Let's be real: submarine movies are usually stressful. You’ve got creaking hulls, depth charges, and sweat-drenched sailors whispering about oxygen levels. Then there is the 1996 cult classic Up Periscope. It’s basically the antithesis of Das Boot. Instead of grim existential dread, we get a ragtag crew of misfits led by a guy with a "Welcome Aboard" tattoo on his junk. Honestly, it shouldn't work as well as it does, but the cast of movie Up Periscope turned what could have been a forgettable slapstick flick into a masterclass in ensemble chemistry.
Kelsey Grammer was at the absolute peak of his Frasier fame when this dropped. He plays Lieutenant Commander Tom Dodge, a rebel officer given one last shot at command. But here is the catch: he’s stuck with the USS Stingray, a rusted-out Balao-class submarine from World War II. It’s a diesel-powered relic in a nuclear world. To make matters worse, the Navy brass—specifically a deliciously petty Bruce Dern—stacks his crew with the "discard pile" of the fleet.
The Anchor: Kelsey Grammer as Tom Dodge
Grammer is the glue. If he played Dodge too goofy, the stakes would vanish. If he played him too straight, the jokes would land like lead sinkers. He finds that perfect middle ground of a competent leader who just happens to be a bit of a maverick. You actually believe he can outmaneuver a Los Angeles-class nuclear sub using nothing but whale sounds and sheer audacity.
Most people forget that before this, Grammer was mostly known for being the high-brow, sherry-sipping psychiatrist on NBC. Seeing him in a grimy ball cap, leading a crew of degenerates, was a stroke of casting genius. He brought a sense of legitimacy to the absurdity. When he tells his crew, "We're the underdogs," you actually want to see them win.
The Antagonists: Bruce Dern and William H. Macy
You can't have a good comedy without a great "straight man" to push against. Or in this case, two of them. Bruce Dern plays Rear Admiral Yancy Graham. He is the ultimate bureaucratic villain. Dern has this incredible ability to look like he’s smelling something rotten at all times, which fits perfectly for a man disgusted by Dodge’s very existence.
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Then you’ve got William H. Macy as Commander Carl Knox. This was right around the time Macy was cementing himself as one of the best character actors in Hollywood (think Fargo). As the executive officer of the "target" sub, he is high-strung, arrogant, and eventually, completely humiliated. His performance is a reminder that the cast of movie Up Periscope wasn't just filled with "funny guys," but with genuine heavyweights who knew how to play the foil.
The Misfits: Why the Ensemble Works
The "crew of losers" trope is older than dirt. The Dirty Dozen did it. Police Academy did it. But the cast of movie Up Periscope nails the specific brand of "Navy weirdo" perfectly.
- Lauren Holly as Lt. Emily Lake: She was the first woman assigned to a submarine in this fictional world. It was a big deal at the time, even if the movie plays it mostly for "tights pants" jokes. Holly handles the role with a surprising amount of grit. She’s not just there for Dodge to flirt with; she’s the only one on the boat who actually seems to know how to do her job under pressure.
- Rob Schneider as Marty Pascal: Look, I know Schneider can be polarizing. But as the high-strung, mutinous Executive Officer Pascal, he is objectively hilarious. His descent into madness—culminating in him being forced to walk the plank into a fishing net—is peak 90s comedy.
- Ken Hudson Campbell as "Buckman": Every sub needs a cook. Buckman is... well, he’s a disaster. His primary contribution involves a "clogged" galley and some very questionable lard.
- Harland Williams as "Sonar" Lovacelli: This might be the standout performance. Williams plays a sonar tech with ears so sensitive he can hear a whale "breaking wind" from miles away. His vocal impressions of dolphins and fingernails on a chalkboard are legendary.
Breaking Down the Realistic Absurdity
While the movie is a comedy, it actually filmed on a real submarine. That's the USS Pampanito, a museum ship in San Francisco. Using a real, cramped environment helped the actors. You can see the genuine physical comedy that comes from being shoved into a tin can with ten other people.
Harry Dean Stanton is also in this movie. Let that sink in. A cinematic legend who worked with Lynch and Coppola is playing Howard, the grizzled chief engineer who just wants the engines to hold together with duct tape and prayer. His presence alone elevates the film. He doesn't have to do much; he just has to exist in that greasy engine room to make the world feel lived-in.
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Why It Still Ranks in the "Sub Genre"
If you search for the cast of movie Up Periscope, you’re likely looking for nostalgia. But there is a reason this movie still pops up on streaming marathons and cable TV. It’s one of the few military comedies that actually respects the spirit of the Navy while mocking its rules.
The movie works because the stakes are surprisingly technical. The war games involve Dodge trying to sneak into Norfolk Harbor without being detected by the latest tech. It’s a classic "Old School vs. New School" battle. The cast sells the tension of the "silent running" scenes just as well as they sell the fart jokes. That’s a hard line to walk.
Where is the Cast Now?
Life moved on for the crew of the Stingray. Kelsey Grammer went on to break records with Frasier and its recent revival. William H. Macy became an Emmy-winning powerhouse in Shameless. Sadly, we lost Harry Dean Stanton in 2017, leaving a massive hole in the world of character acting.
Lauren Holly transitioned into a long run on NCIS, staying in the "naval" world in a much more serious capacity. As for Rob Schneider, he became a staple of the Adam Sandler cinematic universe. Seeing them all together in 1996 was a lightning-in-a-bottle moment for 20th Century Fox.
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Key Takeaways for Fans
If you're revisiting the film or watching it for the first time because you saw a clip on TikTok, pay attention to the background actors. The "Seaman Nitro" and "Plates" characters add layers of texture to the chaos.
- The Chemistry: Notice how the crew starts as individuals and ends as a unit. It’s a standard arc, but the actors make it feel earned.
- The Comedy Style: It’s very much a product of its time—physical, slightly crude, but ultimately warm-hearted.
- The Technical Detail: Despite being a comedy, the movie uses actual naval terminology and tactical concepts that (mostly) make sense in a "movie logic" kind of way.
To truly appreciate the cast of movie Up Periscope, you have to watch the scene where they paint the sub. It's ridiculous. It's bright yellow at one point. But the sheer joy the actors bring to the screen is infectious.
What to Do Next
If you want to dive deeper into the world of 90s military comedies or the careers of these actors, here are a few moves:
- Watch the USS Pampanito Documentary: Since the movie was filmed on this specific ship, looking into its real WWII history provides a cool contrast to the movie’s antics.
- Binge 'Down Periscope' Era Interviews: Check out old talk show clips of Grammer and Holly from '96. They genuinely seemed to have a blast making this, which explains why the chemistry feels so natural.
- Check out 'The Last Ship' or 'Hunter Killer': If you want to see how the "serious" version of these naval tropes plays out in modern cinema, these are great companion pieces to see what Up Periscope was parodizing.