Behind the Laughs: 25 Things You Didn't Know About The Naked Gun

From O.J. to Bananas: 25 Crazy Facts About The Naked Gun

If you’re a fan of absurd humor, banana gags, and a man who can deliver the line “Nice beaver” without breaking character, you’ve probably seen The Naked Gun more times than you can count. But even the most devoted fans may not know the chaotic genius and random weirdness that went into making one of the funniest film trilogies ever made. So, grab your trench coat, your Police Squad badge, and maybe a banana (you’ll see why) — here are 25 hilarious things you didn’t know about The Naked Gun.

1. It All Started With a Flop

The movies were based on Police Squad!, a TV show from 1982 that only ran six episodes before getting canceled. ABC execs said viewers had to “pay too much attention.” That’s right — it was too smart for network TV.

2. Leslie Nielsen Had a Portable Fart Machine

Nielsen, ever the prankster, carried a fart machine on set and during interviews, blasting it mid-conversation just to throw people off. Imagine trying to direct that man.

3. The Zucker Brothers Invented the "Deadpan Chaos" Genre

David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker (ZAZ) basically created a style of comedy where no one reacts to the absurdity around them. Without The Naked Gun, we wouldn’t have Anchorman or Hot Shots!

4. O.J. Simpson Was in All Three Films

Yes, that O.J. Before his infamous trial, he played the accident-prone Detective Nordberg. Watching him get flattened by hospital beds and steamrollers has not aged well.

5. The Queen Scene Was Real… Sort Of

In the baseball scene where Frank Drebin protects the Queen, they had a lookalike in the stands, and security actually mistook her for the real monarch.

6. Weird Al Has a Cameo — In Every Movie

That’s right. Weird Al Yankovic pops up in all three movies, sometimes even playing himself. He even gets mistaken for a terrorist in the second film. Classic Al.

7. The Banana Is a Running Gag

Frank often crashes or slips on things, but did you know bananas appear in every movie? It’s an inside joke that even the writers can’t quite explain.

8. The Opening Credits Were Revolutionary

That first-person siren view? Totally new at the time. People actually got motion sickness from the theater version. You’ve been warned.

9. George Kennedy Loved Playing it Straight

Kennedy, a serious Oscar-winning actor, jumped at the chance to play Captain Ed. He said it was “the most fun he’d had in Hollywood.”

10. The Jokes Never Stop (Literally)

There are gags in every single frame. Posters in the background. License plates. Random animals. If you pause any scene, there’s probably a joke waiting.

11. There's a "Naked Gun" Drinking Game

Take a sip every time Frank walks into something, says “nothing to see here,” or a pun goes too far. Good luck making it through the first 30 minutes.

12. That "Nice Beaver" Line? Totally Improvised

And yes — the stuffed beaver was real. Nielsen couldn’t stop giggling after the take, but they kept the first version.

13. Priscilla Presley Was Nervous

Elvis’s ex-wife was afraid she’d be terrible at comedy. Turns out, she was a total natural. She even nailed the “falling down the stairs while playing the piano” scene on the first take.

14. They Had to Cut 30 Jokes for Time

Each script had so many jokes, they trimmed it down to keep the movie flowing. Some deleted scenes are just as funny as what made the cut.

15. The Writers Used Real Police Reports

Some of the weirder scenes (like the guy hiding a fish in his pants) were inspired by real police logs. Florida, is that you?

16. The Baseball Scene Was a Nightmare to Shoot

They filmed at Dodger Stadium, and it took weeks. Every background character had to stay in costume between takes — even the guy with the giant foam finger.

17. The "Sex Montage" Was Almost Cut

Studio execs thought the safe-sex gag (complete with full-body condoms) was too much. Thankfully, ZAZ fought to keep it — and we’re glad they did.

18. A Naked Gun 4 Was Planned… With Ed Helms

Yep. A reboot starring The Office’s Ed Helms was announced in the 2010s, but it got stuck in development hell. We’re still not over it.

19. The Car Never Actually Hits Anything

Every time Frank crashes the police car in the opening scene, it’s done with camera tricks and miniatures. Zero damage, 100% comedy.

20. No One Ever Breaks Character

The cast had a strict rule: play it straight no matter what. That’s why everything feels so uncomfortably real… even when it’s absolutely bananas.

21. Nielsen's Serious Background Made Him Funnier

Before turning to comedy, Nielsen was a dramatic actor. That gravitas made the ridiculous stuff he did way funnier.

22. Ricardo Montalbán Was Cast Because of His Voice

In Naked Gun 1, his villain role was mostly about having that deep, dramatic tone. It made his banana-peel slip even more unexpected.

23. The Writers Had a Rule: One Joke Every 10 Seconds

It wasn’t just chaos — it was science. They timed jokes like musicians time beats.

24. The Crew Once Dressed Like a SWAT Team… for Fun

During one lunch break, the crew surprised the cast by showing up fully decked out in riot gear. Why? No one knows. But it was Naked Gun, so it fit.

25. The Movies Are Still Influencing Comedy Today

Modern parodies like Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping owe a ton to The Naked Gun. It redefined how we laugh at authority.

There you go, detective — 25 reasons to rewatch The Naked Gun and laugh even harder now that you know the madness behind the scenes. Whether you’re in it for the one-liners, the slapstick, or just Leslie Nielsen’s perfect delivery, this series remains a comedy gold standard.

Stay tuned for more deep dives into iconic comedy classics at Land of Geek Magazine!

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