The opening credits to this show, on their own, are light years ahead of any modern comedy on television you can think of. This show was absolute brilliance.
Zettabeam62 ikr. Guess people weren't ready for witty satire on the small screens. With movies prior to Police Squad like Blazzing Saddles, Dr. Strangelove and The Producers you'd think so.
Zettabeam62 and still is, like I had to show it for a literature thing alongside the sperm scene of woody Allen movie about sex and no one understood it
One of my fave parts of this show was the shoe shine guy, who, after having his palm crossed with silver, would divulge secrets across every facet of life, from police work to brain surgery to theological matters! What a trip!
@@ThatGuy-te9wh Why stop with Gandhi? How about: "And starring Willem Dafoe as Jesus Christ" in Season 3? He would tell his followers at The Last Supper: "One of you plans to betray me," then, inexplicably, pull out a gun and ventilate Judas Iscariot.
0:24 was total chaos!!! The woman throws her baby for absolutely no reason, one guy dives out the window, and after one gunshot,a guy just runs by on fire😂
The elevators were full of small jokes too. Landing on floors and see people jump from diving board and such. 😂 With a splash of water going into the elevator.
Every episode also had a guest star who died during the intro. (Originally there was also a scene where John Belushi was thrown in a dock with his feet in concrete but he died only weeks after it was made so they scrapped it.
When I seen William Conrad (Cannon) as a special guest star. That did that to me. If that show was on today. One of the pack of Kardashians should be a special guest star.
John Belushi filmed a gag opener like this but died before it aired so they never used it. They filmed one with William Conrad and used it instead. The footage of Belushi (wearing cement shoes under water) apparently is lost
This was a hilarious tribute to the detective shows of the 70's. I loved it, how the Quinn Martin series like "Cannon" and "Barnaby Jones" had an announcer, who would announce the names of the cast, the guest stars, and the episode title.
His name was Hank Simms and he was the announcer for most of the Q-M shows in the 60s and 70s. Simms was a neighbor of Martin’s in Beverly Hills and the producer arranged it so that Simms was a cast member versus an announcer who got paid for a single voice-over gig. That made Simms eligible for residuals and health insurance through the production company. Hank Simms was also the off-camera voice for the Academy Awards for 25 years, a record that will never be mstched. He passed away in 2013, at the age of 90. He is sometimes confused with longtime CBS announcer Hal Simms, best known for his work on “The Edge of Night.” Hal Simms and Hank Simms were unrelated, although the CBS announcer had a son named Hank who is a physician and surgeon.
OMG! i didn't know he died yesterday until now! Its a bit of a coincidence it was the day i decided to get out the old video of Police squad out to watch it! RIP leslie Nielson
Leslie Nielsen taught us ALL how to laugh at his humor and ourselves FOR laughing! I remember one night being hit with bad news about a girlfriend who dumped me. I needed a good laugh, and the episode with the court bombing was on! IT DIDN'T DISAPPOINT! I've been watching Leslie Nielsen stuff since Sunday in his honor! I've lost great people in my life around Thanksgiving, and now this man is among them. I was planning on meeting him the next time he was in town, too! RIP!
He excelled at this kind of comedy because he actually acted like that in real life. He always had a fart machine on him so he could set it off in an elevator
the funny thing about "In Color" is in 1982, it was not impossible to actually find B&W TVs in use still. Like how into the 1990s shows would brag about being "In Stereo" Just remember if you seek this show out, you have to watch it. This is not something you can throw on in the background as it is filled with lots of big and little sight gags. The show is made by the same folks who made Airplane! and is what spawned the Naked Gun movies.
@MrChubbers The intro is actually a spoof of a late 1950's-early 1960's TV show called M Squad, which starred Lee Marvin. The announcer in the intro is actually the guy who did a lot of the announcing introductions for most of the Quinn Martin-produced TV series, Hank Simms.
I was just watching a Mannix episode ("Sometimes Eagles Can't Fly") that had a shot of a 1960's cop car with lights going making a sharp right turn that looked to be the same exact cut as in 0:07 . Same exact camera shot and everything. I actually had to pull this up and check it against the Mannix episode and it was not the same shot (the one in Mannix had a California plate on the front bumper) but might have been filmed on the same street corner of the same lot and the writers of Naked Gun might have actually recreated this shot. It's been over 35 years and I'm still finding things the Naked Gun was referencing.
This show was insane! It was actually created to fill in the gaps after SO many shows were cancelled during the 1981-1982 TV season. I believe there were only six episodes ever made.
Well at least it wasn't cancelled because it's bad, it was cancelled because the network thought it was too revolutionary for then current viewers and the directors were running out of gags
@@00_rei90 @00_rei90 no fue tanto por eso, en una entrevista dijo que fue porque al programa irónicamente tenias que verlo psea prestarle atención, por que casi todos los chistes eran más que nada visuales, entonces los dueños de la televisora tenían en mente que los televidentes iban a estar haciendo más cosas al ver el programa (barrer,cocinar,comer o cuidar a los niños etc) entonces no iban a entender los chistes o el porque de cada cosa, asi que al final lo cancelaron mas que nada por ese motivo
I haven't noticed that anyone commented on the clear influence of the movie "Airplane". I am sure the producers were different, but Neilsen was in Airplane....so you know that was the inspiration for the TV show.
Which is good, considering how TV shows switched to color around the mid '60s, but it took longer for people to switch to color TVs, at least to my understanding.
God Bless Leslie Nielsen. My life has had its ups and downs since "Airplane!" premiered in '80, but even in my darkest hour, he always found a way for me to laugh even for just a little while! When my first wife and I were separated before our eventual divorce (THANK GOD there also), "The Naked Gun" premiered. With all the crap I was put through, I needed a laugh. He DIDN'T disappoint!
The "Abraham Lincoln" gag is an "irrelevant" one, 'Butcher'. It wouldn't make any more sense if, say, Hank Simms announced, "...and Gloria Gottfried as Amelia Earhart!" (cut to shot of Amelia jumping out of an ancient plane, her tommy gun chattering away).
Barry I. Grauman - That's what made it so funny. First off, it comes from literally nowhere. Second, we all know the real outcome to Honest Abe. But here, when he gets up and returns fire, THAT'S funny.
ABC's STUPID excuse for canceling this show was people have to actually "PAY ATTENTION" to the screen as the gags are being shown! One of my favorite scenes was when Leslie Nielsen tells the guy to put a tap on the phone, and they put a BEER TAP on it!
The opening credits to this show, on their own, are light years ahead of any modern comedy on television you can think of.
This show was absolute brilliance.
It was so far ahead of its time, people HATED it!
Still is
Anyone watching had to pay attention to the show! Most didn’t and was unable to get the humor!
Amen brother
It certainly was
More shows should be made in color
Omg man 😂😂😂 that's so funny 😂😂😂
The whole thing is hilarious from beginning to end, but the Alan North part -- with that guy on fire -- is beyond funny.
So long Leslie Nielsen, we'll miss your brand of deadpan hilarity. Rest in peace.
11 years later
this show was way ahead of it's time.
This moviееее is nоw аvааааilаblе tо wаааtсh herе => twitter.com/2b6f5fe6f175bcda2/status/824453909884178432 Роliссcсеeе Squad Intrоооо In Colоr
Zettabeam62 ikr. Guess people weren't ready for witty satire on the small screens. With movies prior to Police Squad like Blazzing Saddles, Dr. Strangelove and The Producers you'd think so.
Zettabeam62 and still is, like I had to show it for a literature thing alongside the sperm scene of woody Allen movie about sex and no one understood it
One of my fave parts of this show was the shoe shine guy, who, after having his palm crossed with silver, would divulge secrets across every facet of life, from police work to brain surgery to theological matters! What a trip!
I wish I could find a guy like that
I wouldn't know anything about it.
This show was pure genius...it was a huge shock when it was quickly canceled, but timeless! These 6 episodes will live on in infamy!
Do you know the epitaph on Leslie Nielsen's grave? "Let 'er rip!" And on the bench near his grave, the engraving: "Sit down, whenever you can."
Give a like if you lost it at “Abraham Lincoln”.
Ol Abe giving it hell!
If they got a second season, he would be replaced with Gandhi with an AK.
I still do! Wish they made more of these :(
@@stacyandchrissmall2068 The humor, at the time, was too fast for most viewers - but we caught on.
@@ThatGuy-te9wh Why stop with Gandhi? How about: "And starring Willem Dafoe as Jesus Christ" in Season 3? He would tell his followers at The Last Supper: "One of you plans to betray me," then, inexplicably, pull out a gun and ventilate Judas Iscariot.
There will never be any one like him again. Loved his work in comedy. Miss him now that he's gone.
0:24 was total chaos!!! The woman throws her baby for absolutely no reason, one guy dives out the window, and after one gunshot,a guy just runs by on fire😂
Katherine Harner It’s brilliant. I cried when I first saw it.
The elevators were full of small jokes too. Landing on floors and see people jump from diving board and such. 😂
With a splash of water going into the elevator.
Tonight Episode "The Broken Promisse" or "A Substantial Gift" ? Hahahha
Every episode had both a spoken title & a printed title. The titles never matched, and episode guides for this series usually provide both.
This is the first time I have ever seen a police squad intro and I can't believe all the jokes in the intro alone lol.
@@thewewguy8t88 The show is gold.
Every episode also had a guest star who died during the intro.
(Originally there was also a scene where John Belushi was thrown in a dock with his feet in concrete but he died only weeks after it was made so they scrapped it.
When I saw Lorne Greene roll out of that car I couldn't breath I laughed so hard.
When I seen William Conrad (Cannon) as a special guest star. That did that to me. If that show was on today. One of the pack of Kardashians should be a special guest star.
the one with William shatner is good too
So is the one with Georg Stanford Brown.
John Belushi filmed a gag opener like this but died before it aired so they never used it. They filmed one with William Conrad and used it instead. The footage of Belushi (wearing cement shoes under water) apparently is lost
R.I.P. the great Leslie Nielsen, the funniest man in history.
With Rex Hamilton as Abraham Lincoln! my favorite part
Lmao...Lincoln wasnt taking no mess. Lol
The Quinn Martin influence is seen on this funny intro.
This was a hilarious tribute to the detective shows of the 70's. I loved it, how the Quinn Martin series like "Cannon" and "Barnaby Jones" had an announcer, who would announce the names of the cast, the guest stars, and the episode title.
His name was Hank Simms and he was the announcer for most of the Q-M shows in the 60s and 70s. Simms was a neighbor of Martin’s in Beverly Hills and the producer arranged it so that Simms was a cast member versus an announcer who got paid for a single voice-over gig. That made Simms eligible for residuals and health insurance through the production company.
Hank Simms was also the off-camera voice for the Academy Awards for 25 years, a record that will never be mstched. He passed away in 2013, at the age of 90. He is sometimes confused with longtime CBS announcer Hal Simms, best known for his work on “The Edge of Night.” Hal Simms and Hank Simms were unrelated, although the CBS announcer had a son named Hank who is a physician and surgeon.
Obviously, Rex Hamilton's better with a gun than Daniel Day-Lewis.
OMG! i didn't know he died yesterday until now! Its a bit of a coincidence it was the day i decided to get out the old video of Police squad out to watch it!
RIP leslie Nielson
...and Rex Hamilton as Abraham Lincoln! Classic!
Leslie Nielsen taught us ALL how to laugh at his humor and ourselves FOR laughing! I remember one night being hit with bad news about a girlfriend who dumped me. I needed a good laugh, and the episode with the court bombing was on! IT DIDN'T DISAPPOINT! I've been watching Leslie Nielsen stuff since Sunday in his honor! I've lost great people in my life around Thanksgiving, and now this man is among them. I was planning on meeting him the next time he was in town, too! RIP!
And the "Special Guest Star" was immediately killed after they were introduced. Florence Henderson was the best with that.
I'm just imagining the array of Special Guest Stars they'd have if they remade this today. People would be queueing up for it.
This is BRILLIANT.
Seriously ...this show is the funniest thing to ever come on the box to this day.
abe packing heat. gotta love it.😁
It was hilarious that the guest stars always got killed in the credits.
Project Binky brought me here.
So this is the elusive Rex Hamilton, he never shows up in the new Binky show though! Is he the one on kettle duty?
when you're a guest star: 😁
in police squad *in color*: 💀
You laughed at this, and then you laughed at yourself for laughing as Roger Ebert would say! Leslie Nielsen taught us how to laugh and not be ashamed!
He excelled at this kind of comedy because he actually acted like that in real life. He always had a fart machine on him so he could set it off in an elevator
and Rex Hamilton
I think Lorne Greene actually had a small role in The Naked Gun 33 1/3 as the mob boss in Franks nightmare.
*****
👍
Green was called home to Allah in 1987 long before that movie you mentioned was made.
How could anybody NOT like this ???
the funny thing about "In Color" is in 1982, it was not impossible to actually find B&W TVs in use still. Like how into the 1990s shows would brag about being "In Stereo"
Just remember if you seek this show out, you have to watch it. This is not something you can throw on in the background as it is filled with lots of big and little sight gags. The show is made by the same folks who made Airplane! and is what spawned the Naked Gun movies.
The best acting that Lorne Greene ever did!
just came across it by accident...loved this show...one of best
0:26 LOL. The woman just tosses the baby out of her arms so casually :')
When you talk about the TV theme songs ever, this one has to be right up there.
I like how the announcer says the title is one thing but the actual title is something totally different hahaha
Best. Theme. Ever.
HOW THE FUCK DID I NOT KNOW THIS EXISTED!?
This show was stupid but funny.
hanoc101 No I mean like, how did I not know that the Naked Gun was tied to this show!?
Oh. OK.Alex Howard
The first movie's full title is THE NAKED GUN: FROM THE FILES OF POLICE SQUAD!
Sleeper99999 I always thought that was just a cute subtitle! It's not the title was "The Naked Gun: Police Squad The Movie" or anything like that.
R.I.P. Leslie Nielson, Alan North, & Lorne Greene
Anyone else here from Project Binky?
RIP Leslie Nielson, discovered you too late, hope you're bringing the humor to the afterlife.
I like how the intro spoofs the Quinn Martin program intros: "In Color!" "Starring..."; "Special Guest Star..."; "Tonight's Episode..."; etc. LOL!
It's awesome!
The announcer is the same...Hank Simms.
@MrChubbers The intro is actually a spoof of a late 1950's-early 1960's TV show called M Squad, which starred Lee Marvin. The announcer in the intro is actually the guy who did a lot of the announcing introductions for most of the Quinn Martin-produced TV series, Hank Simms.
Rex Hamiltion+ Abe Lincoln= funny as heck
I was just watching a Mannix episode ("Sometimes Eagles Can't Fly") that had a shot of a 1960's cop car with lights going making a sharp right turn that looked to be the same exact cut as in 0:07 . Same exact camera shot and everything. I actually had to pull this up and check it against the Mannix episode and it was not the same shot (the one in Mannix had a California plate on the front bumper) but might have been filmed on the same street corner of the same lot and the writers of Naked Gun might have actually recreated this shot. It's been over 35 years and I'm still finding things the Naked Gun was referencing.
This show was insane! It was actually created to fill in the gaps after SO many shows were cancelled during the 1981-1982 TV season. I believe there were only six episodes ever made.
Well at least it wasn't cancelled because it's bad, it was cancelled because the network thought it was too revolutionary for then current viewers and the directors were running out of gags
@@00_rei90 @00_rei90 no fue tanto por eso, en una entrevista dijo que fue porque al programa irónicamente tenias que verlo psea prestarle atención, por que casi todos los chistes eran más que nada visuales, entonces los dueños de la televisora tenían en mente que los televidentes iban a estar haciendo más cosas al ver el programa (barrer,cocinar,comer o cuidar a los niños etc) entonces no iban a entender los chistes o el porque de cada cosa, asi que al final lo cancelaron mas que nada por ese motivo
I haven't noticed that anyone commented on the clear influence of the movie "Airplane". I am sure the producers were different, but Neilsen was in Airplane....so you know that was the inspiration for the TV show.
When Police Squad repeats aired on CBS originally, I believe they used their CBS Stereosound Where Available logo in 1991.
In the 1965-1966, '66-'67, -68-69 and -69-70 seasons the ABC network always starts the program IN COLOR!
Which is good, considering how TV shows switched to color around the mid '60s, but it took longer for people to switch to color TVs, at least to my understanding.
Rhomega My family didn't get our first color set til 1971.
My family did not get color tv until 2007
_The Brady Bunch_ and _The Young Lawyers_ were the only two shows in the 1970-71 season to have "IN COLOR" on their opening tags!
Actually Leslie Neilsen and Lorne Greene worked together on a episode of Bonanza
What a perfect name for the police station: "THE POLICE STATION"!
Waay ahead of its time
Rex Hamilton was much better as Lincoln than as Ghandi.
"tonight's special guest star Lorne Greene"
*Falls out of car, dies*
That was his guest appearance, wasn't it
but that was typical for every "special guest star" on Police Squad.. they never made it past the opening credits.
@map041069 "Ahead of their time" - this is often used, but definitely applies here. I guess TV white collars didn't get the humor.
Actually from what I heard they kind of did not lol
I always did love the Abraham
Lincoln bit.
This show was a spoof of the 1950s M Squad series starting Lee Marvin .
In color? Technology has come so far!
The episode name was a running gag in the series, of it being different than what appeared on screen. It's a comedy and a parody!
when you just hear the music it makes you want to laugh!!!!! the greatest 6 show series EVER!!!!
I think this TV intro needs a bracket...
God Bless Leslie Nielsen. My life has had its ups and downs since "Airplane!" premiered in '80, but even in my darkest hour, he always found a way for me to laugh even for just a little while! When my first wife and I were separated before our eventual divorce (THANK GOD there also), "The Naked Gun" premiered. With all the crap I was put through, I needed a laugh. He DIDN'T disappoint!
the guy on fire in the police station gets me every time!
rest in peace Leslie Nielsen, thank you for your hilarity.
Damn shame that this show was cancelled too early. Oh well, at least we got the Naked Gun films...
I lose it at *random burning guy*
And above all, it was in color!
Family guy wish it was this good
...and the announcer reads the wrong episode title! LMAO!
oh fuck yeah! movies were great. gotta look up this show some time
Random Burning Dude.
"In Color!" That's funny, since color TV had been around for at least 20 years by the time this was made.
That's also the joke lol
Lincoln packing heat!
Starring Lorne Greene! Luv it. :)
They were too good for the time. Classic
This show is so funny--it's a Crime!
Reminds me of Family Guy
Zuckrers and Abrahams rule°!
And the guest of the week always died in the intro
Oh, so that’s how Ben Cartwright died... rip
0:25 woman tosses the baby and ducks down lmao!
Years of watching this and I never noticed that! LOL
@fakeyf9 I just noticed that after ALL THESE YEARS! LMAO!
In color! As if you couldn't tell!
@MaasterButcher Yes Abraham Lincoln died in a fist fight with Kaiser Wilhem II.
Rex is the dogs., acting wise.
Everybody is cross drawin their wheel gun!
If only Abe had been packing that night.
I was wondering where I'd heard the name Leslie Nielsen when I watched Airplane
Yeah this series was canceled too damn quick but hey it lead to a wonderful movies franchise and that turned out better
The "Abraham Lincoln" gag is an "irrelevant" one, 'Butcher'. It wouldn't make any more sense if, say, Hank Simms announced, "...and Gloria Gottfried as Amelia Earhart!" (cut to shot of Amelia jumping out of an ancient plane, her tommy gun chattering away).
Barry I. Grauman - That's what made it so funny. First off, it comes from literally nowhere. Second, we all know the real outcome to Honest Abe. But here, when he gets up and returns fire, THAT'S funny.
Got here from M Squad with Count Basie.
ABC's STUPID excuse for canceling this show was people have to actually "PAY ATTENTION" to the screen as the gags are being shown! One of my favorite scenes was when Leslie Nielsen tells the guy to put a tap on the phone, and they put a BEER TAP on it!
Oh Leslie ;-;
Good night, sweet prince.
See, if Lincoln had a gun, he would have survived.
@MaasterButcher
Er, no, 145 years ago.