
The Academy’s own heavyweight, Callahan, combined toughness with cleverness. Colossal, authoritative presence, never intimidated, she had an action-hero demeanor without sacrificing massive comedy smarts. Leslie Easterbrook managed to make Callahan both menacing and oddly alluring simultaneously, so she’s one of the greatest women in the series. She even showed up for the disastrous ’97 TV spin-off, which indicates just how resilient her character was.
7. Commandant Henry Hurst (George Robertson)
Every asylum needs a decent man, and Commandant Hurst was provided with one by George Robertson in a run of six films, perpetually frustrated but never actually battered by the existence of the circus he belongs to. His constant frustration had become settled as the beat of the run, holding the mayhem together. Robertson died in 2023, at the age of 89, but his consistent presence is a pillar of the franchise.
6. Police Officer Laverne Hooks (Marion Ramsey)
At first, she couldn’t get more than a stage-whispered sentence out. But when Hooks finally stood up to a yell? The audience was stopped in their tracks. Marion Ramsey’s performance made that move a comedic running gag that fans loved. She had six film appearances, lending sweetness and surprising oomph to Hooks. She passed away in 2021 at age 73, but her “don’t count me out” spirit will endure.
5. Lieutenant Harris (G.W. Bailey)
No misfit unit is ever complete without an arch-frenemy, and Harris was eager to fill the spot. Arrogant, plotting, and perpetually the self-proclaimed joke, he hyped himself up for imminent doom with every appearance. G.W. Bailey’s booming bluster was the ideal comedy counterpoint, and in all honesty, Police Academy never quite feels fully realized without him attempting—and failing—to rein things back in.
4. Officer Moses Hightower (Bubba Smith)
The Academy’s gentle giant, Hightow, er, was a softie at heart if not in build. Coaxed too far, however, he could move automobiles or splinter doors with equal aplomb. Bubba Smith, the NFL player turned actor, both toughened up the role and gave it warmth. Smith died in 2011 at age 66, but Hightower still has his fans.
3. Officer Eugene Tackleberry (David Graf)
Worshiped for firearms and paramilitary equipment, Tackleberry was half-spoof and half-action hero, completely unhinged. David Graf portrayed the character with wide-eyed exuberance, and the more he played it up, the more hilarious he became. He appeared in all seven films, and Tackleberry emerged as one of the most familiar faces of the franchise. Graf passed away in 2001 at the ripe young age of only 50, but his fans continue to regard him as always ready and always armed.
2. Commandant Eric Lassard (George Gaynes)
Lassard was half kind and half goofy, the kindly commander of the Academy. George Gaynes provided bumbling warmth as he delivered pep talks or inadvertently carried his pet goldfish. Lassard had faith in his recruits—sometimes for no good reason at all—and that’s what provided the series’ heart. Gaynes died at 98 in 2016, but his work still stands.
1. Sergeant Larvell Jones (Michael Winslow)
Jones is what first comes to mind when someone hears the Police Academy. Michael Winslow’s unparalleled skills as a sound effects impressionist were the secret ingredient for the franchise. Helicopters, sirens, radios, alarms—he could replicate them all, and he did them all in every movie, the animated TV show, and the live-action television series. Winslow is even credited with being the first to introduce beatboxing into a big-budget film. Two decades later, he’s still acting and still astounding people. Plain and simple: without him, there’s no Police Academy.
The Police Academy movies are cheesy reminders of ’80s comedy, but their characters stuck around. From the bumbling sidekicks to the outrageous strengths, they all helped make the series’ bizarre magic work. So the next time you hear a siren, don’t be too sure it’s a police car—it could be someone accessing their inner Larvell Jones.