In the middle of filming this latest chapter of Police Academy comedy, rather grimmer real-life events in Moscow suddenly threatened to take over entirely.

For in the midst of shooting, cast and crew had to retreat quickly when Government troops began their October 1993 assault on the Russian parliament building.

Series producer Paul Maslanski (who also made The Russia House in Moscow) and director Alan Metter (Back to School) were lunching at the US Embassy when the confrontation began.

They decided to regroup with their company at the quaintly-named Hotel Gorbachev Finance Academy about five miles from the chaos. After a few days indoors and confident that President Yeltsin had regained control, their fictitious mayhem was able to resume.