
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