Leslie Nielsen
Actor
Born February 11, 1926 in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
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.
Filmography
O.J.: Made in America
Self (archive footage)
Mel Brooks: Make a Noise
Self (archive footage)
Stonerville
Producer
Spanish Movie
Doctor Nielsen
Stan Helsing
Kay
Slap Shot 3: The Junior League
Mayor of Charlestown
An American Carol
Osama Bin Nielsen / Grandpa
Superhero Movie
Uncle Albert Adams
Family Guy Presents: Blue Harvest
Dr. Rumack (archive voice)
Music Within
Bill Austin
Robby the Robot: Engineering a Sci-Fi Icon
Self
Amazing! Exploring the Far Reaches of Forbidden Planet
Self
Gameshow Marathon
Scary Movie 4
President Baxter Harris
Robson Arms
Caldo Vasco
Nos Bastidores de Hollywood
Self (archive footage)
The Nutcracker and the Mouseking
(Mouseking) (voice)
Zeroman
Zeroman (voice)
Noël Noël
Narrator (english version)
Scary Movie 3
President Baxter Harris
Chilly Beach
Santa (voice)
Odd Job Jack
Men with Brooms
Gordon Cutter
Camouflage
Jack Potter
Chilly Dogs
Clive Thorton / Cab Driver
Santa Who?
Santa Claus
2001: A Space Travesty
Richard 'Dick' Dix
The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn
Self
Family Guy
Dr. Rumack (archive footage)
Wrongfully Accused
Ryan Harrison
Safety Patrol!
Mr. Penn
Mr. Magoo
Mr. Quincy Magoo
The Wonderful World of Disney
Mr. Penn
Family Plan
Harry Haber
Leslie Nielsen's Stupid Little Golf Video
Himself
Harvey
Dr. Chumley
The Rosie O'Donnell Show
Self
Spy Hard
Dick Steele
Dracula: Dead and Loving It
Count Dracula
Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree
Baxter
Die Harald Schmidt Show
Self
Rent-a-Kid
Harry Haber
S.P.Q.R.: 2,000 and a Half Years Ago
Lucio Cinico
An Audience with Jimmy Tarbuck
Self - Audience Member
Due South
Sgt. Buck Frobisher
WWE SummerSlam 1994
Himself
Masters of Illusion: The Wizards of Special Effects
Self
Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult
Lt. Frank Drebin
Leslie Nielsen's Bad Golf My Way
Leslie Nielsen
World's Funniest Commercials
Leslie Nielsen's Bad Golf Made Easier
Himself
Live & Kicking
Self
Digger
Arthur Evrensel
The Unknown Marx Brothers
Self - Narrator
Surf Ninjas
Colonel Chi
Katie and Orbie
Narrator
Raw
Leslie Nielsen
Chance of a Lifetime
Lloyd Dixon
All I Want For Christmas
Santa
Herman's Head
God
The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear
Lt. Frank Drebin
Evening Shade
Repossessed
Father Jebedaiah Mayii
Back to the Future (Part II): Behind-the-Scenes Special Presentation
Host
The Railway Dragon
Narrator (voice)
The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!
Frank Drebin
Dangerous Curves
Greg Krevske
Day by Day
Jack Harper
Fatal Confession: A Father Dowling Mystery
Senator Erdain
Nuts
Allen Green
Nightstick
Thad Evans
Home Is Where the Hart Is
Sheriff Nashville Schwartz
Soul Man
Mr. Dunbar
The Patriot
Admiral Frazer
The Canadian Conspiracy
Self
Striker's Mountain
Jim McKay
The Golden Girls
Lucas
227
The Ray Bradbury Theater
Fantoccini
Reckless Disregard
Bob Franklin
Blade in Hong Kong
Harry Ingersoll
Murder, She Wrote
David Everett
Finder of Lost Loves
Matthew Vail
Who's the Boss?
Highway to Heaven
Richard R. Benson
Spaceship
Capt. Jamieson
Cave-In!
Joe Johnson
Creepshow
Richard Vickers (segment "Something To Tide You Over")
Twilight Theater II
Self- Host
Wogan
Self
Wrong Is Right
Mallory
Police Squad!
Lt. Frank Drebin
Twilight Theatre
Foxfire Light
Reece Morgan
Aloha Paradise
Grant Culberson
The Night the Bridge Fell Down
Paul Warren
Prom Night
Mr. Hammond
Airplane!
Dr. Rumack
Dive to the Edge of Creation
Self - Narrator
OHMS
Governor
The Littlest Hobo
Mayor Chester Montgomery
City on Fire
Mayor William Dudley
Riel
Major Leif Newry Fitzroy Crozier
Backstairs at the White House
Ike Hoover
Halloween
Commander John J. Adams (archive footage)
Vega$
Little Mo
Nelson Fisher
Fantasy Island
Doctor Whitfield
The Amsterdam Kill
Riley Knight
What Really Happened to the Class of '65?
The Love Boat
Hank Hardaway
Lucan
Sixth and Main
John Doe
Viva Knievel!
Stanley Millard
Day of the Animals
Paul Jenson
The Dawson Patrol
Narrator
Project: Kill
John Trevor
Brinks: The Great Robbery
Agent Norman Houston
Saturday Night Live
Self - Host
The Outlaw Cats of Colossal Cave
Narrator
The Swiss Family Robinson
Threshold: The Blue Angels Experience
Self - Narrator (voice)
S.W.A.T.
Dinah!
Self
The Manhunter
Can Ellen Be Saved?
Arnold Lindsey
Kojak
Michael Hagar
The Return of Charlie Chan
Alexander Hadrachi
The Evil Touch
Amanda Fallon
Mr. Cummings
The Letters
Derek Childs
Snatched
Bill Sutter
Barnaby Jones
Edward Brendon
...and millions will die!
Jack Gallagher
Journey to the Outer Limits
(voice)
The Poseidon Adventure
Captain Harrison
Kung Fu
Vincent Corbino
Assignment: Vienna
Floyd Macklin
The Streets of San Francisco
M*A*S*H
Col. Buzz Brighton
The Rookies
They Call It Murder
Frank Antrim
The Resurrection of Zachary Wheeler
Harry Walsh
Sarge
Monty Nash
Ross Carter
Bearcats!
Col. Ted Donovan
Columbo
A.J. Henderson
Cannon
Joe Gilbert
Incident in San Francisco
Lt. Brubaker
Night Gallery
Col. Dennis Malloy
Hauser's Memory
Joseph Slaughter
The Aquarians
Official
Night Slaves
Sheriff Henshaw
Change of Mind
Sheriff Webb
The Bold Ones: The Protectors
Deputy Police Chief Sam Danforth
Bracken's World
The Bold Ones: The New Doctors
Mr. Cummings
How to Commit Marriage
Phil Fletcher
Deadlock
Lt. Sam Danforth
Trial Run
Jason Harkness
Four Rode Out
Mr Brown
Companions in Nightmare
Dr. Neesden
The Mod Squad
Rusty Bryson
Cocoon
Brent
Hawaii Five-O
Brent
The Name of the Game
How to Steal the World
General Maximilian Harmon
The Wild Heart
Narrator
Shadow Over Elveron
Sheriff Verne Drover
It Takes a Thief
SIA Security Man
Counterpoint
Victor Rice
Rosie!
Cabot Shaw
Judd, for the Defense
Cimarron Strip
The Reluctant Astronaut
Major Fred Gifford
Ironside
The Boy Who Flew with Condors
Narrator
Gunfight in Abilene
Grant Evers
Code Name: Heraclitus
Fryer
Beau Geste
Lt. De Ruse
The Plainsman
Col. George Armstrong Custer
The F.B.I.
Hudson
The Wild Wild West
Major General Ball
The Big Valley
Sgt. Maj. Earl Conway
National Geographic Specials
Narrator (voice)
Dark Intruder
Brett Kingsford
Harlow
Richard Manley
See How They Run
Elliot Green
Daniel Boone
William Russell
Night Train to Paris
Alan Holiday
The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
General Maximilian Harmon
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea
Kraft Suspense Theatre
Dr. David Cord
The Farmer's Daughter
Channing
Prof. Paul Stafford
The Fugitive
Harold Cheyney
Miss USA
Self - Judge
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour
Mr. Grainger
The Virginian
John Hagen
The New Breed
Lt. Price Adams
Dr. Kildare
Walter Burton
The Defenders
Bob Garrison
Route 66
Thriller
Alan Patterson
The Swamp Fox
Francis Marion (The Swamp Fox)
Bonanza
Sheriff Paul Rowan
The Velvet Alley
Eddie Kirkley
Rawhide
Eli Becker
Naked City
Norman Garry
The Sheepman
Stephen Bedford / Johnny Bledsoe
Wagon Train
Brian Conlin
Tammy and the Bachelor
Peter Brent
Hot Summer Night
William Joel Partain
The Opposite Sex
Steve Hilliard
Playhouse 90
Ralph Mohr
The Vagabond King
Thibault d'Aussigny
Forbidden Planet
Commander John J. Adams
Ransom!
Charlie Telfer
The Battle of Gettysburg
Narrator (voice)
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Lloyd Ashley
Folio
Biff Loman
MGM Parade
Self
Gunsmoke
Jess Trevor
The Wonderful World of Disney
Colonel Francis Marion
Dark Possession
Dr. Roger Waring
Medallion Theatre
General Electric Theater
Judge Wayne Douglas
Hallmark Hall of Fame
Goodyear Television Playhouse
Tales of Tomorrow
The Lost Will of Dr. Rant
Bill
The Bob Hope Show
Self
Robert Montgomery Presents
C. K. Dexter Haven
Lights Out
Suspense
Studio One
Golden Globe Awards
Self - Host