Leslie Nielsen
Acting
- Born:
- 1926-02-11
- Died:
- 2010-11-28
- Place of birth:
- Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
Biography
Leslie William Nielsen (February 11, 1926 – November 28, 2010) was a Canadian American actor and comedian. Nielsen appeared in over one hundred films and 1,500 television programs over the span of his career, portraying over 220 characters. Born in Regina, Saskatchewan, Nielsen enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force and worked as a disc jockey before receiving a scholarship to Neighborhood Playhouse. Making his television debut in 1948, he quickly expanded to over 50 television appearances two years later. Nielsen made his film debut in 1956, and began collecting roles in dramas, westerns, and romance films. Nielsen's performances in the films Forbidden Planet (1956) and The Poseidon Adventure (1972) received positive reviews as a serious actor, though he is primarily known for his comedic roles. Although Nielsen's acting career crossed a variety of genres in both television and films, his deadpan delivery in Airplane! (1980) marked a turning point in his career, one that would make him, in the words of film critic Roger Ebert, "the Olivier of spoofs." Nielsen enjoyed further success with The Naked Gun film series (1988 – 1994), based on a short-lived television series Police Squad! in which he starred earlier. His portrayal of serious characters seemingly oblivious to (and complicit in) their absurd surroundings gave him a reputation as a comedian. In the final years of his career, Nielsen appeared in multiple spoof and parody films, many of which were met poorly by critics, but performed well in box office and home media releases. Nielsen married four times and had two daughters from his second marriage. He was recognized with a variety of awards throughout his career, and was inducted into the Canada and Hollywood Walks of Fame.
Known For
Filmography
O.J.: Made in America
Mel Brooks: Make a Noise
Stonerville
Spanish Movie
Stan Helsing
Slap Shot 3: The Junior League
An American Carol
Superhero Movie
Family Guy Presents: Blue Harvest
Lipshitz Saves the World
Music Within
Amazing! Exploring the Far Reaches of Forbidden Planet
Robby the Robot: Engineering a Sci-Fi Icon
Gameshow Marathon
Scary Movie 4
Robson Arms
Tubridy Tonight
Nos Bastidores de Hollywood
The Nutcracker and the Mouseking
The Best of So Graham Norton
Zeroman
Noël Noël
Scary Movie 3
Chilly Beach
Odd Job Jack
Men with Brooms
Chilly Dogs
Liography
Liography
Camouflage
Santa Who?
2001: A Space Travesty
Harvey
The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn
Family Guy
Wrongfully Accused
Safety Patrol!
Mr. Magoo
The Wonderful World of Disney
Pirates 4-D
Family Plan
Leslie Nielsen's Stupid Little Golf Video
Harvey
Life and Times
The Rosie O'Donnell Show
Spy Hard
Dracula: Dead and Loving It
Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree
Die Harald Schmidt Show
Rent-a-Kid
S.P.Q.R.: 2,000 and a Half Years Ago
Cybermania '94 - The Ultimate Gamer Awards
An Audience with Jimmy Tarbuck
Due South
The Danny Baker Show
WWE SummerSlam 1994
Masters of Illusion: The Wizards of Special Effects
Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult
Leslie Nielsen's Bad Golf My Way
World's Funniest Commercials
Leslie Nielsen's Bad Golf Made Easier
Live & Kicking
Digger
The Unknown Marx Brothers
Surf Ninjas
Katie and Orbie
Raw
Terry Wogan's Friday Night
Chance of a Lifetime
All I Want For Christmas
Flesh 'n' Blood
Herman's Head
The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear
Evening Shade
Repossessed
Back to the Future (Part II): Behind-the-Scenes Special Presentation
The Railway Dragon
The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!
Dangerous Curves
Day by Day
Fatal Confession: A Father Dowling Mystery
Nuts
Nightstick
Home Is Where the Hart Is
Race for the Bomb
Soul Man
The Patriot
The Canadian Conspiracy
Striker's Mountain
The Golden Girls
227
Doris Day's Best Friends
The Ray Bradbury Theater
Reckless Disregard
Blade in Hong Kong
Murder, She Wrote
Finder of Lost Loves
Who's the Boss?
Highway to Heaven
Shaping Up
Spaceship
Cave-In!
Prime Times
Airplane II: The Sequel
Creepshow
Twilight Theater II
Wogan
Wrong Is Right
Police Squad!
Twilight Theatre
Twilight Theater
Foxfire Light
Aloha Paradise
The Night the Bridge Fell Down
Prom Night
Airplane!
Dive to the Edge of Creation
OHMS
The Littlest Hobo
City on Fire
Riel
Backstairs at the White House
Institute for Revenge
Vega$
Little Mo
Fantasy Island
The Amsterdam Kill
What Really Happened to the Class of '65?
The Love Boat
Lucan
Sixth and Main
Viva Knievel!
Day of the Animals
The Dawson Patrol
Grand Jury
Project: Kill
Brinks: The Great Robbery
King of the Underwater World
Saturday Night Live
The Outlaw Cats of Colossal Cave
The Swiss Family Robinson
Threshold: The Blue Angels Experience
S.W.A.T.
Dinah!
The Manhunter
Can Ellen Be Saved?
Kojak
The Return of Charlie Chan
The Evil Touch
Amanda Fallon
The Letters
Snatched
Barnaby Jones
...and millions will die!
Journey to the Outer Limits
The Poseidon Adventure
Kung Fu
Assignment: Vienna
The Streets of San Francisco
M*A*S*H
The Rookies
They Call It Murder
The Resurrection of Zachary Wheeler
Monty Nash
Bearcats!
Columbo
Cannon
Incident in San Francisco
Sarge
Night Gallery
Hauser's Memory
The Aquarians
Night Slaves
Change of Mind
The Bold Ones: The Protectors
Bracken's World
The Bold Ones: The New Doctors
The Movie Game (US)
How to Commit Marriage
Hawaii Five-O
Deadlock
Trial Run
Four Rode Out
Companions in Nightmare
Dayton's Devils
The Mod Squad
Cocoon
The Name of the Game
How to Steal the World
The Wild Heart
Shadow Over Elveron
It Takes a Thief
Counterpoint
Rosie!
Judd, for the Defense
Cimarron Strip
The Reluctant Astronaut
Ironside
The Boy Who Flew with Condors
Gunfight in Abilene
Code Name: Heraclitus
Beau Geste
The Plainsman
The F.B.I.
Convoy
The Wild Wild West
The Big Valley
National Geographic Specials
Dark Intruder
Harlow
See How They Run
Daniel Boone
Night Train to Paris
The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea
Kraft Suspense Theatre
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre
The Farmer's Daughter
Channing
The Fugitive
Miss USA
The Art Linkletter Show
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour
The Virginian
The New Breed
Dr. Kildare
The Defenders
Route 66
Thriller
Moment of Fear
The Swamp Fox
Bonanza
The Velvet Alley
Rawhide
Naked City
The Sheepman
Wagon Train
Tammy and the Bachelor
Hot Summer Night
The Opposite Sex
Playhouse 90
The Vagabond King
Forbidden Planet
Ransom!
The Battle of Gettysburg
First Performance
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Folio
MGM Parade
Gunsmoke
The Wonderful World of Disney
Love Story
Dark Possession
Medallion Theatre
General Electric Theater
Short Short Dramas
Hallmark Hall of Fame
Out There
Goodyear Television Playhouse
Tales of Tomorrow
The Lost Will of Dr. Rant
Danger
Sure As Fate
The Web
Stage 13
The Bob Hope Show
Starlight Theatre
Robert Montgomery Presents
Lights Out
The Clock
Suspense
Studio One
Actors Studio
Golden Globe Awards