Director of “Blast from the Past,” Hugh Wilson, also directed the hilarious comedy film “Police Academy” in 1984. The plot revolves around the titular police school publishing a notice indicating that it would be willing to accept any applicant under the sun who harbors a covert desire to join the police force.
However, when individuals from diverse backgrounds arrive at the academy, the project takes an absurd turn for the worse. Due to the film’s success, six sequels have been released, collectively known as the “Police Academy” franchise.
The story takes place in an unnamed city, and the drama that develops revolves around the academy of the same name. But if you’re curious about the locations where the film was shot, let us show you around.
Police Academy Filming Locations
All the filming for “Police Academy” took place in Ontario, particularly in and around Toronto. On May 30, 1983, principal photography got underway, and it was completed on July 14, 1983.
Director of photography Michael D. Margulies (of “Dirty Mary Crazy Larry” and “The Baby”) oversaw production design, and Trevor Williams (of “The Changeling” and “The Silent Partner”) handled photography. Now allow us to take you to the exact sites where the film was shot.
Toronto, Ontario
The majority of the film was filmed in Ontario, particularly in Toronto, which is a significant Canadian city near Lake Ontario and the provincial capital.
The team mapped out the entire city and shot sequences in some lesser-known sites. The location of Fackler’s house in the movie is 81 Elsfield Road in Toronto’s Etobicoke neighborhood.
Additionally, the Academy grounds serve as an important backdrop at several story points. The pictures were recorded on the grounds of Humber College, a university situated in Toronto’s Etobicoke neighborhood at 3199 Lake Shore Boulevard.
The campus, usually referred to as the Lakeshore campus, is located in the western part of the city. The scene when Mahoney teaches Hightower how to drive was filmed outside 2983 Lakeshore Boulevard West, not far from the school.
In the meantime, the chaotic images were recorded in Toronto’s trendy Kensington Market, a Bohemian district with charming stores and cafés that draw visitors from all over the world in addition to artists. Mahoney is employed as a valet, and one of Simcoe Place’s parking lots is located on Simcoe Street in Toronto.
The whole Blue Oyster Bar is fictitious, and the sequences were recorded in the now-closed Silver Dollar Room, which was formerly situated at 486 Spadina Avenue. At the Toy Factory Lofts, a complex of apartment buildings at 43 Hanna Avenue, the crew shot a few key shots.
Most importantly, the loft roof worked for the rooftop segment that set the scene. Furthermore, the Kodak booth that Barbara uses in the movie isn’t a real one. The sequences were shot in the parking lot of 449 Carlaw Avenue in downtown Toronto, next to the Dollerama bargain store.
The scenes were taken on the Cherry Street Strauss Bascule Bridge, a lift bridge located in the industrial Port Lands area—for those who are aware of what happened to Barbara’s photo booth. Aside from that, the team slept out at Lakeshore Studio to record other interior scenes.
At 2264 Lake Shore Boulevard West in Etobicoke, there used to be a manufacturing plant; today, it is a condominium. Finally, the show traveled to Brampton, a Greater Toronto Area community located about 44 km from Toronto’s downtown.
Finally, the fact that the Police Academy was recorded in a variety of cities, such as Miami, Toronto, and Moscow, gave each episode a distinct flavor. Thanks to its enduring characters and hilarious situations, the series has grown to be a treasured aspect of film history.
The settings and information around the production of Police Academy offer intriguing insights into this classic comedy, regardless of the matter, whether you’ve been a fan for a long time or are only now becoming aware of the movie.
