Leslie Nielsen
Leslie William Nielsen (February 11, 1926 – November 28, 2010) was a European-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.
Read bio at tmdb | Read bio at Wikipedia
- Born:
- Feb 11, 1926 In Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
- Movie/TV Credits:
- 279
- First Appeared:
- In the series Golden Globe Awards 1944-01-20
- Latest Project:
- Movie Sonic the Hedgehog 2020-02-12
Known For
Filmography
| Movie | Sonic the Hedgehog | Frank Drebin (archive footage) (uncredited) | 2020-02-12 |
| 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 | Stan Helsing | Kay | 2009-10-23 |
| Movie | Spanish Movie | Doctor Nielsen | 2009-12-03 |
| 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 |
| Series | Gameshow Marathon | Unknown | 2006-05-31 |
| Movie | Scary Movie 4 | President Baxter Harris | 2006-04-12 |
| 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 |
| Movie | Nos Bastidores de Hollywood | Self (archive footage) | 2005-03-01 |
| Series | Tubridy Tonight | Unknown | 2005-03-12 |
| 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 | Camouflage | Jack Potter | 2001-01-09 |
| Movie | Chilly Dogs | Clive Thorton / Cab Driver | 2001-01-01 |
| Series | Liocracy | 2001-04-01 | |
| Series | Liography | Terrence Brynne McKennie | 2001-04-21 |
| Movie | 2001: A Space Travesty | Richard 'Dick' Dix | 2000-10-31 |
| Movie | Santa Who? | Santa Claus | 2000-12-03 |
| Series | Family Guy | Dr. Rumack (archive footage) | 1999-01-31 |
| Series | The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn | Self | 1999-03-30 |
| Series | Harvey | Dr. Chumley | 1999-07-18 |
| 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 |
| Movie | Mr. Magoo | Mr. Quincy Magoo | 1997-12-25 |
| Series | The Wonderful World of Disney | Mr. Penn | 1997-09-28 |
| 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 | Masters of Illusion: The Wizards of Special Effects | Self | 1994-05-22 |
| Movie | Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult | Lt. Frank Drebin | 1994-03-18 |
| Movie | World's Funniest Commercials | Unknown | 1994-01-01 |
| Movie | WWE SummerSlam 1994 | Himself | 1994-08-29 |
| Movie | Leslie Nielsen's Bad Golf My Way | Leslie Nielsen | 1994-01-01 |
| Series | Cybermania '94 - The Ultimate Gamer Awards | Host | 1994-11-05 |
| Series | The Danny Baker Show | Unknown | 1994-09-17 |
| Movie | An Audience with Jimmy Tarbuck | Self - Audience Member | 1994-10-22 |
| Movie | S.P.Q.R.: 2,000 and a Half Years Ago | Lucio Cinico | 1994-12-15 |
| Series | Due South | Sgt. Buck Frobisher | 1994-09-22 |
| Series | Katie and Orbie | Narrator | 1993-05-03 |
| Series | Raw | Leslie Nielsen | 1993-01-11 |
| Movie | Surf Ninjas | Colonel Chi | 1993-08-12 |
| Movie | The Unknown Marx Brothers | Self - Narrator | 1993-08-18 |
| Movie | Leslie Nielsen's Bad Golf Made Easier | Himself | 1993-11-03 |
| Movie | Digger | Arthur Evrensel | 1993-09-29 |
| Series | Terry Wogan's Friday Night | Self | 1992-10-09 |
| Movie | The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear | Lt. Frank Drebin | 1991-06-28 |
| Series | Flesh 'n' Blood | Red Houser | 1991-09-19 |
| Series | Herman's Head | God | 1991-09-08 |
| Movie | Chance of a Lifetime | Lloyd Dixon | 1991-11-18 |
| Movie | All I Want For Christmas | Santa | 1991-11-08 |
| 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 | The Railway Dragon | Narrator (voice) | 1989-03-17 |
| Movie | Back to the Future (Part II): Behind-the-Scenes Special Presentation | Host | 1989-11-17 |
| 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 | Fatal Confession: A Father Dowling Mystery | Senator Erdain | 1987-11-30 |
| Movie | Nightstick | Thad Evans | 1987-09-01 |
| Movie | Nuts | Allen Green | 1987-11-20 |
| Movie | The Canadian Conspiracy | Self | 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 |
| Series | The Ray Bradbury Theater | Fantoccini | 1985-05-21 |
| Movie | Blade in Hong Kong | Harry Ingersoll | 1985-03-15 |
| Movie | Striker's Mountain | Jim McKay | 1985-11-01 |
| Series | Doris Day's Best Friends | Unknown | 1985-07-16 |
| Series | The Golden Girls | Lucas | 1985-09-14 |
| Series | 227 | Unknown | 1985-09-14 |
| Series | Shaping Up | Buddy Fox | 1984-03-20 |
| Series | Who's the Boss? | Unknown | 1984-09-20 |
| Series | Highway to Heaven | Unknown | 1984-09-19 |
| Series | Showbiz Today | Unknown | 1984-10-29 |
| Series | Murder, She Wrote | Captain Daniels | 1984-09-30 |
| Series | Finder of Lost Loves | Matthew Vail | 1984-09-22 |
| 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 | 1982-02-13 | |
| Movie | Twilight Theatre | 1982-02-13 | |
| Movie | Foxfire Light | Reece Morgan | 1982-01-01 |
| 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 |
| Movie | Airplane II: The Sequel | Dr. Rumack (archive footage) (uncredited) | 1982-12-10 |
| Series | Wogan | Self | 1982-05-04 |
| Series | Aloha Paradise | Grant Culberson | 1981-02-25 |
| Movie | Dive to the Edge of Creation | Self - Narrator | 1980-01-08 |
| Movie | Airplane! | Dr. Rumack | 1980-06-27 |
| Movie | OHMS | Governor | 1980-01-02 |
| 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 |
| Series | The Chisholms | Unknown | 1979-03-29 |
| Movie | Riel | Major Leif Newry Fitzroy Crozier | 1979-04-11 |
| Movie | City on Fire | Mayor William Dudley | 1979-07-11 |
| Series | The Littlest Hobo | Mayor Chester Montgomery | 1979-10-11 |
| Movie | Little Mo | Nelson Fisher | 1978-09-05 |
| Series | Fantasy Island | Doctor Whitfield | 1978-01-28 |
| Series | Vega$ | Unknown | 1978-09-20 |
| Movie | Halloween | Commander John J. Adams (archive footage) | 1978-10-24 |
| Movie | Viva Knievel! | Stanley Millard | 1977-06-10 |
| Movie | The Dawson Patrol | Narrator | 1977-03-25 |
| Movie | Grand Jury | John Williams | 1977-01-01 |
| Movie | Sixth and Main | John Doe | 1977-09-01 |
| 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 | Brinks: The Great Robbery | Agent Norman Houston | 1976-03-26 |
| Movie | Project: Kill | John Trevor | 1976-10-01 |
| Movie | Threshold: The Blue Angels Experience | Self - Narrator (voice) | 1975-09-01 |
| Series | S.W.A.T. | Unknown | 1975-02-24 |
| Series | Sidestreet | Unknown | 1975-09-14 |
| Movie | King of the Underwater World | Self | 1975-10-17 |
| Series | The Swiss Family Robinson | Unknown | 1975-09-14 |
| 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 | The Manhunter | Unknown | 1974-09-11 |
| Series | Dinah! | Self | 1974-10-21 |
| Movie | Snatched | Bill Sutter | 1973-01-31 |
| Series | Barnaby Jones | Edward Brendon | 1973-01-28 |
| Movie | ...And Millions Die! | Jack Gallagher | 1973-01-01 |
| Movie | The Letters | Derek Childs | 1973-03-06 |
| Movie | Journey to the Outer Limits | (voice) | 1973-01-01 |
| Movie | Amanda Fallon | Mr. Cummings | 1973-05-04 |
| Series | Kojak | Michael Hagar | 1973-10-24 |
| Movie | The Return of Charlie Chan | Alexander Hadrachi | 1973-07-01 |
| Series | The Evil Touch | Unknown | 1973-06-19 |
| Series | M*A*S*H | Col. Buzz Brighton | 1972-09-17 |
| Series | The Streets of San Francisco | John T. Connor | 1972-09-23 |
| Series | The Rookies | Unknown | 1972-09-11 |
| Movie | The Poseidon Adventure | Captain Harrison | 1972-12-01 |
| Series | Kung Fu | Vincent Corbino | 1972-10-14 |
| Series | Assignment: Vienna | Floyd Macklin | 1972-09-28 |
| Series | Columbo | Peter Hamilton | 1971-09-15 |
| Movie | Incident in San Francisco | Lt. Brubaker | 1971-02-28 |
| Series | Bearcats! | Col. Ted Donovan | 1971-09-16 |
| Series | Cannon | Weller Dane | 1971-09-14 |
| Series | Sarge | Unknown | 1971-09-21 |
| Movie | They Call It Murder | 1971-12-17 | |
| Movie | The Resurrection of Zachary Wheeler | Harry Walsh | 1971-11-30 |
| Series | Monty Nash | Ross Carter | 1971-09-17 |
| Movie | The Aquarians | Official | 1970-10-24 |
| Movie | Night Slaves | Sheriff Henshaw | 1970-09-29 |
| Series | Night Gallery | The Phantom (segment "Phantom of What Opera?") | 1970-12-16 |
| Movie | Hauser's Memory | Joseph Slaughter | 1970-11-24 |
| 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 |
| Series | The Movie Game (US) | Unknown | 1969-09-08 |
| Movie | How to Commit Marriage | Phil Fletcher | 1969-07-07 |
| Movie | Change of Mind | Sheriff Webb | 1969-10-08 |
| Series | Bracken's World | Unknown | 1969-09-19 |
| Series | The Bold Ones: The Protectors | Deputy Police Chief Sam Danforth | 1969-09-28 |
| Series | The Bold Ones: The New Doctors | Mr. Cummings | 1969-09-14 |
| Movie | The Wild Heart | Narrator | 1968-03-10 |
| Movie | Shadow Over Elveron | Sheriff Verne Drover | 1968-03-05 |
| Series | It Takes a Thief | SIA Security Man | 1968-01-09 |
| Movie | Cocoon | Brent | 1968-09-20 |
| Movie | How to Steal the World | General Maximilian Harmon | 1968-09-18 |
| Series | The Name of the Game | Unknown | 1968-09-20 |
| Movie | Dayton's Devils | Frank Dayton | 1968-10-01 |
| Movie | Companions in Nightmare | Dr. Neesden | 1968-11-23 |
| Series | The Mod Squad | Rusty Bryson | 1968-09-24 |
| Series | Hawaii Five-O | Brent | 1968-09-20 |
| Series | Ironside | Unknown | 1967-03-28 |
| Movie | The Boy Who Flew with Condors | Narrator | 1967-02-19 |
| Movie | Code Name: Heraclitus | Fryer | 1967-01-01 |
| Movie | Gunfight in Abilene | Grant Evers | 1967-02-03 |
| Movie | The Reluctant Astronaut | Major Fred Gifford | 1967-09-05 |
| Series | Cimarron Strip | Unknown | 1967-09-07 |
| Movie | Counterpoint | Victor Rice | 1967-12-22 |
| Movie | Rosie! | Cabot Shaw | 1967-11-22 |
| Series | Judd for the Defense | Unknown | 1967-09-08 |
| Movie | The Plainsman | Col. George Armstrong Custer | 1966-08-01 |
| Movie | Beau Geste | Lt. De Ruse | 1966-09-02 |
| Series | National Geographic Specials | Narrator (voice) | 1965-09-10 |
| Movie | Dark Intruder | Brett Kingsford | 1965-07-25 |
| 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 | The F.B.I. | Hudson | 1965-09-19 |
| Series | Convoy | Unknown | 1965-09-17 |
| Series | Peyton Place | Kenneth Markham | 1964-09-15 |
| Series | Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea | Unknown | 1964-09-14 |
| Series | The Man from U.N.C.L.E. | General Maximilian Harmon | 1964-09-22 |
| 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 | The Fugitive | Martin C. Rowland | 1963-09-17 |
| Series | Miss USA | Self - Judge | 1963-07-17 |
| Series | Channing | Prof. Paul Stafford | 1963-09-18 |
| Series | The Art Linkletter Show | Unknown | 1963-02-18 |
| 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 Virginian | Harry Lightfoot | 1962-09-19 |
| Series | The Alfred Hitchcock Hour | Mr. Grainger | 1962-09-20 |
| Series | The Defenders | Bob Garrison | 1961-09-16 |
| Series | Dr. Kildare | Harry Kleber | 1961-09-27 |
| 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 | Thriller | Alan Patterson | 1960-09-13 |
| 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 | Tammy and the Bachelor | Peter Brent | 1957-06-14 |
| Movie | Hot Summer Night | William Joel Partain | 1957-02-15 |
| Series | Wagon Train | Brian Conlin | 1957-09-18 |
| 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 | Gunsmoke | Jess Trevor | 1955-09-10 |
| Series | Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Rudy Cox | 1955-10-02 |
| Series | Folio | Biff Loman | 1955-09-25 |
| Movie | The Battle of Gettysburg | Narrator (voice) | 1955-12-01 |
| Series | First Performance | Ted | 1955-10-06 |
| Series | Love Story | Unknown | 1954-04-20 |
| Movie | Dark Possession | Dr. Roger Waring | 1954-02-15 |
| Series | The Wonderful World of Disney | Col. 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 |
| Movie | The Lost Will of Dr. Rant | Bill | 1951-05-07 |
| Series | Tales of Tomorrow | Harold 'Harry' Mason | 1951-08-03 |
| Series | Hallmark Hall of Fame | Unknown | 1951-12-24 |
| Series | Goodyear Television Playhouse | Unknown | 1951-10-14 |
| 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 | Stage 13 | Unknown | 1950-05-03 |
| Series | Starlight Theatre | Unknown | 1950-04-02 |
| Series | Danger | Unknown | 1950-09-26 |
| Series | The Web | Unknown | 1950-07-04 |
| Series | Sure As Fate | Unknown | 1950-07-04 |
| Series | Suspense | Serge Soudekine | 1949-01-06 |
| Series | The Clock | David Kyle | 1949-05-16 |
| Series | Lights Out | Unknown | 1949-07-19 |
| Series | Actors Studio | Unknown | 1948-09-26 |
| Series | Studio One | Karl | 1948-11-07 |
| Series | Golden Globe Awards | Self - Host | 1944-01-20 |