Harper as a Cop on Murdoch Mysteries
Actor Tommy Chong says he and the late Sgt. Abe Snidanko are two sides of the same coin.
The retired Mountie, whose career in Vancouver's drug squad inspired the character Sgt. Stadanko in the Cheech & Chong movies, died last week of heart failure. He was 79.
"Abe and I are the same age. For my entire life and Abe's entire life, pot has always been illegal. It's only the last few years that, you know, states have started to make it legal and recognize it as a medicine," Chong told As It Happens guest hose Rosemary Barton.
"So Abe and I, we were like twins, you know? I was on the one side, he was on the other side. And I really respected him. I really respected Abe because, you know, he was true to his craft. No one was a better narc than Abe. Abe was the narc of the narcs."
Despite Chong's professed respect for Snidanko, he admits his famous parody of the officer was not done in the spirit of kindness.
"It was a f--k you more than a tribute," he said. "It was, 'I'm gonna make you famous, Abe.'"
And he did. The straight-laced and bumbling character Sgt. Stadanko made his debut on Chong's 1973 comedy album Los Cochinos, and was later portrayed by Stacey Keach in the Cheech & Chong stoner comedies Up In Smoke and Nice Dream.
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Hippie nemesis Abe Snidanko dies at 79 | Vancouver Sun
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Tommy Chong remembers Vancouver drug squad officer Abe Snidanko, the 'narc of the narcs' - Home | As It Happens | CBC Radio
Abe Snidanko
Actor Tommy Chong says he and the late Sgt. Abe Snidanko are two sides of the same coin.
The retired Mountie, whose career in Vancouver's drug squad inspired the character Sgt. Stadanko in the Cheech & Chong movies, died last week of heart failure. He was 79.
"Abe and I are the same age. For my entire life and Abe's entire life, pot has always been illegal. It's only the last few years that, you know, states have started to make it legal and recognize it as a medicine," Chong told As It Happens guest hose Rosemary Barton.
"So Abe and I, we were like twins, you know? I was on the one side, he was on the other side. And I really respected him. I really respected Abe because, you know, he was true to his craft. No one was a better narc than Abe. Abe was the narc of the narcs."
Despite Chong's professed respect for Snidanko, he admits his famous parody of the officer was not done in the spirit of kindness.
"It was a f--k you more than a tribute," he said. "It was, 'I'm gonna make you famous, Abe.'"
And he did. The straight-laced and bumbling character Sgt. Stadanko made his debut on Chong's 1973 comedy album Los Cochinos, and was later portrayed by Stacey Keach in the Cheech & Chong stoner comedies Up In Smoke and Nice Dream.
more
Hippie nemesis Abe Snidanko dies at 79 | Vancouver Sun
video
Tommy Chong remembers Vancouver drug squad officer Abe Snidanko, the 'narc of the narcs' - Home | As It Happens | CBC Radio
Abe Snidanko