Cast of The Naked Gun: Remembering the Hilarious Ensemble

: Remembering the Hilarious Ensemble

The Naked Gun series features a memorable ensemble of actors who bring absurdity, slapstick, and deadpan humor together in perfect, chaotic harmony. The core cast includes Leslie Nielsen as Detective Lt. Frank Drebin, George Kennedy as Captain Ed Hocken, Priscilla Presley as Jane Spencer, Ricardo Montalban as the villain Vincent Ludwig, and O.J. Simpson as the hapless Detective Nordberg. These actors, supported by a colorful roster of side characters and cameo appearances, created a legacy of perfect comedic timing and memorable silliness.

A Familiar Face: The Core Ensemble

Leslie Nielsen – Lt. Frank Drebin

He’s the bumbling, yet oddly endearing, heart of the franchise. Nielsen’s impeccable timing and straight-face delivery transformed every ridiculous scenario into comedic gold.

George Kennedy – Captain Ed Hocken

Drebin’s straight-laced superior, Kennedy plays the role of the beleaguered authority figure who barely manages to keep the LAPD afloat. His grounded presence contrasts brilliantly with Nielsen’s absurdity.

Priscilla Presley – Jane Spencer

As Drebin’s love interest and unwitting partner in chaos, Presley brings charm and normalcy to the mayhem, anchoring the over-the-top humor with sincere performance.

Ricardo Montalbán – Vincent Ludwig

The suave villain sporting extravagant intentions, Montalbán anchors the plot with calculated menace—rendered all the more hilarious by the film’s absurd world.

O.J. Simpson – Detective Nordberg

Nordberg is the epitome of bad luck in the Naked Gun universe. Simpson’s physical comedy and unfortunate mishaps add a layer of slapstick that fans still laugh about today.

Supporting Cast & Iconic Cameos

The world of The Naked Gun is crowded with secondary characters who elevate the humor beyond the lead trio:

• Nancy Marchand as the Mayor, adding political absurdity early on.
• Susan Beaubian as Mrs. Nordberg—she’s part of the domestic comics around Simpson’s character.
• Raye Birk as Papshmir—short, memorable, and odd, as only Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker creations can be.

And then there are cameos so good they became legend:

• ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic shows up as himself—or at least a version of himself—to layer meta humor on top of the parody.
• Jeannette Charles appears as Queen Elizabeth II, lending regal absurdity to the production.
• Ed Williams plays Ted Olson, the quirky lab guy—he’s one of the few cast members to appear in both the original Police Squad! series and the films.

Other faces from the comedy world—Larry Tierney, Reggie Jackson, Joyce Brothers, and various sports announcers—pepper the world with brief, delightful distractions.

The Legacy in Layers

What made this ensemble work is how everyone played their part seriously—amid utter lunacy. The cast didn’t waver from their intentions, no matter how bizarre the scene. That deadpan approach doubled the laughs, turning every slap, pratfall, or absurd exchange into comedy gold.

“They treated every ridiculous moment as completely normal. That conviction is what makes the comedy land so perfectly.”

It wasn’t just the leads who carried the film—it was the synergy. The supporting cast and cameos created a rich tapestry, where the unexpected appearance of a sports announcer or a queen added “wait, what?” moments that audiences still quote today.

A Fresh Take: The 2025 Reboot Ensemble

Fast-forward to the 2025 reboot of The Naked Gun, and the new ensemble aims to carry that legacy forward:

• Liam Neeson plays Frank Drebin Jr., son of the original detective. His stoic delivery becomes the vehicle for modern absurdity.
• Pamela Anderson steps in as Beth Davenport, a nod to the original Jane role—her presence is both nostalgic and contemporary.
• Paul Walter Hauser takes on Captain Ed Hocken Jr., continuing the father-son dynamic from the original.
• Kevin Durand, Danny Huston, CCH Pounder, Liza Koshy, Cody Rhodes, and Busta Rhymes fill out the roster with characters ranging from law enforcement to unexpected in-scene cameos.
• Notably, Weird Al returns for a special appearance, tying past and present together in an absurdist loop.

The reboot follows the formula: dead serious amid chaos. It’s intentionally overstated and leans into current comedic sensibilities—yet feels rooted in the original’s DNA.

Conclusion

The Naked Gun series thrives on a cast ensemble that treats the absurd as everyday. From Leslie Nielsen’s iconic Drebin to the rotating parade of cameos and supporting oddities, the films built a world of comedic commitment. The 2025 reboot brings that spirit into today, with new faces upholding the tradition of straight-faced satire. Fans old and new can appreciate how each actor, whether lead or blink-and-you-miss-it cameo, contributed to comedy that’s unapologetically ridiculous—and brilliantly so.

FAQs

Who are the main actors in the original Naked Gun?
Leslie Nielsen, George Kennedy, Priscilla Presley, Ricardo Montalbán, and O.J. Simpson headlined the 1988 original, with Nielsen as Frank Drebin leading the comedy.

Which supporting actors or cameos stand out?
Key supporting roles include Nancy Marchand, Susan Beaubian, and Raye Birk, with memorable cameos from Weird Al Yankovic, Jeannette Charles, and Ed Williams.

What was the casting strategy in the 2025 reboot?
The reboot features Liam Neeson as Frank Drebin Jr., Pamela Anderson, Paul Walter Hauser, and a diverse mix of actors like Busta Rhymes and Liza Koshy to blend nostalgia with new comedic energy.

Did any original cast members return for the reboot?
Yes—Weird Al Yankovic returned for a cameo, offering a delightful link between the original trilogy and the new film.

Why did the ensemble cast work so well?
The humor worked because actors treated nonsensical situations as serious. That contrast—deadpan acting amid absurdity—made each joke land harder.