Leslie Nielsen

Acting · 4.3 popularity

Age

100

Movies

137

135

Born: February 11, 1926 – November 28, 2010
From: 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.

Works

137 films

Airplane!

19807.3

Scary Movie 4

20065.5

Scary Movie 3

20036.0

The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!

19887.3

The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear

19916.8

Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult

19946.5

Superhero Movie

20085.3

Spy Hard

19965.4

Spaceship

19833.9

The Poseidon Adventure

19727.2

Forbidden Planet

19567.2

Prom Night

19805.7

Creepshow

19826.9

Dracula: Dead and Loving It

19956.1

Repossessed

19905.3

Soul Man

19865.3

Wrongfully Accused

19986.0

Tammy and the Bachelor

19577.0

Stan Helsing

20094.2

Family Guy Presents: Blue Harvest

20077.4

Mr. Magoo

19974.5

2001: A Space Travesty

20004.3

The Best of So Graham Norton

2004

Nos Bastidores de Hollywood

200510.0

Surf Ninjas

19935.0

Leslie Nielsen's Bad Golf My Way

19943.8

The Opposite Sex

19565.4

Counterpoint

19676.2

Santa Who?

20005.5

Men with Brooms

20025.2

An American Carol

20084.2

O.J.: Made in America

20168.4

Masters of Illusion: The Wizards of Special Effects

19949.0

Amanda Fallon

19738.0

Camouflage

20014.4

Nuts

19876.3

Spanish Movie

20095.0

All I Want For Christmas

19915.7

Slap Shot 3: The Junior League

20085.0

Nightstick

19873.5

The Sheepman

19586.9

Stonerville

20112.9

City on Fire

19795.1

Rent-a-Kid

19955.6

Mel Brooks: Make a Noise

20138.2

Music Within

20076.5

Foxfire Light

19826.8

...and millions will die!

19735.2

The Nutcracker and the Mouseking

20046.3

Family Plan

19975.4

Wrong Is Right

19825.6

The Amsterdam Kill

19775.2

Dayton's Devils

19684.0

The Unknown Marx Brothers

19935.7

The Battle of Gettysburg

19556.1

Day of the Animals

19775.2

The Canadian Conspiracy

19865.5

The Velvet Alley

19597.0

Ransom!

19567.2

Dark Possession

1954

Dangerous Curves

19883.2

Beau Geste

19665.6

Harlow

19655.6

Hauser's Memory

19706.8

Little Mo

19787.3

Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree

19956.2

Brinks: The Great Robbery

197610.0

Striker's Mountain

19855.5

Chilly Dogs

20015.4

The Vagabond King

19566.1

Safety Patrol!

19984.8

The Resurrection of Zachary Wheeler

19715.9

How to Steal the World

19685.4

The Plainsman

19665.6

Viva Knievel!

19774.0

S.P.Q.R.: 2,000 and a Half Years Ago

19944.9

The Return of Charlie Chan

19735.5

Project: Kill

19765.1

An Audience with Jimmy Tarbuck

199410.0

Gunfight in Abilene

19676.5

Four Rode Out

19694.4

Hot Summer Night

19575.7

Twilight Theater II

1982

Institute for Revenge

19796.7

The Letters

19736.8

Journey to the Outer Limits

19737.0

The Night the Bridge Fell Down

19806.2

Incident in San Francisco

19715.7

How to Commit Marriage

19695.8

See How They Run

19646.0

The Reluctant Astronaut

19676.0

Riel

19796.0

Twilight Theatre

1982

Reckless Disregard

19858.0

The Boy Who Flew with Condors

19676.0

Chance of a Lifetime

19915.4

Digger

19936.5

Dark Intruder

19656.3

The Patriot

19864.2

Threshold: The Blue Angels Experience

19758.0

Back to the Future (Part II): Behind-the-Scenes Special Presentation

19897.6

The Aquarians

19706.5

Cave-In!

19834.6

Harvey

19965.2

They Call It Murder

19716.3

Rosie!

196710.0

Deadlock

19699.0

Home Is Where the Hart Is

19876.2

The Dawson Patrol

197710.0

Snatched

19735.8

Amazing! Exploring the Far Reaches of Forbidden Planet

20064.5

Night Train to Paris

19646.0

The Lost Will of Dr. Rant

1951

Change of Mind

19695.8

Shadow Over Elveron

19686.6

Companions in Nightmare

19685.3

Cocoon

19688.5

WWE SummerSlam 1994

19946.7

Dive to the Edge of Creation

1980

Night Slaves

19705.9

World's Funniest Commercials

1994

Robby the Robot: Engineering a Sci-Fi Icon

20067.0

The Wild Heart

1968

Blade in Hong Kong

19859.0

OHMS

19807.5

Trial Run

19695.0

The Railway Dragon

19891.0

Can Ellen Be Saved?

19744.6

Fatal Confession: A Father Dowling Mystery

19877.5

King of the Underwater World

1975

Code Name: Heraclitus

19679.0

Leslie Nielsen's Bad Golf Made Easier

19937.0

Sixth and Main

19778.0

Noël Noël

20036.7

Grand Jury

19774.3

Leslie Nielsen's Stupid Little Golf Video

19975.8

The Outlaw Cats of Colossal Cave

1975