Leslie Nielsen
0 FOLLOWERS • 106 CREDITS • FEB 11, 1926 - NOV 28, 2010 • 84
Biography
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Leslie William Nielsen, OC (February 11, 1926 – November 28, 2010) was a Canadian and naturalized 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. Description above from the Wikipedia article Leslie Nielsen, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia
Overview
Leslie William Nielsen, OC (February 11, 1926 – November 28, 2010) was a Canadian and naturalized 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. Description above from the Wikipedia article Leslie Nielsen, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia
Known For
Murder, She Wrote
Raw
The Virginian
General Electric Theater
Studio One
Gunsmoke
Golden Globe Awards
Dr. Kildare
Saturday Night Live
Cannon
Hawaii Five-O
The Fugitive
The F.B.I.
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour
Wagon Train
Robert Montgomery Presents
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
The Love Boat
Hallmark Hall of Fame
Columbo
Family Guy
Bonanza
Route 66
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre
Kraft Suspense Theatre
The Wild Wild West
Kung Fu
Daniel Boone
The Rookies
Ironside
The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn
Fantasy Island
Night Gallery
S.W.A.T.
The Ray Bradbury Theater
The Wonderful World of Disney
M*A*S*H
The Manhunter
Suspense
227
The Wonderful World of Disney
The Littlest Hobo
The Big Valley
Playhouse 90
Highway to Heaven
The Golden Girls
Kojak
Father Dowling Mysteries
What Really Happened to the Class of '65?
Cimarron Strip
Wogan
Who's the Boss?
Flesh 'n' Blood
Bracken's World
Terry Wogan's Friday Night
Evening Shade
Bearcats!
Goodyear Television Playhouse
The Web
Danger
The Defenders
The Name of the Game
Convoy
Lights Out
Starlight Theatre
The Chisholms
Sarge
Rawhide
Day by Day
Your First Impression
The Danny Baker Show
Sure As Fate
Out There
O.J.: Made in America
Airplane II: The Sequel
Halloween
Miss USA
Safety Patrol!
Family Guy Presents: Blue Harvest
Slap Shot 3: The Junior League
All I Want For Christmas
Harlow
Harvey
The Vagabond King
The Opposite Sex
Scary Movie 3
Soul Man
Scary Movie 4
Backstairs at the White House
Superhero Movie
The Bold Ones: The New Doctors
Repossessed
Airplane!
Cocoon
Forbidden Planet
The Bold Ones: The Protectors
Spy Hard
Dracula: Dead and Loving It
Prime Times
Lipshitz Saves the World
Wrongfully Accused
The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!
The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear
Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult
Mr. Magoo
Production Credits
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