Cop and a Half

**Cop and a Half** is a 1993 American comedy film directed by Henry Winkler. The film was released on April 2, 1993 by Universal Pictures.

## Plot

After eight-year-old Devon Butler (Norman D. Golden II) witnesses a murder committed by a gang, he refuses to testify unless he can be a policeman. To humor him, Devon is paired up with fiery police detective Nick McKenna (Burt Reynolds) for a day as they pursue the killers.

## Cast

* Burt Reynolds as Detective Nick McKenna
* Norman D. Golden II as Devon Butler
* Ruby Dee as Rachel Baldwin
* Holland Taylor as Captain Rubio
* Ray Sharkey as Vinnie Fountain
* Sammy Hernandez as Raymond Sanchez
* Sean Evan O'Neal as McNally
* Carmine Genovese as Rio
* Frank Sivero as Chu
* Rocky Giordani as Quintero
* Marc Macaulay as Waldo
* Tom McCleister as Rudy
* Ralph Wilcox as Detective Matt McPhail
* Tom Kouchalakos as Detective Jenkins

## Production

Principal photography for "Cop and a Half" began on May 9, 1992 and ended on August 2, 1992.

Filming took place in Tampa, Florida and Dade City, Florida. It was originally proposed as a sequel to the 1990 film, "Kindergarten Cop."

Kurt Russell and Jim Belushi were offered the role of Detective Nick McKenna, but they both turned it down. The role was ultimately given to Burt Reynolds, who said that he mainly did it to have a film that his son, Quinton could see.

Macaulay Culkin was approached to play the role of Devon Butler, but he dropped out of the film. Lee Ross was also considered for the role, but it eventually went to Norman D. Golden II. The child character was rewritten to be female, but then it was changed back to male once Norman D. Golden II was cast in the role.

During production, Norman D. Golden II was sidelined with chicken pox. According to producer Paul Maslansky: *"It cost us some time, but we were able to shoot around him using doubles. We were lucky that both Burt and Henry had already had chicken pox - as had most of the kids around the set."*

"Cop and a Half" came under fire from the media and parenting groups over the scene where Norman Golden II is dunked headfirst into the toilet and flushed by two bullies. Many thought the scene was in poor taste given Golden's African-American heritage.

Burt Reynolds was quizzed over the scene and its apparent controversy. He said unlike his other films (where he was involved as a producer or director), he was simply the hired hand on this film and had no control over the script.

It was the final acting role for Ray Sharkey (who played the role of Vinnie Fountain) who died on June 11, 1993 at the age of 40.

Burt Reynolds reportedly argued with director Henry Winkler through the shoot and later became convinced that producer Brian Grazer refused to work with him again as a result.

## Box Office

"Cop and a Half" grossed $6,027,285 at the box office during its opening weekend. Overall, it grossed $40,689,691 on an estimated budget of $14,000,000.

## Critical Reception

"Cop and a Half" has an approval rating of 17% on Rotten Tomatoes with an average rating of 2.8/10. Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film a grade of "B+" on scale of A+ to F.

Jay Boyar of the Orlando Sentinel wrote: *"Just about the only really enjoyable thing about Cop and a Half is Norman D. Golden II, who is genuinely cute and a pretty good little actor besides."*

In his review of "Cop and a Half," film critic and historian Leonard Maltin said: *"A hemorrhoid-and-a-half to anyone who sits all the way through this...abjectly painful comedy, which does about as much for Reynolds' career as Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot did for Sylvester Stallone's."*

Gene Siskel of the Chicago Tribune saw the film as indicative of *"artistic bankruptcy"* on Burt Reynolds' part, and singled out Norman D. Golden II's performance as "*awkward*". He later called it the worst movie of 1993.

However, Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave it a rating of 3 stars out of a possible 4, saying: *"There isn't much that's original in Cop and a Half, but there's a lot that's entertaining, and there's a winning performance by a young man with a big name, Norman D. Golden II, who plays little Devon Butler, a kid who dreams of someday wearing the shield."*

Desson Howe from The Washington Post said that Norman D. Golden II's *"insufferable, smart-alecky quips suggest something closer to grotesque."*

Also writing for the Washington Post, Rita Kempley stated that "Cop and a Half" manages to be *"offensive on so many levels that it deserves mention in the Guinness Book of World Records under cultural child abuse."*

## Awards

**The Stinkers Bad Movie Awards** (1993)

* Worst Picture: Paul Maslansky [*Nominated*]
* Worst Actor: Norman D. Golden II and Burt Reynolds [*Nominated*]

**Razzie Awards** (1994)

* Worst Actor: Burt Reynolds [**Winner**]
* Worst New Star: Norman D. Golden II [*Nominated*]

**Young Artist Awards** (1994)

* Best Actor Under Ten in a Motion Picture: Norman D. Golden II [*Nominated*]

## Production companies

* Universal Pictures
* Imagine Films Entertainment