Leslie Nielsen
Leslie Nielsen | |
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Nielsen in 1982 | |
| Born | Leslie William Nielsen February 11, 1926 Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada |
| Died | November 28, 2010 (aged 84) Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S. |
| Resting place | Evergreen Cemetery, Fort Lauderdale, Florida |
| Alma mater | Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre Lorne Greene Academy of Radio Arts |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1950–2010 |
| Notable work | |
| Spouses |
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| Children | 2 |
| Relatives |
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| Military career | |
| Allegiance | Canada |
| Branch | Royal Canadian Air Force |
| Years of service | 1943–1945 |
| Battles / wars | World War II |
| Signature | |
Leslie William Nielsen OC (February 11, 1926 – November 28, 2010) was a Canadian actor and comedian. With a career spanning 60 years, he appeared in more than 100 films and 150 television programs, portraying more than 220 characters.
He made his acting debut in 1950, appearing in 46 live television programs a year. He made his film debut in 1956, with supporting roles in several dramas, westerns and romance films produced from the 1950s to 1970s.
Although his memorable performances in the films Forbidden Planet and The Poseidon Adventure gave him standing as a dramatic actor, Nielsen later gained enduring recognition for his deadpan comedy roles during the 1980s, after being cast for the Zucker, Abrahams and Zucker comedy film Airplane! In his comedy roles, he specialized in portraying characters oblivious to and complicit in their absurd surroundings. His performance in Airplane! marked a turning point which made him "the Olivier of spoofs", according to film critic Roger Ebert, and led to further success in the genre, starring in The Naked Gun film series, based on his earlier short-lived television series Police Squad!.
He received a variety of awards and was inducted onto Canada's Walk of Fame and the Hollywood Walk of Fame.