Leslie Nielsen
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
Credits
- 2016 · O.J.: Made in America as Self (archive footage)
- 2014 · The Horrors of Hamilton High: The Making of Prom Night as Self (archive footage)
- 2013 · Mel Brooks: Make a Noise as Self (archive footage)
- 2011 · Stonerville as Producer
- 2009 · Spanish Movie as Doctor Nielsen
- 2009 · Stan Helsing as Kay
- 2008 · Slap Shot 3: The Junior League as Mayor of Charlestown
- 2008 · An American Carol as Osama Bin Nielsen / Grandpa
- 2008 · Superhero Movie as Uncle Albert Adams
- 2008 · Family Guy Presents: Blue Harvest as Dr. Rumack (archive voice)
- 2007 · Lipshitz Saves the World as Himself
- 2007 · Music Within as Bill Austin
- 2006 · Robby the Robot: Engineering a Sci-Fi Icon as Self
- 2006 · Amazing! Exploring the Far Reaches of Forbidden Planet as Self
- 2006 · Gameshow Marathon as
- 2006 · Scary Movie 4 as President Baxter Harris
- 2005 · Robson Arms as Caldo Vasco
- 2005 · Tubridy Tonight as
- 2005 · Nos Bastidores de Hollywood as Self
- 2004 · The Nutcracker and the Mouseking as (Mouseking) (voice)
- 2004 · Zeroman as Zeroman (voice)
- 2003 · Noël Noël as Narrator (english version)
- 2003 · Scary Movie 3 as President Baxter Harris
- 2003 · Chilly Beach as
- 2003 · Odd Job Jack as
- 2002 · Men with Brooms as Gordon Cutter
- 2001 · Liography as Terrence Brynne McKennie
- 2001 · Liocracy as
- 2001 · Camouflage as Jack Potter
- 2001 · Chilly Dogs as Clive Thorton / Cab Driver
- 2000 · Santa Who? as Santa Claus
- 2000 · 2001: A Space Travesty as Richard 'Dick' Dix
- 1999 · Pirates: 3D Show as Lucky
- 1999 · Harvey as Dr. Chumley
- 1999 · The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn as Self
- 1999 · Family Guy as Dr. Rumack (archive footage)
- 1998 · Wrongfully Accused as Ryan Harrison
- 1998 · Safety Patrol! as Mr. Penn
- 1997 · Mr. Magoo as Mr. Quincy Magoo
- 1997 · The Wonderful World of Disney as Mr. Penn
- 1997 · Family Plan as Harry Haber
- 1997 · Leslie Nielsen's Stupid Little Golf Video as Himself
- 1996 · Harvey as Dr. Chumley
- 1996 · Life and Times as
- 1996 · The Rosie O'Donnell Show as Self
- 1996 · Spy Hard as Dick Steele
- 1995 · Dracula: Dead and Loving It as Count Dracula
- 1995 · Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree as Baxter
- 1995 · Die Harald Schmidt Show as Self
- 1995 · Rent-a-Kid as Harry Haber
- 1994 · S.P.Q.R.: 2,000 and a Half Years Ago as Lucio Cinico
- 1994 · Cybermania '94 - The Ultimate Gamer Awards as Host
- 1994 · An Audience with Jimmy Tarbuck as Self - Audience Member
- 1994 · Due South as Sgt. Buck Frobisher
- 1994 · The Danny Baker Show as
- 1994 · WWE SummerSlam 1994 as Himself
- 1994 · Masters of Illusion: The Wizards of Special Effects as Self
- 1994 · Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult as Lt. Frank Drebin
- 1994 · Leslie Nielsen's Bad Golf My Way as Leslie Nielsen
- 1993 · Leslie Nielsen's Bad Golf Made Easier as Himself
- 1993 · Digger as Arthur Evrensel
- 1993 · The Unknown Marx Brothers as Self - Narrator
- 1993 · Surf Ninjas as Colonel Chi
- 1993 · Katie and Orbie as Narrator
- 1993 · WWE Raw as Leslie Nielsen
- 1992 · Terry Wogan's Friday Night as Self
- 1991 · Chance of a Lifetime as Lloyd Dixon
- 1991 · All I Want for Christmas as Santa
- 1991 · Flesh 'n' Blood as Red Houser
- 1991 · Herman's Head as God
- 1991 · The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear as Lt. Frank Drebin
- 1990 · Evening Shade as
- 1990 · Repossessed as Father Jebedaiah Mayii
- 1989 · Back to the Future (Part II): Behind-the-Scenes Special Presentation as Host
- 1989 · The Railway Dragon as Narrator (voice)
- 1989 · Father Dowling Mysteries as Senator Erdain
- 1988 · The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! as Frank Drebin
- 1988 · Dangerous Curves as Greg Krevske
- 1988 · Day by Day as
- 1987 · Fatal Confession: A Father Dowling Mystery as Senator Erdain
- 1987 · Nuts as Allen Green
- 1987 · Nightstick as Thad Evans
- 1987 · Home Is Where the Hart Is as Sheriff Nashville Schwartz
- 1987 · Race for the Bomb as Lewis Strauss
- 1986 · Soul Man as Mr. Dunbar
- 1986 · The Patriot as Admiral Frazer
- 1986 · The Canadian Conspiracy as
- 1985 · Striker's Mountain as Jim McKay
- 1985 · The Golden Girls as Lucas
- 1985 · 227 as
- 1985 · Doris Day's Best Friends as
- 1985 · The Ray Bradbury Theater as Fantoccini
- 1985 · Reckless Disregard as Bob Franklin
- 1985 · Blade in Hong Kong as Harry Ingersoll
- 1984 · Showbiz Today as
- 1984 · Murder, She Wrote as David Everett
- 1984 · Murder, She Wrote as Captain Daniels
- 1984 · Finder of Lost Loves as Matthew Vail
- 1984 · Who's the Boss? as
- 1984 · Highway to Heaven as
- 1984 · Shaping Up as Buddy Fox
- 1983 · Spaceship as Capt. Jamieson
- 1983 · Cave-In! as Joe Johnson
- 1983 · Prime Times as Self
- 1982 · Creepshow as Richard Vickers (segment "Something To Tide You Over")
- 1982 · Wogan as Self
- 1982 · Wrong Is Right as Mallory
- 1982 · Police Squad! as Lt. Frank Drebin
- 1982 · Twilight Theatre as
- 1982 · Twilight Theater as
- 1982 · Foxfire Light as Reece Morgan
- 1981 · Aloha Paradise as Grant Culberson
- 1980 · The Night the Bridge Fell Down as Paul Warren
- 1980 · Prom Night as Mr. Hammond
- 1980 · Airplane! as Dr. Rumack
- 1980 · OHMS as Governor
- 1979 · The Littlest Hobo as Mayor Chester Montgomery
- 1979 · City on Fire as Mayor William Dudley
- 1979 · The Chisholms as
- 1979 · Backstairs at the White House as Ike Hoover
- 1979 · Institute for Revenge as Counselor Hollis Barnes
- 1978 · Vega$ as
- 1978 · Little Mo as Nelson Fisher
- 1977 · The Amsterdam Kill as Riley Knight
- 1977 · What Really Happened To the Class Of '65? as
- 1977 · The Love Boat as Hank Hardaway
- 1977 · The Love Boat as Russ Blanchard
- 1977 · The Love Boat as Dan Michaels
- 1977 · Lucan as
- 1977 · Viva Knievel! as Stanley Millard
- 1977 · Day of the Animals as Paul Jenson
- 1977 · The Dawson Patrol as Narrator
- 1977 · Sixth and Main as John Doe
- 1977 · Grand Jury as John Williams
- 1976 · Project: Kill as John Trevor
- 1976 · Brinks: The Great Robbery as Agent Norman Houston
- 1975 · King of the Underwater World as Self
- 1975 · Saturday Night Live as Self - Host
- 1975 · The Outlaw Cats of Colossal Cave as Narrator
- 1975 · The Swiss Family Robinson as
- 1975 · Sidestreet as
- 1975 · S.W.A.T. as
- 1974 · Dinah! as Self
- 1974 · The Manhunter as
- 1974 · Celebrity Sweepstakes as
- 1974 · Can Ellen Be Saved? as Arnold Lindsey
- 1973 · Kojak as Michael Hagar
- 1973 · The Return of Charlie Chan as Alexander Hadrachi
- 1973 · The Evil Touch as
- 1973 · Amanda Fallon as Mr. Cummings
- 1973 · The Letters as Derek Childs
- 1973 · Snatched as Bill Sutter
- 1973 · Barnaby Jones as Edward Brendon
- 1973 · ...And Millions Die! as Jack Gallagher
- 1973 · Journey to the Outer Limits as (voice)
- 1972 · The Poseidon Adventure as Captain Harrison
- 1972 · Kung Fu as Vincent Corbino
- 1972 · Assignment: Vienna as Floyd Macklin
- 1972 · The Streets of San Francisco as
- 1972 · The Streets of San Francisco as John T. Connor
- 1972 · M*A*S*H as Col. Buzz Brighton
- 1972 · The Rookies as
- 1971 · They Call It Murder as
- 1971 · The Resurrection of Zachary Wheeler as Harry Walsh
- 1971 · Sarge as
- 1971 · Monty Nash as Ross Carter
- 1971 · Bearcats! as Col. Ted Donovan
- 1971 · Columbo as A.J. Henderson
- 1971 · Columbo as Peter Hamilton
- 1971 · Cannon as Joe Gilbert
- 1971 · Cannon as Weller Dane
- 1971 · Cannon as Erich Strasser
- 1971 · Incident in San Francisco as Lt. Brubaker
- 1970 · Night Gallery as Col. Dennis Malloy
- 1970 · Night Gallery as The Phantom (segment "Phantom of What Opera?")
- 1970 · Hauser's Memory as Joseph Slaughter
- 1970 · The Aquarians as Official
- 1970 · Night Slaves as Sheriff Henshaw
- 1969 · Change of Mind as Sheriff Webb
- 1969 · The Bold Ones: The Protectors as Deputy Police Chief Sam Danforth
- 1969 · Bracken's World as
- 1969 · The Bold Ones: The New Doctors as Mr. Cummings
- 1969 · The Movie Game (US) as
- 1969 · How to Commit Marriage as Phil Fletcher
- 1969 · Deadlock as Lt. Sam Danforth
- 1969 · Trial Run as Jason Harkness
- 1969 · Four Rode Out as Mr Brown
- 1968 · Companions in Nightmare as Dr. Neesden
- 1968 · Dayton's Devils as Frank Dayton
- 1968 · The Mod Squad as Rusty Bryson
- 1968 · Hawaii Five-O as Brent
- 1968 · The Name of the Game as
- 1968 · Cocoon as Brent
- 1968 · How to Steal the World as General Maximilian Harmon
- 1968 · The Wild Heart as Narrator
- 1968 · Shadow Over Elveron as Sheriff Verne Drover
- 1968 · It Takes a Thief as S.I.A. Security Man
- 1967 · Counterpoint as Victor Rice
- 1967 · Rosie! as Cabot Shaw
- 1967 · Judd for the Defense as
- 1967 · Cimarron Strip as
- 1967 · The Reluctant Astronaut as Major Fred Gifford
- 1967 · Ironside as
- 1967 · The Boy Who Flew with Condors as Narrator
- 1967 · Gunfight in Abilene as Grant Evers
- 1967 · Code Name: Heraclitus as Fryer
- 1966 · Beau Geste as Lt. De Ruse
- 1966 · The Plainsman as Col. George Armstrong Custer
- 1965 · The F.B.I. as Hudson
- 1965 · The Wild Wild West as Major General Ball
- 1965 · Convoy as
- 1965 · The Big Valley as Sgt. Maj. Earl Conway
- 1965 · National Geographic Specials as Narrator (voice)
- 1965 · Dark Intruder as Brett Kingsford
- 1965 · Harlow as Richard Manley
- 1964 · See How They Run as Elliot Green
- 1964 · Daniel Boone as William Russell
- 1964 · Night Train to Paris as Alan Holiday
- 1964 · Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea as
- 1963 · Kraft Suspense Theatre as Dr. David Cord
- 1963 · Kraft Suspense Theatre as Paul Maytric
- 1963 · Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre as
- 1963 · Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre as John Joslin
- 1963 · The Farmer's Daughter as
- 1963 · Channing as Prof. Paul Stafford
- 1963 · The Fugitive as Harold Cheyney
- 1963 · The Fugitive as Martin C. Rowland
- 1963 · Miss USA as Judge
- 1963 · The Art Linkletter Show as
- 1962 · The Alfred Hitchcock Hour as Mr. Grainger
- 1962 · The Virginian as John Hagen
- 1962 · The Virginian as Cleve Mason
- 1962 · The Virginian as Harry Lightfoot
- 1962 · Your First Impression as
- 1961 · The New Breed as Lt. Price Adams
- 1961 · Dr. Kildare as Walter Burton
- 1961 · Dr. Kildare as Harry Kleber
- 1961 · The Defenders as Bob Garrison
- 1960 · Route 66 as
- 1960 · Moment of Fear as
- 1959 · The Swamp Fox as Francis Marion (The Swamp Fox)
- 1959 · Bonanza as Sheriff Paul Rowan
- 1959 · The Velvet Alley as Eddie Kirkley
- 1959 · Rawhide as Eli Becker
- 1958 · Naked City as Norman Garry
- 1958 · The Sheepman as Stephen Bedford / Johnny Bledsoe
- 1957 · Wagon Train as Brian Conlin
- 1957 · Tammy and the Bachelor as Peter Brent
- 1957 · Hot Summer Night as William Joel Partain
- 1956 · The Opposite Sex as Steve Hilliard
- 1956 · Playhouse 90 as Ralph Mohr
- 1956 · First Performance as
- 1956 · The Vagabond King as Thibault d'Aussigny
- 1956 · Forbidden Planet as Commander John J. Adams
- 1956 · Ransom! as Charlie Telfer
- 1955 · The Battle of Gettysburg as Narrator (voice)
- 1955 · Alfred Hitchcock Presents as Lloyd Ashley
- 1955 · Alfred Hitchcock Presents as Rudy Cox
- 1955 · Folio as Biff Loman
- 1955 · Gunsmoke as Jess Trevor
- 1954 · The Wonderful World of Disney as Colonel Francis Marion
- 1954 · The Wonderful World of Disney as Col. Francis Marion
- 1954 · Love Story as
- 1954 · Dark Possession as Dr. Roger Waring
- 1953 · Medallion Theatre as
- 1953 · General Electric Theater as Judge Wayne Douglas
- 1953 · General Electric Theater as Edward Morgan
- 1952 · Short Short Dramas as
- 1951 · Hallmark Hall of Fame as
- 1951 · Out There as
- 1951 · Goodyear Television Playhouse as
- 1951 · Tales of Tomorrow as
- 1951 · Tales of Tomorrow as Harold 'Harry' Mason
- 1950 · Danger as
- 1950 · The Web as
- 1950 · Sure As Fate as
- 1950 · Stage 13 as
- 1950 · The Bob Hope Show as Self
- 1950 · Starlight Theatre as
- 1950 · Robert Montgomery Presents as C. K. Dexter Haven
- 1950 · Robert Montgomery Presents as George
- 1950 · Robert Montgomery Presents as Gates Holden
- 1949 · Lights Out as
- 1949 · The Clock as
- 1949 · Suspense as
- 1949 · Suspense as Serge Soudekine
- 1948 · Studio One as
- 1948 · Studio One as Stan Janicek
- 1948 · Studio One as Chris Jackson
- 1948 · Studio One as Dr. Clayborn
- 1948 · Studio One as Dr. Roger Waring
- 1948 · Studio One as Mac
- 1948 · Studio One as Edmund
- 1948 · Studio One as Tallman
- 1948 · Studio One as Karl
- 1948 · Actors Studio as