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
Movie | O.J.: Made in America | Self (archive footage) | 2016-05-20 |
Movie | The Horrors of Hamilton High: The Making of Prom Night | Self (archive footage) | 2014-09-09 |
Movie | Mel Brooks: Make a Noise | Self (archive footage) | 2013-05-20 |
Movie | Stonerville | Producer | 2011-01-11 |
Movie | Spanish Movie | Doctor Nielsen | 2009-12-03 |
Movie | Stan Helsing | Kay | 2009-10-23 |
Movie | Family Guy Presents: Blue Harvest | Dr. Rumack (archive voice) | 2008-01-21 |
Movie | Superhero Movie | Uncle Albert Adams | 2008-03-28 |
Movie | Slap Shot 3: The Junior League | Mayor of Charlestown | 2008-12-17 |
Movie | An American Carol | Osama Bin Nielsen / Grandpa | 2008-10-03 |
Movie | Music Within | Bill Austin | 2007-01-05 |
Series | Lipshitz Saves the World | Himself | 2007-03-01 |
Movie | Scary Movie 4 | President Baxter Harris | 2006-04-12 |
Series | Gameshow Marathon | Unknown | 2006-05-31 |
Movie | Amazing! Exploring the Far Reaches of Forbidden Planet | Self | 2006-11-14 |
Movie | Robby the Robot: Engineering a Sci-Fi Icon | Self | 2006-11-14 |
Series | Tubridy Tonight | Unknown | 2005-03-12 |
Movie | Nos Bastidores de Hollywood | Self | 2005-03-01 |
Series | Robson Arms | Caldo Vasco | 2005-06-17 |
Series | Zeroman | Zeroman (voice) | 2004-09-11 |
Movie | The Nutcracker and the Mouseking | (Mouseking) (voice) | 2004-10-12 |
Series | Odd Job Jack | Unknown | 2003-03-05 |
Series | Chilly Beach | Unknown | 2003-09-03 |
Movie | Noël Noël | Narrator (english version) | 2003-12-13 |
Movie | Scary Movie 3 | President Baxter Harris | 2003-10-24 |
Movie | Men with Brooms | Gordon Cutter | 2002-09-20 |
Movie | Chilly Dogs | Clive Thorton / Cab Driver | 2001-01-01 |
Movie | Camouflage | Jack Potter | 2001-01-09 |
Series | Liography | Terrence Brynne McKennie | 2001-04-21 |
Series | Liocracy | 2001-04-01 | |
Movie | 2001: A Space Travesty | Richard 'Dick' Dix | 2000-10-31 |
Movie | Santa Who? | Santa Claus | 2000-12-03 |
Series | The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn | Self | 1999-03-30 |
Series | Family Guy | Dr. Rumack (archive footage) | 1999-01-31 |
Series | Harvey | Dr. Chumley | 1999-07-18 |
Movie | Pirates: 3D Show | Lucky | 1999-12-31 |
Movie | Safety Patrol! | Mr. Penn | 1998-03-29 |
Movie | Wrongfully Accused | Ryan Harrison | 1998-07-23 |
Movie | Leslie Nielsen's Stupid Little Golf Video | Himself | 1997-01-01 |
Movie | Family Plan | Harry Haber | 1997-01-01 |
Series | The Wonderful World of Disney | Mr. Penn | 1997-09-28 |
Movie | Mr. Magoo | Mr. Quincy Magoo | 1997-12-25 |
Movie | Spy Hard | Dick Steele | 1996-05-24 |
Series | The Rosie O'Donnell Show | Self | 1996-06-10 |
Movie | Harvey | Dr. Chumley | 1996-10-19 |
Series | Life and Times | Unknown | 1996-10-04 |
Series | Die Harald Schmidt Show | Self | 1995-12-05 |
Movie | Rent-a-Kid | Harry Haber | 1995-01-01 |
Movie | Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree | Baxter | 1995-12-06 |
Movie | Dracula: Dead and Loving It | Count Dracula | 1995-12-22 |
Movie | WWE SummerSlam 1994 | Himself | 1994-08-29 |
Movie | Leslie Nielsen's Bad Golf My Way | Leslie Nielsen | 1994-01-01 |
Series | The Danny Baker Show | Unknown | 1994-09-17 |
Movie | Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult | Lt. Frank Drebin | 1994-03-18 |
Series | Due South | Sgt. Buck Frobisher | 1994-09-22 |
Series | Cybermania '94 - The Ultimate Gamer Awards | Host | 1994-11-05 |
Movie | S.P.Q.R.: 2,000 and a Half Years Ago | Lucio Cinico | 1994-12-15 |
Movie | An Audience with Jimmy Tarbuck | Self - Audience Member | 1994-10-22 |
Series | Katie and Orbie | Narrator | 1993-05-03 |
Series | WWE Raw | Leslie Nielsen | 1993-01-11 |
Movie | Surf Ninjas | Colonel Chi | 1993-08-12 |
Movie | Leslie Nielsen's Bad Golf Made Easier | Himself | 1993-11-03 |
Movie | Digger | Arthur Evrensel | 1993-09-29 |
Movie | The Unknown Marx Brothers | Self - Narrator | 1993-08-18 |
Series | Terry Wogan's Friday Night | Self | 1992-10-09 |
Movie | Chance of a Lifetime | Lloyd Dixon | 1991-11-18 |
Movie | The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear | Lt. Frank Drebin | 1991-06-28 |
Series | Herman's Head | God | 1991-09-08 |
Movie | All I Want for Christmas | Santa | 1991-11-08 |
Series | Flesh 'n' Blood | Red Houser | 1991-09-19 |
Movie | Repossessed | Father Jebedaiah Mayii | 1990-09-14 |
Series | Evening Shade | Unknown | 1990-09-21 |
Series | Father Dowling Mysteries | Senator Erdain | 1989-01-20 |
Movie | Back to the Future (Part II): Behind-the-Scenes Special Presentation | Host | 1989-11-17 |
Movie | The Railway Dragon | Narrator (voice) | 1989-03-17 |
Series | Day by Day | Unknown | 1988-02-29 |
Movie | Dangerous Curves | Greg Krevske | 1988-09-23 |
Movie | The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! | Frank Drebin | 1988-12-02 |
Series | Race for the Bomb | Lewis Strauss | 1987-02-01 |
Movie | Home Is Where the Hart Is | Sheriff Nashville Schwartz | 1987-06-13 |
Movie | Nuts | Allen Green | 1987-11-20 |
Movie | Nightstick | Thad Evans | 1987-09-01 |
Movie | Fatal Confession: A Father Dowling Mystery | Senator Erdain | 1987-11-30 |
Movie | The Canadian Conspiracy | 1986-06-08 | |
Movie | The Patriot | Admiral Frazer | 1986-07-25 |
Movie | Soul Man | Mr. Dunbar | 1986-10-24 |
Movie | Reckless Disregard | Bob Franklin | 1985-03-17 |
Movie | Blade in Hong Kong | Harry Ingersoll | 1985-03-15 |
Series | The Ray Bradbury Theater | Fantoccini | 1985-05-21 |
Series | The Golden Girls | Lucas | 1985-09-14 |
Series | Doris Day's Best Friends | Unknown | 1985-07-16 |
Movie | Striker's Mountain | Jim McKay | 1985-11-01 |
Series | 227 | Unknown | 1985-09-14 |
Series | Who's the Boss? | Unknown | 1984-09-20 |
Series | Shaping Up | Buddy Fox | 1984-03-20 |
Series | Highway to Heaven | Unknown | 1984-09-19 |
Series | Finder of Lost Loves | Matthew Vail | 1984-09-22 |
Series | Showbiz Today | Unknown | 1984-10-29 |
Series | Murder, She Wrote | David Everett | 1984-09-30 |
Series | Prime Times | Self | 1983-04-04 |
Movie | Cave-In! | Joe Johnson | 1983-06-19 |
Movie | Spaceship | Capt. Jamieson | 1983-07-01 |
Series | Twilight Theater | Unknown | 1982-02-13 |
Movie | Foxfire Light | Reece Morgan | 1982-01-01 |
Movie | Twilight Theatre | 1982-02-13 | |
Series | Wogan | Self | 1982-05-04 |
Series | Police Squad! | Lt. Frank Drebin | 1982-03-04 |
Movie | Creepshow | Richard Vickers (segment "Something To Tide You Over") | 1982-11-10 |
Movie | Wrong Is Right | Mallory | 1982-04-16 |
Series | Aloha Paradise | Grant Culberson | 1981-02-25 |
Movie | OHMS | Governor | 1980-01-02 |
Movie | Airplane! | Dr. Rumack | 1980-07-02 |
Movie | Prom Night | Mr. Hammond | 1980-07-18 |
Movie | The Night the Bridge Fell Down | Paul Warren | 1980-09-06 |
Series | Backstairs at the White House | Ike Hoover | 1979-01-29 |
Movie | Institute for Revenge | Counselor Hollis Barnes | 1979-01-22 |
Movie | City on Fire | Mayor William Dudley | 1979-07-11 |
Series | The Littlest Hobo | Mayor Chester Montgomery | 1979-10-11 |
Series | The Chisholms | Unknown | 1979-03-29 |
Movie | Little Mo | Nelson Fisher | 1978-09-05 |
Series | Vega$ | Unknown | 1978-09-20 |
Movie | The Dawson Patrol | Narrator | 1977-03-25 |
Movie | Sixth and Main | John Doe | 1977-01-01 |
Movie | Grand Jury | John Williams | 1977-01-01 |
Movie | Day of the Animals | Paul Jenson | 1977-05-13 |
Series | Lucan | Unknown | 1977-09-12 |
Movie | The Amsterdam Kill | Riley Knight | 1977-12-26 |
Series | What Really Happened To the Class Of '65? | Unknown | 1977-12-08 |
Series | The Love Boat | Dan Michaels | 1977-09-24 |
Movie | Viva Knievel! | Stanley Millard | 1977-06-10 |
Movie | Brinks: The Great Robbery | Agent Norman Houston | 1976-03-26 |
Movie | Project: Kill | John Trevor | 1976-10-01 |
Series | S.W.A.T. | Unknown | 1975-02-24 |
Series | The Swiss Family Robinson | Unknown | 1975-09-14 |
Series | Sidestreet | Unknown | 1975-09-14 |
Movie | King of the Underwater World | Self | 1975-10-17 |
Series | Saturday Night Live | Self - Host | 1975-10-11 |
Movie | The Outlaw Cats of Colossal Cave | Narrator | 1975-09-28 |
Movie | Can Ellen Be Saved? | Arnold Lindsey | 1974-02-05 |
Series | Celebrity Sweepstakes | Unknown | 1974-04-01 |
Series | Dinah! | Self | 1974-10-21 |
Series | The Manhunter | Unknown | 1974-09-11 |
Series | Barnaby Jones | Edward Brendon | 1973-01-28 |
Movie | ...And Millions Die! | Jack Gallagher | 1973-01-01 |
Movie | Journey to the Outer Limits | (voice) | 1973-01-01 |
Movie | Snatched | Bill Sutter | 1973-01-31 |
Movie | Amanda Fallon | Mr. Cummings | 1973-05-04 |
Movie | The Letters | Derek Childs | 1973-03-03 |
Series | The Evil Touch | Unknown | 1973-06-19 |
Movie | The Return of Charlie Chan | Alexander Hadrachi | 1973-07-01 |
Series | Kojak | Michael Hagar | 1973-10-24 |
Series | M*A*S*H | Col. Buzz Brighton | 1972-09-17 |
Series | The Rookies | Unknown | 1972-09-11 |
Series | The Streets of San Francisco | John T. Connor | 1972-09-23 |
Series | Assignment: Vienna | Floyd Macklin | 1972-09-28 |
Series | Kung Fu | Vincent Corbino | 1972-10-14 |
Movie | The Poseidon Adventure | Captain Harrison | 1972-12-01 |
Series | Columbo | Peter Hamilton | 1971-09-15 |
Series | Bearcats! | Col. Ted Donovan | 1971-09-16 |
Series | Cannon | Erich Strasser | 1971-09-14 |
Movie | Incident in San Francisco | Lt. Brubaker | 1971-02-28 |
Series | Monty Nash | Ross Carter | 1971-09-17 |
Movie | They Call It Murder | 1971-12-17 | |
Movie | The Resurrection of Zachary Wheeler | Harry Walsh | 1971-11-30 |
Series | Sarge | Unknown | 1971-09-21 |
Movie | Night Slaves | Sheriff Henshaw | 1970-09-29 |
Movie | The Aquarians | Official | 1970-10-24 |
Movie | Hauser's Memory | Joseph Slaughter | 1970-11-24 |
Series | Night Gallery | The Phantom (segment "Phantom of What Opera?") | 1970-12-16 |
Movie | Deadlock | Lt. Sam Danforth | 1969-02-22 |
Movie | Trial Run | Jason Harkness | 1969-01-18 |
Movie | Four Rode Out | Mr Brown | 1969-01-01 |
Movie | How to Commit Marriage | Phil Fletcher | 1969-07-07 |
Series | Bracken's World | Unknown | 1969-09-19 |
Series | The Bold Ones: The Protectors | Deputy Police Chief Sam Danforth | 1969-09-28 |
Movie | Change of Mind | Sheriff Webb | 1969-10-08 |
Series | The Bold Ones: The New Doctors | Mr. Cummings | 1969-09-14 |
Series | The Movie Game (US) | Unknown | 1969-09-08 |
Movie | How to Steal the World | General Maximilian Harmon | 1968-09-18 |
Movie | The Wild Heart | Narrator | 1968-03-10 |
Series | It Takes a Thief | S.I.A. Security Man | 1968-01-09 |
Movie | Cocoon | Brent | 1968-09-20 |
Movie | Shadow Over Elveron | Sheriff Verne Drover | 1968-03-05 |
Movie | Dayton's Devils | Frank Dayton | 1968-10-01 |
Series | Hawaii Five-O | Brent | 1968-09-20 |
Series | The Mod Squad | Rusty Bryson | 1968-09-24 |
Movie | Companions in Nightmare | Dr. Neesden | 1968-11-23 |
Series | The Name of the Game | Unknown | 1968-09-20 |
Movie | The Boy Who Flew with Condors | Narrator | 1967-02-19 |
Movie | Gunfight in Abilene | Grant Evers | 1967-02-03 |
Movie | Code Name: Heraclitus | Fryer | 1967-01-01 |
Series | Ironside | Unknown | 1967-03-28 |
Series | Judd for the Defense | Unknown | 1967-09-08 |
Movie | Counterpoint | Victor Rice | 1967-12-22 |
Movie | The Reluctant Astronaut | Major Fred Gifford | 1967-09-05 |
Movie | Rosie! | Cabot Shaw | 1967-11-22 |
Series | Cimarron Strip | Unknown | 1967-09-07 |
Movie | The Plainsman | Col. George Armstrong Custer | 1966-08-01 |
Movie | Beau Geste | Lt. De Ruse | 1966-09-02 |
Movie | Dark Intruder | Brett Kingsford | 1965-07-25 |
Series | The F.B.I. | Hudson | 1965-09-19 |
Series | National Geographic Specials | Narrator (voice) | 1965-09-10 |
Movie | Harlow | Richard Manley | 1965-06-23 |
Series | The Big Valley | Sgt. Maj. Earl Conway | 1965-09-15 |
Series | The Wild Wild West | Major General Ball | 1965-09-17 |
Series | Convoy | Unknown | 1965-09-17 |
Series | Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea | Unknown | 1964-09-14 |
Movie | Night Train to Paris | Alan Holiday | 1964-09-22 |
Series | Daniel Boone | William Russell | 1964-09-24 |
Movie | See How They Run | Elliot Green | 1964-10-07 |
Series | Channing | Prof. Paul Stafford | 1963-09-18 |
Series | The Art Linkletter Show | Unknown | 1963-02-18 |
Series | The Fugitive | Harold Cheyney | 1963-09-17 |
Series | The Farmer's Daughter | Unknown | 1963-09-20 |
Series | Kraft Suspense Theatre | Paul Maytric | 1963-10-10 |
Series | Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre | John Joslin | 1963-10-04 |
Series | Your First Impression | Unknown | 1962-01-02 |
Series | The Alfred Hitchcock Hour | Mr. Grainger | 1962-09-20 |
Series | The Virginian | Harry Lightfoot | 1962-09-19 |
Series | Dr. Kildare | Harry Kleber | 1961-09-27 |
Series | The Defenders | Bob Garrison | 1961-09-16 |
Series | The New Breed | Lt. Price Adams | 1961-10-03 |
Series | Moment of Fear | Unknown | 1960-07-01 |
Series | Route 66 | Unknown | 1960-10-07 |
Series | Rawhide | Eli Becker | 1959-01-09 |
Movie | The Velvet Alley | Eddie Kirkley | 1959-01-22 |
Series | Bonanza | Sheriff Paul Rowan | 1959-09-12 |
Series | The Swamp Fox | Francis Marion (The Swamp Fox) | 1959-10-23 |
Movie | The Sheepman | Stephen Bedford / Johnny Bledsoe | 1958-05-01 |
Series | Naked City | Norman Garry | 1958-09-30 |
Movie | Hot Summer Night | William Joel Partain | 1957-02-15 |
Movie | Tammy and the Bachelor | Peter Brent | 1957-06-14 |
Movie | Ransom! | Charlie Telfer | 1956-01-24 |
Movie | Forbidden Planet | Commander John J. Adams | 1956-03-23 |
Movie | The Vagabond King | Thibault d'Aussigny | 1956-08-28 |
Movie | The Opposite Sex | Steve Hilliard | 1956-11-15 |
Series | Playhouse 90 | Ralph Mohr | 1956-10-04 |
Series | First Performance | Unknown | 1956-10-03 |
Series | Gunsmoke | Jess Trevor | 1955-09-10 |
Series | Folio | Biff Loman | 1955-09-25 |
Movie | The Battle of Gettysburg | Narrator (voice) | 1955-12-01 |
Series | Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Rudy Cox | 1955-10-02 |
Movie | Dark Possession | Dr. Roger Waring | 1954-02-15 |
Series | Love Story | Unknown | 1954-04-20 |
Series | The Wonderful World of Disney | Colonel Francis Marion | 1954-10-27 |
Series | General Electric Theater | Edward Morgan | 1953-02-01 |
Series | Medallion Theatre | Unknown | 1953-07-11 |
Series | Short Short Dramas | Unknown | 1952-09-30 |
Series | Hallmark Hall of Fame | Unknown | 1951-12-24 |
Series | Goodyear Television Playhouse | Unknown | 1951-10-14 |
Series | Tales of Tomorrow | Harold 'Harry' Mason | 1951-08-03 |
Series | Out There | Unknown | 1951-10-28 |
Series | The Bob Hope Show | Self | 1950-04-09 |
Series | Robert Montgomery Presents | Gates Holden | 1950-01-30 |
Series | Starlight Theatre | Unknown | 1950-04-02 |
Series | Stage 13 | Unknown | 1950-05-03 |
Series | The Web | Unknown | 1950-07-04 |
Series | Danger | Unknown | 1950-09-26 |
Series | Sure As Fate | Unknown | 1950-07-04 |
Series | Suspense | Serge Soudekine | 1949-01-06 |
Series | Lights Out | Unknown | 1949-07-19 |
Series | The Clock | Unknown | 1949-05-16 |
Series | Actors Studio | Unknown | 1948-09-26 |
Series | Studio One | Tallman | 1948-11-07 |