Leslie Nielsen

Acting · 4.5 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

Scary Movie 4

20065.5

Airplane!

19807.3

Scary Movie 3

20036.0

The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!

19887.3

Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult

19946.5

Superhero Movie

20085.3

The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear

19916.8

Spy Hard

19965.4

Forbidden Planet

19567.2

The Poseidon Adventure

19727.2

Creepshow

19826.9

Prom Night

19805.7

Dracula: Dead and Loving It

19956.1

Wrongfully Accused

19986.0

Family Guy Presents: Blue Harvest

20077.4

Tammy and the Bachelor

19577.0

Soul Man

19865.3

Repossessed

19905.3

Stan Helsing

20094.2

Mr. Magoo

19974.5

Counterpoint

19676.2

2001: A Space Travesty

20004.3

Spaceship

19833.9

The Best of So Graham Norton

2004

Leslie Nielsen's Bad Golf My Way

19943.8

Surf Ninjas

19935.0

Nos Bastidores de Hollywood

200510.0

An American Carol

20084.2

Men with Brooms

20025.2

Amanda Fallon

19738.0

Spanish Movie

20095.0

Stonerville

20112.9

Nightstick

19873.5

The Opposite Sex

19565.4

The Sheepman

19586.9

Santa Who?

20005.5

Camouflage

20014.4

Slap Shot 3: The Junior League

20085.0

Nuts

19876.3

City on Fire

19795.1

...and millions will die!

19735.2

All I Want For Christmas

19915.7

Masters of Illusion: The Wizards of Special Effects

19949.0

Rent-a-Kid

19955.6

O.J.: Made in America

20168.4

Mel Brooks: Make a Noise

20138.2

Family Plan

19975.4

Wrong Is Right

19825.6

The Nutcracker and the Mouseking

20046.3

The Amsterdam Kill

19775.2

Twilight Theater II

1982

Day of the Animals

19775.2

The Velvet Alley

19597.0

Music Within

20076.5

The Resurrection of Zachary Wheeler

19715.9

Chilly Dogs

20015.4

The Plainsman

19665.6

The Unknown Marx Brothers

19935.7

Harlow

19655.6

The Battle of Gettysburg

19556.1

Striker's Mountain

19855.5

The Return of Charlie Chan

19735.5

Four Rode Out

19694.4

Dayton's Devils

19684.0

Safety Patrol!

19984.8

See How They Run

19646.0

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

19944.9

Beau Geste

19665.6

Gunfight in Abilene

19676.5

Foxfire Light

19826.8

Dangerous Curves

19883.2

Hot Summer Night

19575.7

The Letters

19736.8

Little Mo

19787.3

WWE SummerSlam 1994

19946.7

Journey to the Outer Limits

19737.0

Ransom!

19567.2

The Reluctant Astronaut

19676.0

The Vagabond King

19566.1

An Audience with Jimmy Tarbuck

199410.0

Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree

19956.2

The Dawson Patrol

197710.0

How to Steal the World

19685.4

Hauser's Memory

19706.8

Night Train to Paris

19646.0

The Wild Heart

1968

The Lost Will of Dr. Rant

1951

The Canadian Conspiracy

19865.5

Viva Knievel!

19774.0

Dark Intruder

19656.3

The Night the Bridge Fell Down

19806.2

Brinks: The Great Robbery

197610.0

Dark Possession

1954

The Boy Who Flew with Condors

19676.0

OHMS

19807.5

Riel

19796.0

The Patriot

19864.2

Snatched

19735.8

Incident in San Francisco

19715.7

Cocoon

19688.5

Harvey

19965.2

Institute for Revenge

19796.7

Shadow Over Elveron

19686.6

Threshold: The Blue Angels Experience

19758.0

Deadlock

19699.0

Amazing! Exploring the Far Reaches of Forbidden Planet

20064.5

Trial Run

19695.0

How to Commit Marriage

19695.8

Project: Kill

19765.1

Home Is Where the Hart Is

19876.2

Companions in Nightmare

19685.3

The Aquarians

19706.5

Reckless Disregard

19858.0

Robby the Robot: Engineering a Sci-Fi Icon

20067.0

World's Funniest Commercials

1994

Chance of a Lifetime

19915.4

Can Ellen Be Saved?

19744.6

King of the Underwater World

1975

Rosie!

196710.0

Dive to the Edge of Creation

1980

Night Slaves

19705.9

The Outlaw Cats of Colossal Cave

1975

Twilight Theatre

1982

Cave-In!

19834.6

They Call It Murder

19716.3

Noël Noël

20036.7

Digger

19936.5

Fatal Confession: A Father Dowling Mystery

19877.5

Sixth and Main

19778.0

Blade in Hong Kong

19859.0

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

19897.6

Change of Mind

19695.8

Leslie Nielsen's Bad Golf Made Easier

19937.0

Code Name: Heraclitus

19679.0

The Railway Dragon

19891.0

Leslie Nielsen's Stupid Little Golf Video

19975.8

Grand Jury

19774.3