Leslie Nielsen
Personal Info
Known for
Acting
Gender
Male
Birthday
1926-02-11
Day of Death
2010-11-28 (84 years old)
Place of Birth
Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
Leslie Nielsen
Biography
Leslie William Nielsen (February 11, 1926 – November 28, 2010) was a European Canadian-American and naturalized European 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
Acting
(2016)
O.J.: Made in America
as Self (archive footage)
(2013)
Mel Brooks: Make a Noise
as Self (archive footage)
(2011)
Stonerville
as Producer
(2009)
Stan Helsing
as Kay
(2009)
Spanish Movie
as Doctor Nielsen
(2008)
Superhero Movie
as Uncle Albert Adams
(2008)
An American Carol
as Osama Bin Nielsen / Grandpa
(2008)
Family Guy Presents: Blue Harvest
as Dr. Rumack (archive voice)
(2008)
Slap Shot 3: The Junior League
as Mayor of Charlestown
(2007)
Music Within
as Bill Austin
(2006)
Scary Movie 4
as President Baxter Harris
(2006)
(2006)
(2005)
Nos Bastidores de Hollywood
as Self
(2004)
The Nutcracker and the Mouseking
as (Mouseking) (voice)
(2003)
Scary Movie 3
as President Baxter Harris
(2003)
Noël Noël
as Narrator (english version)
(2002)
Men with Brooms
as Gordon Cutter
(2001)
Camouflage
as Jack Potter
(2001)
Chilly Dogs
as Clive Thorton / Cab Driver
(2000)
2001: A Space Travesty
as Richard 'Dick' Dix
(2000)
Santa Who?
as Santa Claus
(1998)
Wrongfully Accused
as Ryan Harrison
(1998)
Safety Patrol!
as Mr. Penn
(1997)
Mr. Magoo
as Mr. Quincy Magoo
(1997)
Family Plan
as Harry Haber
(1997)
(1996)
Spy Hard
as Dick Steele
(1996)
Harvey
as Dr. Chumley
(1995)
Dracula: Dead and Loving It
as Count Dracula
(1995)
Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree
as Baxter
(1995)
Rent-a-Kid
as Harry Haber
(1994)
Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult
as Lt. Frank Drebin
(1994)
WWE SummerSlam 1994
as Himself
(1994)
An Audience with Jimmy Tarbuck
as Self - Audience Member
(1994)
Leslie Nielsen's Bad Golf My Way
as Leslie Nielsen
(1994)
S.P.Q.R.: 2,000 and a Half Years Ago
as Lucio Cinico
(1994)
(1994)
(1993)
Surf Ninjas
as Colonel Chi
(1993)
Leslie Nielsen's Bad Golf Made Easier
as Himself
(1993)
Digger
as Arthur Evrensel
(1993)
The Unknown Marx Brothers
as Self - Narrator
(1991)
The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear
as Lt. Frank Drebin
(1991)
Chance of a Lifetime
as Lloyd Dixon
(1991)
All I Want For Christmas
as Santa
(1990)
Repossessed
as Father Jebedaiah Mayii
(1989)
(1989)
The Railway Dragon
as Narrator (voice)
(1988)
The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!
as Frank Drebin
(1988)
Dangerous Curves
as Greg Krevske
(1987)
Home Is Where the Hart Is
as Sheriff Nashville Schwartz
(1987)
Nuts
as Allen Green
(1987)
Fatal Confession: A Father Dowling Mystery
as Senator Erdain
(1987)
Nightstick
as Thad Evans
(1986)
Soul Man
as Mr. Dunbar
(1986)
The Patriot
as Admiral Frazer
(1986)
The Canadian Conspiracy
as Self
(1985)
Blade in Hong Kong
as Harry Ingersoll
(1985)
Reckless Disregard
as Bob Franklin
(1985)
Striker's Mountain
as Jim McKay
(1983)
Spaceship
as Capt. Jamieson
(1983)
Cave-In!
as Joe Johnson
(1982)
Creepshow
as Richard Vickers (segment "Something To Tide You Over")
(1982)
(1982)
Wrong Is Right
as Mallory
(1982)
Foxfire Light
as Reece Morgan
(1980)
Airplane!
as Dr. Rumack
(1980)
Prom Night
as Mr. Hammond
(1980)
The Night the Bridge Fell Down
as Paul Warren
(1980)
OHMS
as Governor
(1980)
Dive to the Edge of Creation
as Self - Narrator
(1979)
City on Fire
as Mayor William Dudley
(1979)
Institute for Revenge
as Counselor Hollis Barnes
(1979)
Riel
as Major Leif Newry Fitzroy Crozier
(1978)
Little Mo
as Nelson Fisher
(1977)
The Amsterdam Kill
as Riley Knight
(1977)
Day of the Animals
as Paul Jenson
(1977)
Sixth and Main
as John Doe
(1977)
Grand Jury
as John Williams
(1977)
Viva Knievel!
as Stanley Millard
(1977)
The Dawson Patrol
as Narrator
(1976)
Project: Kill
as John Trevor
(1976)
Brinks: The Great Robbery
as Agent Norman Houston
(1975)
King of the Underwater World
as Self
(1975)
The Outlaw Cats of Colossal Cave
as Narrator
(1975)
Threshold: The Blue Angels Experience
as Self - Narrator (voice)
(1974)
Can Ellen Be Saved?
as Arnold Lindsey
(1973)
...And Millions Die!
as Jack Gallagher
(1973)
Snatched
as Bill Sutter
(1973)
The Letters
as Derek Childs
(1973)
Amanda Fallon
as Mr. Cummings
(1973)
Journey to the Outer Limits
as (voice)
(1973)
The Return of Charlie Chan
as Alexander Hadrachi
(1972)
The Poseidon Adventure
as Captain Harrison
(1971)
Incident in San Francisco
as Lt. Brubaker
(1971)
The Resurrection of Zachary Wheeler
as Harry Walsh
(1971)
(1970)
The Aquarians
as Official
(1970)
Hauser's Memory
as Joseph Slaughter
(1970)
Night Slaves
as Sheriff Henshaw
(1969)
Deadlock
as Lt. Sam Danforth
(1969)
Four Rode Out
as Mr Brown
(1969)
Change of Mind
as Sheriff Webb
(1969)
How to Commit Marriage
as Phil Fletcher
(1969)
Trial Run
as Jason Harkness
(1968)
Cocoon
as Brent
(1968)
Companions in Nightmare
as Dr. Neesden
(1968)
Shadow Over Elveron
as Sheriff Verne Drover
(1968)
How to Steal the World
as General Maximilian Harmon
(1968)
The Wild Heart
as Narrator
(1968)
Dayton's Devils
as Frank Dayton
(1967)
The Reluctant Astronaut
as Major Fred Gifford
(1967)
Code Name: Heraclitus
as Fryer
(1967)
Gunfight in Abilene
as Grant Evers
(1967)
Rosie!
as Cabot Shaw
(1967)
Counterpoint
as Victor Rice
(1967)
The Boy Who Flew with Condors
as Narrator
(1966)
Beau Geste
as Lt. De Ruse
(1966)
The Plainsman
as Col. George Armstrong Custer
(1965)
Harlow
as Richard Manley
(1965)
Dark Intruder
as Brett Kingsford
(1964)
Night Train to Paris
as Alan Holiday
(1964)
See How They Run
as Elliot Green
(1959)
The Velvet Alley
as Eddie Kirkley
(1958)
The Sheepman
as Stephen Bedford / Johnny Bledsoe
(1957)
Tammy and the Bachelor
as Peter Brent
(1957)
Hot Summer Night
as William Joel Partain
(1956)
Forbidden Planet
as Commander John J. Adams
(1956)
Ransom!
as Charlie Telfer
(1956)
The Opposite Sex
as Steve Hilliard
(1956)
The Vagabond King
as Thibault d'Aussigny
(1955)
The Battle of Gettysburg
as Narrator (voice)
(1954)
Dark Possession
as Dr. Roger Waring
Crew
(1997)
Leslie Nielsen's Stupid Little Golf Video
Executive Co-Producer
(1996)
Spy Hard
Executive Producer