---
name: "Tim Kazurinsky"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/tim-kazurinsky"
fi1m_id: "tim-kazurinsky"
imdb_id: "nm0443730"
tmdb_id: 95216
wikidata_id: "Q523958"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "3 March 1950"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 3
average_fi1m_score: 40
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 3
updated: "2026-10-04T19:59:50.370060+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Tim Kazurinsky

## Identity

Tim Kazurinsky

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/tim-kazurinsky
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** tim-kazurinsky
- **IMDb ID:** nm0443730
- **TMDB ID:** 95216
- **Wikidata ID:** Q523958
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Kazurinsky, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q523958, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0443730/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/95216

Actor. Born 3 March 1950 in Johnstown.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 3 March 1950, Johnstown
- **Active:** 1985–1987
- **Frequently works with:** [Bubba Smith](https://film.one/person/bubba-smith.md), [David Graf](https://film.one/person/david-graf.md), [Gene Quintano](https://film.one/person/gene-quintano.md), [Michael Winslow](https://film.one/person/michael-winslow.md), [Paul Maslansky](https://film.one/person/paul-maslansky.md), [Steve Guttenberg](https://film.one/person/steve-guttenberg.md)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 40, as actor, over 3 titles
- **Score spread:** 0 at 80+, 0 at 60–79, 3 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 0 of 2 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Comedy 3, Crime 3
- **Screen time:** 4 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $240m across 3 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Kazurinsky, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q523958, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0443730/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/95216

## Fi1m on Tim Kazurinsky

> Tim Kazurinsky makes flustered reactions worth watching, especially opposite Bobcat Goldthwait’s disorderly Zed. We like his unembarrassed silliness; the trouble is finding enough good jokes around it in the *Police Academy* sequels.

Beside Bobcat Goldthwait’s anarchic Zed, Tim Kazurinsky’s timid Sweetchuck has plenty to react to. Kazurinsky makes the fluster part of the entertainment, rather than merely waiting for the louder actor to finish. We like him as a comic foil because he will look ridiculous without insisting that we find him lovable. In *Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol* (1987), that willingness is one of the few reasons to keep watching.

Sweetchuck is only one version of his supporting comic work. On *Saturday Night Live*, where he wrote and performed from 1981 to 1984, his recurring parts included the pun-delivering Dr. Jack Badofsky and Mr. Landlord, opposite Eddie Murphy’s Mr. Robinson. After leaving the programme, he concentrated on screenwriting while continuing in supporting roles. He co-wrote *About Last Night...* (1986) with Denise DeClue and also played Colin. Those small screen parts should not be mistaken for the whole of his contribution to comedy.

The two academy sequels we have reviewed show the limits of a willing supporting cast. Jerry Paris’s *Police Academy 3: Back in Training* (1986) offers too many exhausted jokes to recommend, and Jim Drake’s fourth instalment is poorer still. We were grateful for Kazurinsky and Goldthwait’s silliness in the fourth film, because their readiness to look foolish offered some relief from Gene Quintano’s thin supply of jokes. Neither actor can do much about the shortage of worthwhile material for the civilian recruits. Their efforts make stretches of the film tolerable, but we would not pretend that they rescue it.

The risk with such a useful foil is that the casting becomes automatic: another small part, another man easily put upon. His more consistent return to acting in the 2000s and 2010s took in guest television, occasional films and stage work, including the Wizard in the 2014 national tour of *Wicked*. We would be wary of treating Sweetchuck as the measure of everything he can do. But we would be equally wary of recommending the sequels simply because he is in them. Give him better jokes before asking us to sit through another academy intake.

## Biography

Tim Kazurinsky is an American actor, comedian and screenwriter. Born on 3 March 1950 in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, he began his career in advertising before joining The Second City in Chicago in 1978.

He served as a cast member and writer on Saturday Night Live from 1981 to 1984, receiving a Primetime Emmy nomination for writing. Kazurinsky is known for playing Cadet Carl Sweetchuck in the Police Academy films, including Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment (1985), Police Academy 3: Back in Training (1986) and Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol (1987).

Other screen credits include appearances in Somewhere in Time (1980), Neighbors (1981) and About Last Night (1986). He has worked extensively in Chicago theatre and received Joseph Jefferson Award nominations for his stage performances.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com, timkazurinsky.net.*

## On Fi1m (3)

- *Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol* (1987), Fi1m 36, as Sweetchuck — [page](https://film.one/film/police-academy-4-citizens-on-patrol.md)
- *Police Academy 3: Back in Training* (1986), Fi1m 42, as Cadet Sweetchuck — [page](https://film.one/film/police-academy-3-back-in-training.md)
- *Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment* (1985), Fi1m 42, as Merchant — [page](https://film.one/film/police-academy-2-their-first-assignment.md)

## Complete filmography (49)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *An SNL Thanksgiving* (2024), as (archive footage)
- *Another Happy Day* (2023), as Casting Director
- *The Road Dog* (2023), as Phil
- *Later Days* (2021), as Charlie
- *Just Jo* (2020), as Landlord
- *Chasing the Blues* (2018), as Marvin Pounder
- *Hope Springs Eternal* (2018), as Mr. Melvin Baxter
- *Thrill Ride* (2017), as Gus
- *Easy* (2016), series, as Father Timothy
- *Chicago Med* (2015), series, as Sheldon West
- *Detectives Club* (2015), series, as Grandpa
- *About Last Night* (2014), Screenplay
- *The Mole Man of Belmont Avenue* (2013), as Harold
- *Scrooge & Marley* (2012), as Jacob Marley's Ghost
- *The Return of Joe Rich* (2011), as Petey B
- *Ca$h* (2010), as Chunky Chicken Salesman (uncredited)
- *Tapioca* (2009), as Einstein
- *I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With* (2006), as Bill Bjango
- *8 of Diamonds* (2006), as Viggio
- *Roll Bounce* (2005), as Car Salesman
- *Betaville* (2005), as President XM
- *Still Standing* (2002), series, as Irv
- *Strange Relations* (2001), as Attending Nurse · Writer
- *According to Jim* (2001), series, as Salesman, Elf
- *Poor White Trash* (2000), as Carlton Rasmeth
- *Curb Your Enthusiasm* (2000), series, as Hugh Mellon — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/curb-your-enthusiasm.md)
- *Saturday Night Live: 25th Anniversary Special* (1999), as (archive footage)
- *Police Academy: The Series* (1997), series, as Arnold Fliegel
- *Plump Fiction* (1997), as Priscilla, Queen of the Desserts
- *The Cherokee Kid* (1996), as Gaudy Hawker · Writer
- *Early Edition* (1996), series, as Walter Dalrymple
- *Shakes the Clown* (1991), as 1st Party Dad
- *Wedding Band* (1990), as Badge Brother #1
- *Dinner at Eight* (1989), as Ed
- *Hot to Trot* (1988), as Leonard
- *For Keeps* (1988), Writer
- *Married... with Children* (1987), series, as Sidney Rimhollow
- *Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol* (1987), as Sweetchuck — Fi1m 36, [page](https://film.one/film/police-academy-4-citizens-on-patrol.md)
- *About Last Night...* (1986), as Colin · Writer
- *Police Academy 3: Back in Training* (1986), as Cadet Sweetchuck — Fi1m 42, [page](https://film.one/film/police-academy-3-back-in-training.md)
- *Tab Lloyd: Investigative Reporter* (1985), Actor
- *Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment* (1985), as Merchant — Fi1m 42, [page](https://film.one/film/police-academy-2-their-first-assignment.md)
- *This Wife for Hire* (1985), as Mel Greenfield, M.D.
- *The Princess and the Pea* (1984), as The Fool / Museum Guard
- *A Billion for Boris* (1984), as Bart
- *Faerie Tale Theatre* (1982), series, as Fool / Museum Guard
- *Neighbors* (1981), as Pa Greavy
- *Somewhere in Time* (1980), as Photographer [1912]
- *My Bodyguard* (1980), as Workman

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© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/tim-kazurinsky