<P> An Officer and a Gentleman is a 1982 American romantic drama film starring Richard Gere , Debra Winger , and Louis Gossett Jr. , who won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for the film , making him the first African American to do so . It tells the story of Zack Mayo ( Gere ) , a United States Navy Aviation Officer Candidate who is beginning his training at Aviation Officer Candidate School . While Zack meets his first true girlfriend during his training , a young `` townie '' named Paula ( Winger ) , he also comes into conflict with the hard - driving Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant ( Gossett Jr . ) , the drill instructor training his class . </P>
<P> An Officer and a Gentleman is a 1982 American romantic drama film starring Richard Gere , Debra Winger , and Louis Gossett Jr. , who won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for the film , making him the first African American to do so . It tells the story of Zack Mayo ( Gere ) , a United States Navy Aviation Officer Candidate who is beginning his training at Aviation Officer Candidate School . While Zack meets his first true girlfriend during his training , a young `` townie '' named Paula ( Winger ) , he also comes into conflict with the hard - driving Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant ( Gossett Jr . ) , the drill instructor training his class . </P>
when did officer and a gentleman come out
when did officer and a gentleman come out
1982
1982