21 Jump Street Page - Article 5 - Johnny Depp: This Baby Faced Cop has Definitely made the Jump

Buckle up those seat belts on your beasy chair! School's back in session and Monday night television's about to go on a slambag pace anew with the return of 21 Jump Street. Starting last Monday, the 19th, school went back in session at least on (Philippines) GMA channel 7 that is, as Johnny Depp and the rest of the Jump Street Program return for another season of campus crimebusting adventures on 21 Jump Street.

Originally entitled Jump Street Chapel, when the series was still on the developing stage, 21 Jump Street began as a Miami Vice type for the teen set with its flashy visual style, intriguing premise and hot rock soundtrack. Later on though, the series gradually steered away from this type of a format into a more issue oriented type of a series with episodes tackling on issues suich as AIDS, the bad effects of using steroids. incest, racial discrimination and teenage pregnancy, to name a few.

This controversial cops - and - robbers show features bright new stars and hotter then ever story lines that make other shows look like a fashion parade. 21 Jump Street created by Patrick Hasburgh and Stephen J. Cannell (of the A-Team and Wise Guy) is based on the exploits of a band of baby faced undercover cops who go after school criminals by posing as students.

Mixing an intriguing premise with a flashy visual style, 21 Jump Street also ofers some valuable information for students and parents everywhere.

When 21 Jump Street first hit the airwaves in the US during April of 1987, and February of 1988 locally, the series' cast included Holly Robinson, Peter DeLuise, Johnny Depp, Dustin Nguyen and Frederic Forrest, whose character was killed off on the sixth episode of the first season, as the Captain of the young and unique undercover unit.

But that was then. today, as the series enters its fourth season, (locally that is.) Actor Steven Williams is firmly seated in the Captain's chair.

Just like Miami Vice where the show's music is scored weekly by the same composer Tim Truman, the music on 21 Jup Street is scored weekly by Peter Bernstein. Bernstein, by the way has two cuts on the 21 Jump Street Soundtrack (unreleased locally), entitled The Riff and Besieged.

Altough the series utilizes a relatively new cast (or at least they were when the the show premiered, The principals have since graduated to full star status) and except Miami Vice the cast is also TV's most culturally diverse.

But just like most shows that have become a certified hit 21 Jump Street did not get there without being criticized once or twice. During the first few episodes, these baby - faced crime busters of TV stirred a controversy with the real life cops of the LAPD's Juvenile Narcotic Program. The show suposedly beared very little resemblance to real police work. But one thing's for sure, despite this observation by the LAPD, the show does bear a resemblance to one of the most action packed show on TV with the most appealing cast.

Speaking of appealing cast, heading it is our coverboy and the reason of this article - Johnny Depp.

Following is a little something for all of you Johnny Depp fans out there. Enjoy!

Johnny Depp who plays Tommy Hanson on the show has emerged as the heartthrob of his group. His intense goodlooks and boyish charm will keep viewers pinned to their TV sets every Monday night. Johnny was in for a rude awakening when he headed for Hollywood seeking fame and fortune. Instead, he nearly went broke and ended up selling pens to scrape out a living. But today, he's a successful actor wo sets heart a - flutter as a member of the Jump Street gang.

About six years ago, Depp and his buddies - who had a band called "The kids" - headed west from Miami suburb of Miramar. The group split, Depp was determined to make it one way or another. Broke 21 year old Johnny took a job selling pens by telephone - telemarketing it's called in the want ads. He made about $100 a week, just enough to pay his rent in a very seedy apartment.

Then one night while performing with "The Kids" he met actor Nicholas Cage. At the urging of Cage , Johnny met with Cages agent, who sent Johnny on an audition for the feature film, A Nightmare on Elm Street. Two days later his acting career was launched. Next, came Private Resort, which Depp laughingly describes "as one of the worst movies ever made." But co-creator and executive producer of 21 Jump Street, Patrick Hasburg, saw that movie and called Depp to read for the part of Officer Tommy Hanson, a reluctant high school squad leader. Johnny almost didnt make it to the audition for the Fox police series because he was down with a bad case oif flu. "I gave the worst reading, I was terrible," he remembers. But someone saw something in him. A few days later the flu bug had gone and he was on his way to Vancouver where the show is filmed.

Before 21 Jump Street came another big break: his agent sent him to read for Platoon (a film that was shot in the Philippines during the 1986 February Revolution). Depp was cast as a Vietnamese interpreter.

It may have been the role of his career - but 21 Jump Street has had the greatest effect on his personal life. It was on the set of the show that he met the steady lady in his life Sherilyn Fenn (Remember her in Two Moon Junction with Richard Tyson?)

Johnny's character Tommy is scared. He's fresh out of the police academy and working on the shadow of his father, who was also a cop. Tommy can be a little hyper on the job, so he has to cool off. The series shows that authoritative figures such as cops and teachers are imperfect and human too. Tommy is a keen but naive cop and the assignment means he is learning the job uder tough conditions - and that makes him vulnerable and prone to goof up.

When he (Tommy) first came to the series, he was very green, very gung-ho. He's just starting to grow up and learn a bit from those around him. He's changed the most in his outlook. Before things were only good or bad, very one dimensional, now he is seeing a balance.