Personal Info
Known For:
Acting
Birthday:
February 11, 1926
Place of Birth:
Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
Social Media
Leslie Nielsen
Biography
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.
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Known For
Filmography
| Year | Movie | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | O.J.: Made in America | Self (archive footage) |
| 2014 | The Horrors of Hamilton High: The Making of Prom Night | Self (archive footage) |
| 2013 | Mel Brooks: Make a Noise | Self (archive footage) |
| 2011 | Stonerville | Producer |
| 2009 | Stan Helsing | Kay |
| 2009 | Spanish Movie | Doctor Nielsen |
| 2008 | An American Carol | Osama Bin Nielsen / Grandpa |
| 2008 | Superhero Movie | Uncle Albert Adams |
| 2008 | Slap Shot 3: The Junior League | Mayor of Charlestown |
| 2008 | Family Guy Presents: Blue Harvest | Dr. Rumack (archive voice) |
| 2007 | Music Within | Bill Austin |
| 2006 | Scary Movie 4 | President Baxter Harris |
| 2006 | Amazing! Exploring the Far Reaches of Forbidden Planet | Self |
| 2006 | Robby the Robot: Engineering a Sci-Fi Icon | Self |
| 2005 | Nos Bastidores de Hollywood | Self |
| 2004 | The Nutcracker and the Mouseking | (Mouseking) (voice) |
| 2003 | Scary Movie 3 | President Baxter Harris |
| 2003 | Noël Noël | Narrator (english version) |
| 2002 | Men with Brooms | Gordon Cutter |
| 2001 | Chilly Dogs | Clive Thorton / Cab Driver |
| 2001 | Camouflage | Jack Potter |
| 2000 | 2001: A Space Travesty | Richard 'Dick' Dix |
| 2000 | Santa Who? | Santa Claus |
| 1999 | Pirates: 3D Show | Lucky |
| 1998 | Wrongfully Accused | Ryan Harrison |
| 1998 | Safety Patrol! | Mr. Penn |
| 1997 | Family Plan | Harry Haber |
| 1997 | Mr. Magoo | Mr. Quincy Magoo |
| 1997 | Leslie Nielsen's Stupid Little Golf Video | Himself |
| 1996 | Spy Hard | Dick Steele |
| 1996 | Harvey | Dr. Chumley |
| 1995 | Dracula: Dead and Loving It | Count Dracula |
| 1995 | Rent-a-Kid | Harry Haber |
| 1995 | Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree | Baxter |
| 1994 | S.P.Q.R.: 2,000 and a Half Years Ago | Lucio Cinico |
| 1994 | Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult | Lt. Frank Drebin |
| 1994 | An Audience with Jimmy Tarbuck | Self - Audience Member |
| 1994 | Leslie Nielsen's Bad Golf My Way | Leslie Nielsen |
| 1994 | WWE SummerSlam 1994 | Himself |
| 1994 | Masters of Illusion: The Wizards of Special Effects | Self |
| 1994 | World's Funniest Commercials | |
| 1993 | Surf Ninjas | Colonel Chi |
| 1993 | The Unknown Marx Brothers | Self - Narrator |
| 1993 | Digger | Arthur Evrensel |
| 1993 | Leslie Nielsen's Bad Golf Made Easier | Himself |
| 1991 | The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear | Lt. Frank Drebin |
| 1991 | All I Want For Christmas | Santa |
| 1991 | Chance of a Lifetime | Lloyd Dixon |
| 1990 | Repossessed | Father Jebedaiah Mayii |
| 1989 | The Railway Dragon | Narrator (voice) |
| 1989 | Back to the Future (Part II): Behind-the-Scenes Special Presentation | Host |
| 1988 | The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! | Frank Drebin |
| 1988 | Dangerous Curves | Greg Krevske |
| 1987 | Nuts | Allen Green |
| 1987 | Home Is Where the Hart Is | Sheriff Nashville Schwartz |
| 1987 | Fatal Confession: A Father Dowling Mystery | Senator Erdain |
| 1987 | Nightstick | Thad Evans |
| 1986 | Soul Man | Mr. Dunbar |
| 1986 | The Canadian Conspiracy | |
| 1986 | The Patriot | Admiral Frazer |
| 1985 | Blade in Hong Kong | Harry Ingersoll |
| 1985 | Striker's Mountain | Jim McKay |
| 1985 | Reckless Disregard | Bob Franklin |
| 1983 | Spaceship | Capt. Jamieson |
| 1983 | Cave-In! | Joe Johnson |
| 1982 | Wrong Is Right | Mallory |
| 1982 | Creepshow | Richard Vickers (segment "Something To Tide You Over") |
| 1982 | Foxfire Light | Reece Morgan |
| 1982 | Twilight Theatre | |
| 1980 | Airplane! | Dr. Rumack |
| 1980 | Prom Night | Mr. Hammond |
| 1980 | The Night the Bridge Fell Down | Paul Warren |
| 1980 | OHMS | Governor |
| 1980 | Dive to the Edge of Creation | Self - Narrator |
| 1979 | City on Fire | Mayor William Dudley |
| 1979 | Institute for Revenge | Counselor Hollis Barnes |
| 1978 | Little Mo | Nelson Fisher |
| 1977 | Day of the Animals | Paul Jenson |
| 1977 | Viva Knievel! | Stanley Millard |
| 1977 | The Amsterdam Kill | Riley Knight |
| 1977 | Grand Jury | John Williams |
| 1977 | The Dawson Patrol | Narrator |
| 1977 | Sixth and Main | John Doe |
| 1976 | Project: Kill | John Trevor |
| 1976 | Brinks: The Great Robbery | Agent Norman Houston |
| 1975 | King of the Underwater World | Self |
| 1975 | The Outlaw Cats of Colossal Cave | Narrator |
| 1974 | Can Ellen Be Saved? | Arnold Lindsey |
| 1973 | The Letters | Derek Childs |
| 1973 | Snatched | Bill Sutter |
| 1973 | ...And Millions Die! | Jack Gallagher |
| 1973 | The Return of Charlie Chan | Alexander Hadrachi |
| 1973 | Journey to the Outer Limits | (voice) |
| 1973 | Amanda Fallon | Mr. Cummings |
| 1972 | The Poseidon Adventure | Captain Harrison |
| 1971 | The Resurrection of Zachary Wheeler | Harry Walsh |
| 1971 | They Call It Murder | |
| 1971 | Incident in San Francisco | Lt. Brubaker |
| 1970 | Night Slaves | Sheriff Henshaw |
| 1970 | Hauser's Memory | Joseph Slaughter |
| 1970 | The Aquarians | Official |
| 1969 | Four Rode Out | Mr Brown |
| 1969 | How to Commit Marriage | Phil Fletcher |
| 1969 | Change of Mind | Sheriff Webb |
| 1969 | Deadlock | Lt. Sam Danforth |
| 1969 | Trial Run | Jason Harkness |
| 1968 | How to Steal the World | General Maximilian Harmon |
| 1968 | Dayton's Devils | Frank Dayton |
| 1968 | Companions in Nightmare | Dr. Neesden |
| 1968 | Shadow Over Elveron | Sheriff Verne Drover |
| 1968 | The Wild Heart | Narrator |
| 1968 | Cocoon | Brent |
| 1967 | Code Name: Heraclitus | Fryer |
| 1967 | The Reluctant Astronaut | Major Fred Gifford |
| 1967 | Gunfight in Abilene | Grant Evers |
| 1967 | Counterpoint | Victor Rice |
| 1967 | Rosie! | Cabot Shaw |
| 1967 | The Boy Who Flew with Condors | Narrator |
| 1966 | Beau Geste | Lt. De Ruse |
| 1966 | The Plainsman | Col. George Armstrong Custer |
| 1965 | Dark Intruder | Brett Kingsford |
| 1965 | Harlow | Richard Manley |
| 1964 | Night Train to Paris | Alan Holiday |
| 1964 | See How They Run | Elliot Green |
| 1959 | The Velvet Alley | Eddie Kirkley |
| 1958 | The Sheepman | Stephen Bedford / Johnny Bledsoe |
| 1957 | Tammy and the Bachelor | Peter Brent |
| 1957 | Hot Summer Night | William Joel Partain |
| 1956 | Forbidden Planet | Commander John J. Adams |
| 1956 | The Opposite Sex | Steve Hilliard |
| 1956 | Ransom! | Charlie Telfer |
| 1956 | The Vagabond King | Thibault d'Aussigny |
| 1955 | The Battle of Gettysburg | Narrator (voice) |
| 1954 | Dark Possession | Dr. Roger Waring |
| Year | TV Show | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Lipshitz Saves the World | Himself |
| 2006 | Gameshow Marathon | |
| 2005 | Robson Arms | Caldo Vasco |
| 2005 | Tubridy Tonight | |
| 2004 | Zeroman | Zeroman (voice) |
| 2003 | Chilly Beach | |
| 2003 | Odd Job Jack | |
| 2001 | Liocracy | |
| 2001 | Liography | Terrence Brynne McKennie |
| 1999 | Family Guy | Dr. Rumack (archive footage) |
| 1999 | The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn | Self |
| 1999 | Harvey | Dr. Chumley |
| 1997 | The Wonderful World of Disney | Mr. Penn |
| 1996 | The Rosie O'Donnell Show | Self |
| 1996 | Life and Times | |
| 1995 | Die Harald Schmidt Show | Self |
| 1994 | Due South | Sgt. Buck Frobisher |
| 1994 | The Danny Baker Show | |
| 1994 | Cybermania '94 - The Ultimate Gamer Awards | Host |
| 1993 | Raw | Leslie Nielsen |
| 1993 | Katie and Orbie | Narrator |
| 1992 | Terry Wogan's Friday Night | Self |
| 1991 | Herman's Head | God |
| 1991 | Flesh 'n' Blood | Red Houser |
| 1990 | Evening Shade | |
| 1988 | Day by Day | |
| 1987 | Race for the Bomb | Lewis Strauss |
| 1985 | The Golden Girls | Lucas |
| 1985 | 227 | |
| 1985 | Doris Day's Best Friends | |
| 1985 | The Ray Bradbury Theater | Fantoccini |
| 1984 | Who's the Boss? | |
| 1984 | Highway to Heaven | |
| 1984 | Shaping Up | Buddy Fox |
| 1984 | Finder of Lost Loves | Matthew Vail |
| 1984 | Murder, She Wrote | David Everett |
| 1984 | Murder, She Wrote | Captain Daniels |
| 1983 | Prime Times | Self |
| 1982 | Police Squad! | Lt. Frank Drebin |
| 1982 | Wogan | Self |
| 1982 | Twilight Theater | |
| 1981 | Aloha Paradise | Grant Culberson |
| 1979 | Backstairs at the White House | Ike Hoover |
| 1979 | The Littlest Hobo | Mayor Chester Montgomery |
| 1978 | Vega$ | |
| 1978 | Fantasy Island | Doctor Whitfield |
| 1977 | The Love Boat | Hank Hardaway |
| 1977 | Lucan | |
| 1977 | What Really Happened to the Class of '65? | |
| 1977 | The Love Boat | Russ Blanchard |
| 1977 | The Love Boat | Dan Michaels |
| 1975 | The Swiss Family Robinson | |
| 1975 | S.W.A.T. | |
| 1975 | Saturday Night Live | Self - Host |
| 1975 | Sidestreet | |
| 1974 | The Manhunter | |
| 1974 | Dinah! | Self |
| 1973 | Kojak | Michael Hagar |
| 1973 | The Evil Touch | |
| 1973 | Barnaby Jones | Edward Brendon |
| 1972 | M*A*S*H | Col. Buzz Brighton |
| 1972 | The Rookies | |
| 1972 | Kung Fu | Vincent Corbino |
| 1972 | The Streets of San Francisco | |
| 1972 | Assignment: Vienna | Floyd Macklin |
| 1972 | The Streets of San Francisco | John T. Connor |
| 1971 | Columbo | A.J. Henderson |
| 1971 | Cannon | Joe Gilbert |
| 1971 | Sarge | |
| 1971 | Monty Nash | Ross Carter |
| 1971 | Columbo | Peter Hamilton |
| 1971 | Cannon | Erich Strasser |
| 1971 | Cannon | Weller Dane |
| 1971 | Bearcats! | Col. Ted Donovan |
| 1970 | Night Gallery | Col. Dennis Malloy |
| 1970 | Night Gallery | The Phantom (segment "Phantom of What Opera?") |
| 1969 | Bracken's World | |
| 1969 | The Bold Ones: The Protectors | Deputy Police Chief Sam Danforth |
| 1969 | The Movie Game (US) | |
| 1969 | The Bold Ones: The New Doctors | Mr. Cummings |
| 1968 | Hawaii Five-O | Brent |
| 1968 | The Name of the Game | |
| 1968 | It Takes a Thief | S.I.A. Security Man |
| 1968 | The Mod Squad | Rusty Bryson |
| 1967 | Ironside | |
| 1967 | Cimarron Strip | |
| 1967 | Judd for the Defense | |
| 1965 | The F.B.I. | Hudson |
| 1965 | Convoy | |
| 1965 | The Big Valley | Sgt. Maj. Earl Conway |
| 1965 | The Wild Wild West | Major General Ball |
| 1965 | National Geographic Specials | Narrator (voice) |
| 1964 | Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea | |
| 1964 | Daniel Boone | William Russell |
| 1963 | Kraft Suspense Theatre | Dr. David Cord |
| 1963 | The Fugitive | Harold Cheyney |
| 1963 | The Fugitive | Martin C. Rowland |
| 1963 | The Farmer's Daughter | |
| 1963 | Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre | |
| 1963 | The Art Linkletter Show | |
| 1963 | Channing | Prof. Paul Stafford |
| 1963 | Kraft Suspense Theatre | Paul Maytric |
| 1963 | Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre | John Joslin |
| 1963 | Miss USA | Self - Judge |
| 1962 | The Virginian | John Hagen |
| 1962 | The Virginian | Cleve Mason |
| 1962 | The Virginian | Harry Lightfoot |
| 1962 | The Alfred Hitchcock Hour | Mr. Grainger |
| 1961 | The Defenders | Bob Garrison |
| 1961 | The New Breed | Lt. Price Adams |
| 1961 | Dr. Kildare | Walter Burton |
| 1961 | Dr. Kildare | Harry Kleber |
| 1960 | Route 66 | |
| 1960 | Moment of Fear | |
| 1959 | Rawhide | Eli Becker |
| 1959 | The Swamp Fox | Francis Marion (The Swamp Fox) |
| 1959 | Bonanza | Sheriff Paul Rowan |
| 1958 | Naked City | Norman Garry |
| 1957 | Wagon Train | Brian Conlin |
| 1956 | Playhouse 90 | Ralph Mohr |
| 1955 | Gunsmoke | Jess Trevor |
| 1955 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Lloyd Ashley |
| 1955 | Folio | Biff Loman |
| 1955 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Rudy Cox |
| 1955 | First Performance | Ted |
| 1954 | Love Story | |
| 1954 | The Wonderful World of Disney | Colonel Francis Marion |
| 1954 | The Wonderful World of Disney | Col. Francis Marion |
| 1953 | General Electric Theater | Judge Wayne Douglas |
| 1953 | Medallion Theatre | |
| 1953 | General Electric Theater | Edward Morgan |
| 1952 | Short Short Dramas | |
| 1951 | Hallmark Hall of Fame | |
| 1951 | Goodyear Television Playhouse | |
| 1951 | Tales of Tomorrow | |
| 1951 | Out There | |
| 1951 | Tales of Tomorrow | Harold 'Harry' Mason |
| 1950 | Robert Montgomery Presents | C. K. Dexter Haven |
| 1950 | Danger | |
| 1950 | Sure As Fate | |
| 1950 | Starlight Theatre | |
| 1950 | Stage 13 | |
| 1950 | The Web | |
| 1950 | The Bob Hope Show | Self |
| 1950 | Robert Montgomery Presents | George |
| 1950 | Robert Montgomery Presents | Gates Holden |
| 1949 | Suspense | |
| 1949 | Lights Out | |
| 1949 | The Clock | |
| 1949 | Suspense | Serge Soudekine |
| 1948 | Studio One | |
| 1948 | Actors Studio | |
| 1948 | Studio One | Chris Jackson |
| 1948 | Studio One | Stan Janicek |
| 1948 | Studio One | Dr. Clayborn |
| 1948 | Studio One | Mac |
| 1948 | Studio One | Dr. Roger Waring |
| 1948 | Studio One | Edmund |
| 1948 | Studio One | Tallman |
| 1948 | Studio One | Karl |
| 1944 | Golden Globe Awards | Self - Host |