The wit and wisdom of Frank Drebin

I am grateful to the RealLifeWisdom website for providing several of the most widely quoted observations by Frank Drebin, one of the most memorable characters throughout the history of films.

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Leslie Nielsen appeared in over 50 movies, but only three of them featured him in the role of Lieutenant Frank Drebin, the bumbling detective from Police Squad.  Oblivious to the reality around him, Frank Drebin’s lines made you laugh right out loud, no matter if you were in a theater with friends or watching at home alone.  Here are what we regard as the 14 best lines from Frank Drebin, easily one of the 100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time.

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o “I’m sure that we can handle this situation maturely, just like the responsible adults that we are. Isn’t that right, Mr. Poopy Pants?”

Naked Gun 2 1/2: The Smell of Fear (1991)

o “Wilma, I promise you; whatever scum did this, not one man on this force will rest one minute until he’s behind bars. Now, let’s grab a bite to eat.”

The Naked Gun (1988)

o “Looks like the cows have come home to roost.”

The Naked Gun 2 ½: The Smell of Fear (1991)

o “I couldn’t believe it was her, it was like a dream. But there she was, just as I remembered her – that delicately beautiful face and a body that could melt a cheese sandwich from across the room. And breasts that seemed to say, “Hey! Look at these!””

Naked Gun 2 ½: The Smell of Fear (1991)

o “Like a midget at a urinal, I was going to have to stay on my toes.”

Naked Gun 33 ½: The Final Insult (1994)

o “It’s a topsy-turvy world, and maybe the problems of two people don’t amount to a hill of beans. But this is our hill. And these are our beans!”

The Naked Gun (1988)

o “Real nice party, Hapsburg. I see a lot of familiar face-lifts.”

Naked Gun 2 ½: The Smell of Fear (1991)

o “Like a blind man at an orgy, I was going to have to feel my way through.”

Naked Gun 33 ½: The Final Insult (1994)

o “It’s fourth and fifteen and you’re looking at a full-court press.”

The Naked Gun (1988)

o “Truth hurts. Maybe not as much as jumping on a bicycle with the seat missing, but it hurts.”

The Naked Gun 2 ½: The Smell of Fear (1991)

o “You take a chance getting up in every morning, crossing the street or sticking your face in a fan.”

The Naked Gun (1988)

o “I want a world where Frank junior and all the Frank juniors can sit under a shady tree, breathe the air, swim in the ocean, and go into a 7-11 without an interpreter.”

Naked Gun 2 ½: The Smell of Fear (1991)

o “It’s true what they say – ‘Cops and women don’t mix’. It’s like eating a spoonful of
Drano.  Sure it’ll clean you out, but it’ll leave you hollow inside.”

The Naked Gun (1988)

o “Cheer up, Ed. This is not goodbye. It’s just I won’t ever see you again.”

Naked Gun 33 ½: The Final Insult (1994)

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For more information about Leslie Nielsen‘s life and career, please click here.

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