Acting
Leslie Nielsen
EN, ES, PT, FR cinema · 139 credits
Born
11 February 1926
Died
28 November 2010 (aged 84)
Birthplace
Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
Also known as Leslie William 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.
Known for
Filmography
O.J.: Made in America
as Self (archive footage)
Mel Brooks: Make a Noise
as Self (archive footage)
Stonerville
as Producer
Stan Helsing
as Kay
Spanish Movie
as Doctor Nielsen
An American Carol
as Osama Bin Nielsen / Grandpa
Superhero Movie
as Uncle Albert Adams
Slap Shot 3: The Junior League
as Mayor of Charlestown
Music Within
as Bill Austin
Family Guy Presents: Blue Harvest
as Dr. Rumack (archive voice)
Scary Movie 4
as President Baxter Harris
Nos Bastidores de Hollywood
as Self (archive footage)
The Nutcracker and the Mouseking
as (Mouseking) (voice)
The Best of So Graham Norton
as Self (archive footage)
Scary Movie 3
as President Harris
Noël Noël
as Narrator (english version)
Men with Brooms
as Gordon Cutter
Chilly Dogs
as Clive Thorton / Cab Driver
Camouflage
as Jack Potter
2001: A Space Travesty
as Marshal Richard "Dick" Dix
Santa Who?
as Santa Claus
Wrongfully Accused
as Ryan Harrison
Safety Patrol!
as Mr. Penn
Family Plan
as Harry Haber
Mr. Magoo
as Mr. Quincy Magoo
Leslie Nielsen's Stupid Little Golf Video
as Himself, Executive Co-Producer
Pirates 4-D
as Captain Lucky
Spy Hard
as Dick Steele, Executive Producer
Harvey
as Dr. Chumley
Dracula: Dead and Loving It
as Count Dracula
Rent-a-Kid
as Harry Haber
S.P.Q.R.: 2,000 and a Half Years Ago
as Lucio Cinico
Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult
as Lt. Frank Drebin
An Audience with Jimmy Tarbuck
as Self - Audience Member
Leslie Nielsen's Bad Golf My Way
as Leslie Nielsen
WWE SummerSlam 1994
as Himself
Surf Ninjas
as Colonel Chi
The Unknown Marx Brothers
as Self - Narrator
Digger
as Arthur Evrensel
The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear
as Lt. Frank Drebin
Chance of a Lifetime
as Lloyd Dixon
Repossessed
as Father Jebedaiah Mayii
The Railway Dragon
as Narrator (voice)
The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!
as Frank Drebin
Dangerous Curves
as Greg Krevske
Nuts
as Allen Green
Home Is Where the Hart Is
as Sheriff Nashville Schwartz
Fatal Confession: A Father Dowling Mystery
as Senator Erdain
Nightstick
as Thad Evans
Soul Man
as Mr. Dunbar
The Patriot
as Admiral Frazer
Blade in Hong Kong
as Harry Ingersoll
Striker's Mountain
as Jim McKay
Reckless Disregard
as Bob Franklin
Spaceship
as Capt. Jamieson
Cave-In!
as Joe Johnson
Wrong Is Right
as Mallory
Creepshow
as Richard Vickers (segment "Something To Tide You Over")
Foxfire Light
as Reece Morgan
Twilight Theater II
as Self- Host
Airplane II: The Sequel
as Dr. Rumack (archive footage) (uncredited)
Airplane!
as Dr. Rumack
Prom Night
as Mr. Hammond
The Night the Bridge Fell Down
as Paul Warren
OHMS
as Governor
Dive to the Edge of Creation
as Self - Narrator
City on Fire
as Mayor William Dudley
Institute for Revenge
as Counselor Hollis Barnes
Riel
as Major Leif Newry Fitzroy Crozier
Little Mo
as Nelson Fisher
Day of the Animals
as Paul Jenson
Viva Knievel!
as Stanley Millard
The Amsterdam Kill
as Riley Knight
Grand Jury
1977
Grand Jury
as John Williams
The Dawson Patrol
as Narrator
Sixth and Main
as John Doe
Project: Kill
as John Trevor
Brinks: The Great Robbery
as Agent Norman Houston
Threshold: The Blue Angels Experience
as Self - Narrator (voice)
Can Ellen Be Saved?
as Arnold Lindsey
The Letters
as Derek Childs
Snatched
as Bill Sutter
...and millions will die!
as Jack Gallagher
The Return of Charlie Chan
as Alexander Hadrachi
Journey to the Outer Limits
as Narrator (voice)
Amanda Fallon
as Mr. Cummings
The Poseidon Adventure
as Captain Harrison
The Resurrection of Zachary Wheeler
as Harry Walsh
They Call It Murder
as Frank Antrim
Incident in San Francisco
as Lt. Brubaker
Night Slaves
as Sheriff Henshaw
Hauser's Memory
as Joseph Slaughter
The Aquarians
as Official
Four Rode Out
as Mr Brown
How to Commit Marriage
as Phil Fletcher
Change of Mind
as Sheriff Webb
Deadlock
as Lt. Sam Danforth
Trial Run
as Jason Harkness
How to Steal the World
as General Maximilian Harmon
Dayton's Devils
as Frank Dayton
Companions in Nightmare
as Dr. Neesden
Shadow Over Elveron
as Sheriff Verne Drover
The Wild Heart
as Narrator
Cocoon
as Brent
The Reluctant Astronaut
as Major Fred Gifford
Gunfight in Abilene
as Grant Evers
Counterpoint
as Victor Rice
Rosie!
as Cabot Shaw
The Boy Who Flew with Condors
as Narrator
Beau Geste
as Lt. De Ruse
The Plainsman
as Col. George Armstrong Custer
Dark Intruder
as Brett Kingsford
Harlow
as Richard Manley
Night Train to Paris
as Alan Holiday
See How They Run
as Elliot Green
The Velvet Alley
as Eddie Kirkley
The Sheepman
as Stephen Bedford / Johnny Bledsoe
Tammy and the Bachelor
as Peter Brent
Hot Summer Night
as William Joel Partain
Forbidden Planet
as Commander John J. Adams
The Opposite Sex
as Steve Hilliard
Ransom!
as Charlie Telfer
The Vagabond King
as Thibault d'Aussigny
The Battle of Gettysburg
as Narrator (voice)
Dark Possession
as Dr. Roger Waring
