Leslie Nielsen

Acting

Biography

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 Movies

Acting

MOVIE

The Poseidon Adventure

7.1(1.0K)

When their ocean liner capsizes, a group of passengers struggle to survive and escape.

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The Poseidon Adventure

Captain Harrison

MOVIE

Airplane!

7.3(5.0K)

An ex-fighter pilot forced to take over the controls of an airliner when the flight crew succumbs to food poisoning.

Spy Hard

5.4(0.8K)

The evil Gen. Rancor has his sights set on world domination, and only one man can stop him: Dick Steele, also known as Agent WD-40. Rancor needs to obtain a computer circuit for the missile that he is planning to fire, so Steele teams up with Veronique Ukrinsky, a KGB agent whose father designed the chip. Together they try to locate the evil mastermind's headquarters, where Veronique's father and several other hostages are being held.

Forbidden Planet

7.2(1.1K)

Starship C57D travels to planet Altair 4 in search of the crew of spaceship "Bellerophon," a scientific expedition that has been missing for twenty years. They find themselves unwelcome by the expedition's lone survivor and warned of destruction by an invisible force if they don't turn back immediately.

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Forbidden Planet

Commander John J. Adams

MOVIE

Scary Movie 3

6.0(4.5K)

In the third installment of the Scary Movie franchise, news anchorwoman Cindy Campbell has to investigate mysterious crop circles and killing video tapes, and help the President stop an alien invasion in the process.

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Scary Movie 3

President Baxter Harris

MOVIE

Scary Movie 4

5.5(3.6K)

Cindy finds out the house she lives in is haunted by a little boy and goes on a quest to find out who killed him and why. Also, Alien "Tr-iPods" are invading the world and she has to uncover the secret in order to stop them.

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Scary Movie 4

President Baxter Harris

MOVIE

S.P.Q.R.: 2,000 and a Half Years Ago

4.9(0.3K)

In 71 BC in Rome, utter disorder reigns in the form of political corruption and bribery involving the senator Cynic (Leslie Nielsen). The situation is claimed to be similar to the “Tangentopoli” situation in Italy in the 1990s: one of the politicians involved was Bettino Craxi.

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S.P.Q.R.: 2,000 and a Half Years Ago

Lucio Cinico

MOVIE

Repossessed

5.2(0.4K)

It's been some time since Father Jebedaiah Mayii exorcised the Devil from little Nancy Aglet, who is now grown up with a husband and two children of her own. But the prince of darkness wants to go a second round and has returned to repossess her! With Father Mayii unwilling to help, Father Luke Brophy tries his best to help Nancy, even when TV's Ernest Weller plans to air the exorcism live on TV.

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Repossessed

Father Jebedaiah Mayii

MOVIE

Code Name: Heraclitus

9.0(0.0K)

A man who dies on an operating table is brought back to life, but he has total amnesia. A government agent decides that he would make a perfect undercover operative.

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Code Name: Heraclitus

Fryer

MOVIE

2001: A Space Travesty

4.3(0.3K)

When odd reports are received through official channels stating that the President of the United States is being held captive on a secret international moon base called Vegan and that he has been replaced on Earth by a clone, the US Marshall Service immediately sends their 'best' man, Dix, on the mission.

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2001: A Space Travesty

Richard 'Dick' Dix

Stupid Little Golf Video (released as Leslie Nielsen's Stupid Little Golf Video in the United States) is the third and last of the how-to-golf-badly trilogy. (The other two are Bad Golf Made Easier and Bad Golf My Way.) It is the only one that is released on DVD.

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Leslie Nielsen's Stupid Little Golf Video

Executive Co-Producer