Police Squad!

Police Squad! is a television comedy series first broadcast in 1982. It is a spoof of police dramas, packed with visual gags and non sequiturs.

Related Topics:
Television - Comedy - 1982 - Spoof - Police - Non sequitur

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It was created by Jim Abrahams, David Zucker and Jerry Zucker, who had previously worked together on The Kentucky Fried Movie and Airplane! The show was cancelled by ABC after just six episodes, apparently because the executives thought it required too much attention from the viewer. However, it gained a strong cult following through repeats on TV, which led to a movie version, ' in 1988, and two further sequels.

Related Topics:
Jim Abrahams - David Zucker - Jerry Zucker - The Kentucky Fried Movie - Airplane! - ABC

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The show was presented in the style of a Quinn Martin show of the early 1970s, with a portentous narrative over the opening titles which made a big feature of the show being "... in color!" The narrative ended with the announcement of the episode's title, which was always different from the on-screen title. A constant running joke was the announcement of a well-known "special guest star", who was always killed off before the opening titles had finished. Also during the credits, Rex Hamilton stars in a quick spot as Abraham Lincoln, who is narrowly missed when shot at by John Wilkes Booth (who is offscreen), and returns fire.

Related Topics:
Quinn Martin - Rex Hamilton - Abraham Lincoln - John Wilkes Booth

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The end of each episode played credits over a 70s-style freeze frame of the final scene—however, once again, it was a spoof, since the frame was not frozen, but the actors simply stood motionless in position while other activities (pouring coffee, convicts escaping, chimpanzees running amok) continued around them.

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The program was a parody of many television shows and movies but maybe none more than the Lee Marvin cop show "M Squad" which many episodes are very similar to ones on Police Squad! Despite critical acclaim, only six episodes of the series were produced.

Related Topics:
Lee Marvin - M Squad

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