Leslie Nielsen played Detective
Frank DrebinCHARACTERS
Leslie Nielsen played Detective
Frank Drebin
Leslie Nielsen first appeared on American television screens back in 1950, although he may best be remembered for playing Commander John J Adams in the film "Forbidden Planet" in 1956. Since then he has guest starred in many American television series and appeared in over 100 films. He is now best known for his role in the Naked Gun film series.
Alan North played Captain Ed
Hocken in the television series (the role would be taken by
George Kennedy in the film series).
His first appearance on screen is in the film Plaza Suite (1971) and he has since gone on to appear in over 20 other roles for the large and small screen.
Rex Hamilton was billed on each episode
as playing President Lincoln, but only appeared in the opening
credits...
Peter Lupus (who was "Willie
Armitage" on the 'Mission: Impossible' tv series) played
Norberg - a role which would be taken by O.J. Simpson in the
movie series
Peter first appeared in the mid 1960s in the Italian Hercules films, but he is best known for his role in Mission: Impossible - he appeared in all seven seasons of the original series. After making a few cameo roles he is now listed as being a vitamin company representative in Hollywood!
Ed Williams played Ted Olson, the
police scientist
Surprisingly, Police Squad seems to have been Ed's first appearance on a television show (IMDb lists his only previous appearance way back in "Meet John Doe" in 1941!), however since Police Squad he has gone on to appear in a number of films and guest appearances on television.
William Duell played Johnny the Snitch
Perhaps best known for appearing in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest", it is unfortunate that the character of Johnny the Snitch was not used in any of the Naked Gun films.
The series also attracted a number of well-known (and some not so well-known) guests... who usually only lasted on screen for 30 seconds! These are listed on the Guests page.