Leslie Nielsen
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.
271 acting credits
Acting · 271
Family Guy
1999
Columbo
1971
Raw
1993
Saturday Night Live
1975
Murder, She Wrote
1984
Bonanza
1959
The Love Boat
1977
Golden Globe Awards
1944
The Fugitive
1963
M*A*S*H
1972
Ironside
1967
Wagon Train
1957
Hawaii Five-O
1968
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour
1962
The Virginian
1962
Dr. Kildare
1961
Naked City
1958
The Golden Girls
1985
Due South
1994
Robert Montgomery Presents
1950
Die Harald Schmidt Show
1995
Wogan
1982
Cannon
1971
The F.B.I.
1965
Daniel Boone
1964
Fantasy Island
1978
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre
1963
The Wild Wild West
1965
The Big Valley
1965
Route 66
1960
Rawhide
1959
Highway to Heaven
1984
Studio One
1948
Who's the Boss?
1984
Barnaby Jones
1973
Night Gallery
1970
Kojak
1973
The Rookies
1972
The Name of the Game
1968
The Defenders
1961
Thriller
1960
Gunsmoke
1955
The Streets of San Francisco
1972
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea
1964
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
1955
Vega$
1978
Dinah!
1974
Miss USA
1963
227
1985
The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
1964
Kraft Suspense Theatre
1963
Playhouse 90
1956
The Bob Hope Show
1950
The Mod Squad
1968
Judd, for the Defense
1967
Suspense
1949
The Wonderful World of Disney
1997
The Ray Bradbury Theater
1985
Herman's Head
1991
Lights Out
1949
Halloween
1978
Scary Movie 3
2003
Evening Shade
1990
Scary Movie 4
2006
Airplane!
1980
It Takes a Thief
1968
Tales of Tomorrow
1951
The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn
1999
The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!
1988
MGM Parade
1955
Danger
1950
Finder of Lost Loves
1984
The Littlest Hobo
1979
Cimarron Strip
1967
The Bold Ones: The New Doctors
1969
S.W.A.T.
1975
Folio
1955
The Manhunter
1974
Goodyear Television Playhouse
1951
Superhero Movie
2008
Bracken's World
1969
The New Breed
1961
Day by Day
1988
Robson Arms
2005
The Wonderful World of Disney
1954
The Farmer's Daughter
1963
Police Squad!
1982
Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult
1994
The Evil Touch
1973
The Rosie O'Donnell Show
1996
The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear
1991
Channing
1963
The Poseidon Adventure
1972
Terry Wogan's Friday Night
1992
Forbidden Planet
1956
Hallmark Hall of Fame
1951
Chilly Beach
2003
Lucan
1977
Aloha Paradise
1981
What Really Happened to the Class of '65?
1977
Prom Night
1980
Odd Job Jack
2003
Monty Nash
1971
General Electric Theater
1953
Sarge
1971
Creepshow
1982
Dracula: Dead and Loving It
1995
Sidestreet
1975
Backstairs at the White House
1979
Spy Hard
1996
The Swamp Fox
1959
Life and Times
1996
National Geographic Specials
1965
Medallion Theatre
1953
Bearcats!
1971
Stan Helsing
2009
Wrongfully Accused
1998
Convoy
1965
Actors Studio
1948
The Swiss Family Robinson
1975
Assignment: Vienna
1972
Flesh 'n' Blood
1991
Sure As Fate
1950
Mr. Magoo
1997
Zeroman
2004
Gameshow Marathon
2006
Soul Man
1986
Masters of Illusion: The Wizards of Special Effects
1994
Nos Bastidores de Hollywood
2005
Surf Ninjas
1993
Harlow
1965
O.J.: Made in America
2016
An American Carol
2008
Repossessed
1990
The Web
1950
2001: A Space Travesty
2000
Family Guy Presents: Blue Harvest
2007
Harvey
1999
The Opposite Sex
1956
Lipshitz Saves the World
2007
Out There
1951
Spanish Movie
2009
Prime Times
1983
Kung Fu
1972
Camouflage
2001
First Performance
1955
The Amsterdam Kill
1977
Katie and Orbie
1993
All I Want For Christmas
1991
Nuts
1987
Dangerous Curves
1988
The Bold Ones: The Protectors
1969
Wrong Is Right
1982
Fatal Confession: A Father Dowling Mystery
1987
Snatched
1973
The Sheepman
1958
The Danny Baker Show
1994
The Clock
1949
The Resurrection of Zachary Wheeler
1971
City on Fire
1979
The Nutcracker and the Mouseking
2004
Shaping Up
1984
Santa Who?
2000
Liocracy
2001
The Plainsman
1966
Twilight Theatre
1982
Starlight Theatre
1950
Chilly Dogs
2001
Amazing! Exploring the Far Reaches of Forbidden Planet
2006
Moment of Fear
1960
Counterpoint
1967
How to Steal the World
1968
Men with Brooms
2002
Race for the Bomb
1987
Music Within
2007
Ransom!
1956
The Railway Dragon
1989
Rent-a-Kid
1995
Spaceship
1983
Riel
1979
The Night the Bridge Fell Down
1980
Family Plan
1997
Cave-In!
1983
Day of the Animals
1977
The Letters
1973
Incident in San Francisco
1971
Little Mo
1978
Cocoon
1968
Trial Run
1969
Tammy and the Bachelor
1957
Safety Patrol!
1998
Digger
1993
Back to the Future (Part II): Behind-the-Scenes Special Presentation
1989
Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree
1995
Slap Shot 3: The Junior League
2008
The Reluctant Astronaut
1967
Nightstick
1987
They Call It Murder
1971
Beau Geste
1966
Rosie!
1967
Mel Brooks: Make a Noise
2013
Doris Day's Best Friends
1985
Love Story
1954
WWE SummerSlam 1994
1994
Shadow Over Elveron
1968
The Vagabond King
1956
The Velvet Alley
1959
Viva Knievel!
1977
Brinks: The Great Robbery
1976
Deadlock
1969
Gunfight in Abilene
1967
The Patriot
1986
Blade in Hong Kong
1985
Home Is Where the Hart Is
1987
The Battle of Gettysburg
1955
Change of Mind
1969
Companions in Nightmare
1968
The Aquarians
1970
Striker's Mountain
1985
Robby the Robot: Engineering a Sci-Fi Icon
2006
Four Rode Out
1969
Dark Intruder
1965
Liography
2001
...And Millions Die!
1973
Leslie Nielsen's Bad Golf Made Easier
1993
S.P.Q.R.: 2,000 and a Half Years Ago
1994
Chance of a Lifetime
1991
Project: Kill
1976
Cybermania '94 - The Ultimate Gamer Awards
1994
The Canadian Conspiracy
1986
Hot Summer Night
1957
Reckless Disregard
1985
See How They Run
1964
Dark Possession
1954
The Return of Charlie Chan
1973
The Art Linkletter Show
1963
An Audience with Jimmy Tarbuck
1994
OHMS
1980
Institute for Revenge
1979
Twilight Theater
1982
Harvey
1996
Night Slaves
1970
Night Train to Paris
1964
Stage 13
1950
Leslie Nielsen's Stupid Little Golf Video
1997
The Movie Game (US)
1969
Short Short Dramas
1952
Sixth and Main
1977
How to Commit Marriage
1969
Foxfire Light
1982
Tubridy Tonight
2005
Dayton's Devils
1968
Stonerville
2011
Code Name: Heraclitus
1967
Hauser's Memory
1970
King of the Underwater World
1975
Can Ellen Be Saved?
1974
Noël Noël
2003
The Unknown Marx Brothers
1993
The Outlaw Cats of Colossal Cave
1975
Grand Jury
1977
The Boy Who Flew with Condors
1967
Journey to the Outer Limits
1973
Amanda Fallon
1973
Leslie Nielsen's Bad Golf My Way
1994
The Wild Heart
1968
Threshold: The Blue Angels Experience
1975
The Dawson Patrol
1977
Dive to the Edge of Creation
1980
The Lost Will of Dr. Rant
1951
World's Funniest Commercials
1994