View source for Paul Maslansky


{{Unreliable sources|date=June 2018}}
{{Infobox person
| birth_name = Paul Marc Maslansky
| caption = Maslansky in 1999
| image = Paul_Maslansky_1999.jpg
| birth_date = {{birth date|1933|11|23|mf=y}}
| birth_place = [[New York City]], U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|2024|12|2|1933|11|23}}
| death_place = [[Ventura County, California|Los Robles, California]], U.S.
| occupation = Producer, writer
| yearsactive = 1964–2024
}}

'''Paul Marc Maslansky''' ({{IPAc-en|m|ə|ˈ|z|l|æ|n|s|k|i}} {{Respell|mə|ZLAN|skee}};<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jUjmIhlqQw?time_continue=1740|title=Producer Paul Maslansky on making Return to Oz|work=YouTube|date=February 11, 2014|accessdate=11 January 2026}}</ref> November 23, 1933 – December 2, 2024) was an American film producer and writer best known for the ''[[Police Academy (franchise)|Police Academy]]'' franchise, and directing the [[Blaxploitation horror films|Blaxploitation horror film]] ''[[Sugar Hill (1974 film)|Sugar Hill]]'' (1974).

== Early life ==
Maslansky was born in [[Harlem, New York]], on November 23, 1933. He played jazz for a living while briefly attending law school in New York. He graduated from [[Washington & Lee University]] in [[Lexington, Virginia]], in 1954.<ref name="wlu.edu">{{cite web|url=https://www.wlu.edu/lenfest-center/past-seasons/paul-maslansky-%E2%80%9954|title=Paul Maslansky '54|website=Washington and Lee University|accessdate=21 June 2018|archive-date=15 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180815190346/https://wlu.edu/lenfest-center/past-seasons/paul-maslansky-%E2%80%9954|url-status=dead}}</ref>

== Career ==
Maslansky had 41 film credits as producer or executive producer. His first production credit was for 1964's ''[[Castle of the Living Dead]]'', which starred [[Christopher Lee]]. Initially, Maslansky used his middle initial in his credits, though this was later dropped. Maslansky worked throughout the 1960s and 1970s as producer, notable credits include ''[[Race with the Devil]]'', ''[[Damnation Alley (film)|Damnation Alley]]'', ''[[The Villain (1979 film)|The Villain]]'', and ''[[Love Child (1982 film)|Love Child]]''. He also directed the [[Blaxploitation]] [[Southern Gothic|Southern]] [[Gothic film|Gothic]] [[horror film]] ''[[Sugar Hill (1974 film)|Sugar Hill]]'' (1974).<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/editorials/3622526/sugar-hill-unleashes-voodoo-zombies-atypical-revenge-tale-shudder-pick/ |title='Sugar Hill' Remains an Underseen Outlier Among Post-'Night of the Living Dead' Zombie Films [Shudder] |last=Navarro|first=Meagan |date=July 8, 2020 |website=Bloody Disgusting |access-date=September 16, 2025 }}</ref>

Maslansky was nominated for a [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Limited Series|Primetime Emmy Award]] for the 1978 series ''[[King (miniseries)|King]]''.

Maslansky had a breakthrough hit with ''[[Police Academy (film)|Police Academy]]'' in 1984. From a budget of $4.1 million, the film grossed $155 million and spawned a film franchise and television series ''[[Police Academy: The Series]]'', which Maslansky wrote.<ref>{{Mojo title|policeacademy}}</ref>

He frequently made cameo appearances in the ''[[Police Academy (franchise)|Police Academy]]'' movies.

Maslansky's notable credits following ''Police Academy'' include 1985's ''[[Return to Oz]]'', 1990's ''[[The Russia House (film)|The Russia House]]'' and ''[[Fluke (film)|Fluke]]'' in 1995.

The Lenfest Center for the Art's 'Maslansky Rehearsal Hall' in Lexington is named after him.<ref name="wlu.edu"/>

==Death==
Maslansky died in [[Ventura County, California|Los Robles, California]], on December 2, 2024, at the age of 91.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2024/12/paul-maslansky-dies-91-police-academy-producer-1236196924/|title=Paul Maslansky Dies: 'Police Academy' Producer Was 91|website=[[Deadline Hollywood|Deadline]]|date=December 6, 2024|access-date=December 7, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/paul-maslansky-dead-producer-police-academy-1236080353/|title=Paul Maslansky, 'Police Academy' and 'Return to Oz' Producer, Dies at 91|website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|date=December 6, 2024|access-date=December 7, 2024}}</ref>

== Filmography ==
Maslansky was a producer in all films unless otherwise noted.

=== Film ===
{| class="wikitable"
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Film
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Credit
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Notes
|-
| 1964 || ''[[Castle of the Living Dead]]'' || ||
|-
| 1966 || ''[[The She Beast]]'' || ||
|-
| 1970 || ''[[Eyewitness (1970 film)|Eyewitness]]'' || ||
|-
| 1972 || ''[[Death Line]]'' || ||
|-
| 1974 || ''[[Sugar Hill (1974 film)|Sugar Hill]]'' || ||
|-
| 1974 || ''[[Miracles Still Happen]]'' || Associate producer || Uncredited
|-
|rowspan=2| 1975 || ''[[Race with the Devil]]'' || Executive producer ||
|-
| ''[[Hard Times (1975 film)|Hard Times]]'' || Executive producer ||
|-
| 1976 || ''[[The Blue Bird (1976 film)|The Blue Bird]]'' || ||
|-
| 1977 || ''[[Damnation Alley (film)|Damnation Alley]]'' || ||
|-
| 1978 || ''[[Circle of Iron]]'' || ||
|-
|rowspan=4| 1979 || ''[[When You Comin' Back, Red Ryder? (film)|When You Comin' Back, Red Ryder?]]'' || Co-producer ||
|-
| ''[[Hot Stuff (1979 film)|Hot Stuff]]'' || Executive producer ||
|-
| ''[[The Villain (1979 film)|The Villain]]'' || Executive producer ||
|-
| ''[[Scavenger Hunt]]'' || Co-producer ||
|-
| 1980 || ''[[Ruckus (film)|Ruckus]]'' || ||
|-
| 1981 || ''[[The Salamander (1981 film)|The Salamander]]'' || ||
|-
| 1982 || ''[[Love Child (1982 film)|Love Child]]'' || ||
|-
|rowspan=2| 1984 || ''[[Police Academy (film)|Police Academy]]'' || ||
|-
| ''Big Truck and Sister Clare'' || Executive producer ||
|-
|rowspan=2| 1985 || ''[[Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment]]'' || ||
|-
| ''[[Return to Oz]]'' || ||
|-
| 1986 || ''[[Police Academy 3: Back in Training]]'' || ||
|-
| 1987 || ''[[Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol]]'' || ||
|-
| 1988 || ''[[Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach]]'' || ||
|-
|rowspan=2| 1989 || ''[[Police Academy 6: City Under Siege]]'' || ||
|-
| ''[[Honeymoon Academy]]'' || || Direct-to-video
|-
|rowspan=2| 1990 || ''[[Ski Patrol (1990 film)|Ski Patrol]]'' || Executive producer ||
|-
| ''[[The Russia House (film)|The Russia House]]'' || ||
|-
| 1993 || ''[[Cop and a Half]]'' || ||
|-
| 1994 || ''[[Police Academy: Mission to Moscow]]'' || ||
|-
| 1995 || ''[[Fluke (film)|Fluke]]'' || ||
|-
| 2017 || ''Death of the Sheik'' || Executive producer ||
|-
|rowspan=3 style="text-align:center;" | {{TableTBA}} || ''[[Coming Through Slaughter]]'' || ||
|-
| ''[[Police Academy (franchise)#Future|Police Academy]]'' || ||
|-
| ''The First Force'' || Executive producer ||
|}

; As writer
{| class="wikitable"
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Film
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Notes
|-
| 1964 || ''[[Castle of the Living Dead]]'' ||
|-
| 1984 || ''[[Police Academy (film)|Police Academy]]'' || Uncredited
|}

; As an actor
{| class="wikitable"
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Film
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Role
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Notes
|-
| 1975 || ''[[Race with the Devil]]'' || Road Worker in Cowboy Hat ||rowspan=6 | Uncredited
|-
| 1978 || ''[[Circle of Iron]]'' || Student at Temple
|-
| 1986 || ''[[Police Academy 3: Back in Training]]'' || Man #4 in Police Line-up
|-
| 1987 || ''[[Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol]]'' || Retirement Home Warden
|-
| 1988 || ''[[Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach]]'' || Homeless Man at Museum
|-
| 1989 || ''[[Police Academy 6: City Under Siege]]'' || Man at Precinct Payphone
|-
| 2021 || ''Silent Life'' || [[Adolph Zukor]] ||
|}

; Production manager
{| class="wikitable"
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Film
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Role
|-
| 1963 || ''[[Jason and the Argonauts (1963 film)|Jason and the Argonauts]]'' || Unit manager
|-
| 1969 || ''[[The Red Tent (film)|The Red Tent]]'' || Executive in charge of production
|}

; As director
{| class="wikitable"
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Film
|-
| 1974 || ''[[Sugar Hill (1974 film)|Sugar Hill]]''
|}

; Second unit director or assistant director
{| class="wikitable"
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Film
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Role
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Notes
|-
| 1975 || ''[[Race with the Devil]]'' || Second unit director || Uncredited
|}

; Miscellaneous crew
{| class="wikitable"
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Film
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Role
|-
| 1964 || ''[[The Long Ships (film)|The Long Ships]]'' || Assistant to producer
|}

=== Television ===
{| class="wikitable"
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Title
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Credit
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Notes
|-
| 1974 || ''[[The Gun and the Pulpit]]'' || || Television film
|-
| 1978 || ''[[King (miniseries)|King]]'' || ||
|-
| 1987 || ''[[CBS Schoolbreak Special]]'' || Executive producer ||
|-
| 1988 || ''[[Police Academy (TV series)|Police Academy]]'' || Executive producer ||
|-
| 1997–98 || ''[[Police Academy: The Series]]'' || Executive producer ||
|}

; As writer
{| class="wikitable"
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Title
|-
| 1997–98 || ''[[Police Academy: The Series]]''
|}

; As an actor
{| class="wikitable"
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Title
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Role
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Notes
|-
| 1997–98 || ''[[Police Academy: The Series]]'' || Grumpy Man at Table<hr />Grumpy Man in Convertible || Uncredited
|}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{IMDb name|id=0556487|name=Paul Maslansky}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Maslansky, Paul}}
[[Category:1933 births]]
[[Category:2024 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century American businesspeople]]
[[Category:21st-century American businesspeople]]
[[Category:20th-century American screenwriters]]
[[Category:American horror film directors]]
[[Category:American television writers]]
[[Category:Film producers from New York (state)]]
[[Category:Screenwriters from  New York (state)]]
[[Category:Washington and Lee University alumni]]
[[Category:Writers from Queens, New York]]
[[Category:Police Academy (franchise)]]

{{Wikipedia attribution|original_title=Paul Maslansky|access_date=2026-03-05}}