Leslie Nielsen

Leslie William Nielsen, OC (born February 11, 1926 in Regina, Saskatchewan) is a Canadian-American actor and absurdist comedian. Although Nielsen’s acting career crossed a variety of genres in both television and movies, he achieved his greatest success in comedies, including Airplane! and The Naked Gun series of films. His portrayal of serious characters seemingly oblivious of (and complicit in) their absurd surroundings gave Nielsen a reputation as a comedian. A series of later comedies attempted to emulate the popularity of his prior roles.

This paralleled the serious roles of his early career. Leading roles in the science fiction classic Forbidden Planet and as the ship's captain in The Poseidon Adventure came long before Nielsen considered a turn to comedy. His deadpan delivery as a doctor in 1980’s Airplane! marked a turning point in Nielsen’s career, one that would make him, in the words of movie critic Roger Ebert, "the Olivier of spoofs".^[1]

Nielsen was born to Ingvard Nielsen, a Danish Canadian and Maybelle, who was of Welsh descent. He has two older brothers, including Erik Nielsen who was Deputy Prime Minister of Canada during the 1980s. He is a nephew of the late actor Jean Hersholt. Nielsen studied at the Lorne Greene Academy of Radio Arts in Toronto before moving to the United States. Earlier, he attended Victoria Composite High School in Edmonton, Alberta. He also at one time lived in Thorhild, AB.

Nielsen’s career began in dramatic roles, with numerous appearances as a doctor, lawyer, or police officer. His distinctive voice narrated several documentaries and commercials. With a handful of exceptions, his early work as a dramatic actor was uneventful. All Movie Guide notes, “much of Nielsen's early work was undistinguished; he was merely a handsome leading man in an industry overstocked with handsome leading men.”^[2].

A notable exception was Forbidden Planet, the 1956 science fiction classic, considered one of the best science fiction films of all time, which took its plot from Shakespeare's The Tempest, and also starred Walter Pidgeon and Anne Francis. Nielsen played Commander John J. Adams.

Nielsen is also known for his roles as Debbie Reynolds' love interest in the first of the Tammy (Movies), "Tammy and the Bachelor", and as Captain Harrison in The Poseidon Adventure (1972).

Nielsen says he has appeared in over 1,500 television programs. ^[3] His early television appearances include parts in Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Studio One, and Wild, Wild West. Disney’s The Swamp Fox, a spin-off of the Davy Crockett series, starred Nielsen as Revolutionary War hero Francis Marion, and also featured his singing of the theme song. In 1969, he had the leading role as a police officer in The Bold Ones: The Protectors.

Nielsen's comedic breakthrough came with a supporting role in 1980's Airplane!, a parody of the popular Airport series of films. Nielsen played a doctor aboard an airplane whose crew has been struck with food sickness. His deadpan delivery contrasted with the absurdity surrounding him. When asked "Surely you can't be serious?", he responds with a curt, "I am serious. And don't call me Shirley." The comedic exchange was at #79 on The American Film Institute's list of Top 100 movie quotes.^[4]

Critics praised the movie, which proved to be a success with audiences as well. The film's directors, Jim Abrahams, David Zucker and Jerry Zucker, decided to bring that slapstick style of comedy to television. They asked Nielsen to play the lead role in their new series, Police Squad! The series introduced Nielsen as Frank Drebin, a stereotypical police officer modeled after earlier detective series. Much like Airplane!, Drebin was a serious character whose one-liners appeared accidental next to the pratfalls around him. The show failed, lasting only six episodes after being juggled between time slots.

With the exception of Airplane!, Nielsen was not known as a comedian. His roles continued to be small and sporadic, such as Prom Night (1980) and Creepshow (1982), both horror, not comedy, films.

Six years after the cancellation of Police Squad!, the directors decided to make a feature length version for theaters. Titled The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad, the film returned Nielsen to his role as Frank Drebin. The film involved a comical scheme to assassinate Queen Elizabeth II through a hypnotized baseball player. Drebin, like the doctor in Airplane!, seemed unaware of the absurdity even when unintentionally contributing toward it. The movie was popular and well received by critics. Ebert's 3 ½ star review (out of four) noted, "You laugh, and then you laugh at yourself for laughing."^[5]

Two popular sequels followed, The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear (1991) and The Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult (1994). Nielsen remains open to the prospects of acting in a fourth Naked Gun film, although doubts it will ever be produced – "I don't think so. If there hasn't been one by now, I doubt it. I think it would be wonderful."^[6]

Nielsen briefly appeared in the World Wrestling Federation in the summer of 1994. Capitalizing on his Frank Drebin character, Nielsen (and George Kennedy) were hired as "super-sleuths" to unravel the mystery of The Undertaker, who had disappeared at January's Royal Rumble event. At SummerSlam 1994, in a Naked Gun parody, they were hot on the case (in fact, they were literally standing on a case). Although, they did not actually find The Undertaker, the case had been closed (the literal case had been shut) and thus, they solved the mystery.

Nielsen attempted a variety of similar roles which never achieved the success of Frank Drebin. Many of the films emulated the style of The Naked Gun films, but with varying degrees of critical and commercial success. Indeed, many of the films were panned by critics and most performed poorly.

Although The Naked Gun series parodied police dramas in general, Nielsen’s later films focused on specific targets. Critics panned Repossessed (1990) and 2001: A Space Travesty (2000), parodies of The Exorcist and 2001: A Space Odyssey. Both films attempted the absurdist comedy Nielsen is recognized for, but were poorly received. Even a leading role in a Mel Brooks' comic horror parody, Dracula: Dead and Loving It, failed to generate much box office excitement, although it did gain somewhat of a following on its later release to video. And 1998's Wrongfully Accused, a parody of The Fugitive, among other things, received even more popularity on home video.

His attempt at children’s comedies met additional criticism. Surf Ninjas (1993) and Mr. Magoo (1997) faced scathing reviews. Jeff Miller of the Houston Chronicle panned Mr. Magoo, a live action remake of the 1950s cartoon, by saying, “I'm supposed to suggest how the film might be better. But I can't think of anything to say other than to make the film again.”^[7]

Nielsen’s first major slapstick success since The Naked Gun came in a supporting role in Scary Movie 3. His appearance as President Harris proved popular enough for a second appearance in its sequel, Scary Movie 4. This became the first time Nielsen reprised a character since his numerous appearances as Frank Drebin.

Nielsen also hosted a series of golf instructional videos beginning with 1993’s Bad Golf Made Easier. The videos were not serious, instead combining absurd comedy with golf techniques. The series were popular enough to spawn two additional sequels, Bad Golf My Way (1994) and Stupid Little Golf Video (1997). Nielsen also co-wrote a fictional autobiography titled The Naked Truth. The book portrayed Nielsen as a popular actor with a long history of prestigious films.

As he enters his eighties, Nielsen continues to have an active career. He performs serious roles on screen and stage (such as his one-man theatre show Darrow, playing Clarence Darrow), as well as providing voice-overs and on-camera appearances for commercials; cartoons (he stars as Zeroman); children's shows, such as "Pumper Pups", which he narrates, in addition to comedic film roles.

The sibling relationship with his elder brother, the Honourable Erik Nielsen, a former Deputy Prime Minister of Canada, serves as the premise of an HBO mockumentary entitled The Canadian Conspiracy in which Leslie Nielsen appears, along with other prominent Canadian born media personalities.

Recently, he was a celebrity contestant on CBS's Game$how Marathon where he played The Price is Right, Let's Make a Deal, Beat the Clock and Press Your Luck for charity.

Nielsen is in talks to possibly voice Farmer Joe in DreamWorks Animations new film, Punk Farm and has signed to appear in the NBC comedy pilot "Lipshitz Saves the World".

Nielsen has a hearing impairment, and is President of the International Better Hearing Institute.

Among his numerous awards, Leslie Nielsen has a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6541 Hollywood Blvd, and has been inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame. In 2002, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada, although he is also a naturalized U.S. citizen (like many celebrities, Nielsen maintains a residence in the Phoenix, Arizona area).

• 1959: The Swamp Fox
• 1969: The Bold Ones
• 1973: M*A*S*H as Col. Buzz Brighton in the Season 1 episode The Ringbanger
• 1982: Police Squad!
• 1992: The Golden Girls (Series finale)
• 1994: Due South
• 2000: Santa Who?
• 2002: Liocracy

• 1993: Bad Golf Made Easier
• 1994: Bad Golf My Way
• 1997: Leslie Nielsen’s Stupid Little Golf Video

• 1993: The Naked Truth

• Leslie Nielsen at IMDb
• All Movie Guide entry for Leslie Nielsen
• Canada's Walk of Fame entry for Leslie Nielsen