Police Academy star and theater legend Peter Van Norden has passed away at the age of 75. As reported by TMZ, he died on Thursday, July 9.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, his son, Robert Van Norden, confirmed his passing on social media. He wrote, "Peter passed away peacefully last night with his wife, Wendy, at his side." TMZ reported that he was suffering from several different health conditions. He had been taken to a California hospice before his passing.
Robert continued, "He was a terrific father, husband, friend, and a greatly respected member of the theater community. He will be missed."
Van Norden was most well known for appearing in a slew of 80s and 90s comedies. The most popular of these were his stints in the Police Academy franchise, where he played Officer Vinnie Schtulman in Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment, and The Naked Gun franchise, where he played the former White House Chief of Staff John Sununu in The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell Of Fear.
He also appeared in various other comedy projects. These include Waitress!, Cheers, T.J. Hooker, The Stand, The Accused, and Roadhouse 66.
But, as his son Robert mentioned, Van Norden was also a legendary theater actor. He frequently played roles in Broadway and various other regional theaters. His final credit was in a production of Corktown '39 in 2025, where he played Joe.
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Tributes Have Poured in for the 'Police Academy' Star
Tributes have poured in on social media for the Police Academy star.
One commenter wrote, "Rest in peace to a true face of the Police Academy series." Another wrote, "We just keep losing legends in every field..... Like this sucks."
Other commenters remembered him for his roles in other work. One commenter lamented, "Another one gone I remember him from in the heat of the night where he played a vigilante cop." The TV show the commenter was referencing was a police drama.
Another commenter remembered an iconic moment of Van Norden's. It came from his role in 1988's The Accused, where District Attorney Paul Rudolph is seen eating cereal in a particularly jarring scene where a crime is being discussed.
The commenter wrote, "I will never forget that scene with the cereal bowl."
Rest in peace to a true legend.
