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{{Short description|Canadian actor (1926–2010)}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=December 2022}}
{{Use
{{Infobox person
| name = Leslie Nielsen
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| caption = Nielsen in 1982
| birth_name = Leslie William Nielsen
| birth_date = {{Birth date
| birth_place = [[Regina, Saskatchewan]], Canada
| death_date = {{Death date and age
| death_place = [[Fort Lauderdale, Florida]], U.S.
| resting_place = Evergreen Cemetery, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
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}}
'''Leslie William Nielsen''' {{post-nominals|country=CAN|OC}} (
Nielsen was born in [[Regina, Saskatchewan]]. After high school, he enlisted in the [[Royal Canadian Air Force]] in 1943<ref name="complex">[https://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2010/11/r-i-p-leslie-nielsen-5-things-you-didnt-know-about-the-naked-gun-actor R.I.P. Leslie Nielsen: 5 Things You Didn't Know About The "Naked Gun" Actor.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230130161602/https://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2010/11/r-i-p-leslie-nielsen-5-things-you-didnt-know-about-the-naked-gun-actor |date=January 30, 2023 }} [[Complex Networks]]. Retrieved June 21, 2021.</ref> and served until the end of [[World War II]].<ref name="BBCobit"/> Upon his discharge,
Although his notable performances in the films ''[[Forbidden Planet]]'' and ''[[The Poseidon Adventure (1972 film)|The Poseidon Adventure]]'' gave him standing as a serious actor, Nielsen later gained enduring recognition for his [[Deadpan|deadpan comedy]] roles during the 1980s and the 1990s, after being cast for the [[Zucker, Abrahams and Zucker]] comedy film ''[[Airplane!]]''{{hsp}}<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/29/AR2010112905269.html|title=Leslie Nielsen, serious actor who became a master of deadpan comedy, dies at 84|last=Brown|first=Emma|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=29 November 2010|access-date=3 November 2015}}</ref> In his comedy roles,
==Early life==
Nielsen was born on
[[File:HersholtBrotherswife.jpg|left|thumb|Nielsen's half-uncle [[Jean Hersholt]] (pictured here in the 1936 film ''[[His Brother's Wife]]'') inspired him to become an actor.]]
Nielsen's half-uncle [[Jean Hersholt]] was an actor known for his portrayal of [[Dr. Christian]] in a radio series of that title, and the subsequent television series and films.<ref name="nielsen1994"/><ref name=ote>{{Cite book|last=Nielsen|first=Leslie|author2=David Fisher |title=Leslie Nielsen the naked truth|publisher=Pocket Books|year=1994|page=289|isbn=0-671-79578-3}}</ref> In a 1994 ''[[The Boston Globe|Boston Globe]]'' article,
As a child, Nielsen
While studying in Toronto, Nielsen received a scholarship to the [[Neighborhood Playhouse]]. He noted, "I couldn't refuse, but I must say when you come from the land of the snow goose, the moose, and wool to New York, you're bringing every ton of hayseed and country bumpkin that you packed. As long as I didn't open my mouth, I felt a certain security. But I always thought I was going to be unmasked: 'OK, pack your stuff'. 'Well, what's the matter?'. 'We've discovered you have no talent; we're shipping you back to Canada'."<ref name="nielsen1994"/>
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Nielsen's career began in dramatic roles on television during "[[Golden Age of Television|Television's Golden Age]]",<ref>{{cite news|last=Terry |first=Clifford |title=Gunning for a Laugh |url=http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1991-07-07/features/9101240994_1_drebin-police-squad-leslie-nielsen |date=7 July 1991 |work=[[South Florida Sun-Sentinel|Sun-Sentinel]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130730072632/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1991-07-07/features/9101240994_1_drebin-police-squad-leslie-nielsen |archive-date= 30 July 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> appearing in 46 live programs in 1950 alone.<ref name="CBS"/> He said there "was very little gold, we only got $75 or $100 per show".<ref name="CBS">{{cite web|title=Leslie Nielsen |work=CBS |url=http://www.cbs.com/primetime/game_show_marathon/bios/leslie_bio.shtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110314084744/http://www.cbs.com/primetime/game_show_marathon/bios/leslie_bio.shtml |archive-date= 14 March 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He narrated documentaries and commercials and most of his early work as a dramatic actor was uneventful.<ref name="AMG"/> Hal Erickson of [[AllRovi#History|Allmovie]] noted that "much of Nielsen's early work was undistinguished; he was merely a handsome leading man in an industry overstocked with handsome leading men".<ref name="AMG">{{cite web|last=Erickson |first=Hal |title=Biography |publisher=[[AllRovi#History|Allmovie]] |url=https://www.allmovie.com/cg/avg.dll?p=avg&sql=2:52664~T1 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20101201062524/http://www.allmovie.com/artist/52664 |archive-date= 1 December 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
In 1956, he made his feature
[[File:ForbiddenPlanet1.jpg|thumb|upright=1.13|Nielsen and [[Anne Francis]] in his second film, ''[[Forbidden Planet]]'' (1956). Nielsen: "Supposedly a science-fiction version of [[William Shakespeare|Shakespeare]]'s ''[[The Tempest]]'', it was all about the [[Id, ego and super-ego|id]], or something like that. Who knows? The [[Trekkie]]s today regard it as the forerunner of ''[[Star Trek]]''. I just had to wear a tight uniform and make eyes at Anne Francis. I was pretty thin back then."<ref>{{cite news|last=Vincent|first=Mal|title=It's no Fun Playing it Straight|work=[[The Virginian-Pilot]]|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=VP&p_theme=vp&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EAFF73225441804&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|format=Fee required|date=18 March 1994|access-date=1 December 2010}}</ref>]]
''Forbidden Planet'' became an instant success,<ref name="RTForbidden">{{cite web|title=Forbidden Planet (1956)|work=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/forbidden_planet/|access-date=23 February 2009}}</ref> and roles in other MGM films such as ''[[Ransom!]]'' (1956), ''[[The Opposite Sex]]'' (1956) and ''[[Hot Summer Night (1957 film)|Hot Summer Night]]'' (1957) followed.<ref>{{cite news|title=From Drebin to Darrow|work=[[The Pantagraph]]|author=Craft, Dan|date=24 September 1999|page=D1}}</ref> In 1957,
After leaving the studios, Nielsen landed the lead role in the [[The Walt Disney Company|Disney]] miniseries ''[[The Swamp Fox (TV series)|The Swamp Fox]]'', as [[American Revolutionary War]] hero [[Francis Marion]].<ref name="SwampFox"/> In a 1988 interview, he reflected on the series
[[File:Leslie Nielsen Nancy Malone Bonanza 1967.jpg|thumb|190px|Nielsen and [[Nancy Malone]] in ''[[Bonanza]]'' (1967)]]
His television appearances include ''[[Justice (1954 TV series)|Justice]]'', ''[[Alfred Hitchcock Presents]]'', ''[[Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (TV series)|Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea]]'', ''[[Wagon Train]]'', ''[[Gunsmoke]]'', ''[[The Virginian (TV series)|The Virginian]]'', and ''[[The Wild Wild West]]''. In 1961, he was the lead in a Los Angeles police drama called ''[[The New Breed (TV series)|The New Breed]]''. He guest-starred in a 1964 episode of ''[[Daniel Boone (1964 TV series)|Daniel Boone]]'' with [[Fess Parker]] in a minor but credited role. In 1968, he had a major role in the pilot for the police series ''[[Hawaii Five-O (1968 TV series)|Hawaii Five-O]]'', and appeared in one of the seventh-season episodes. In 1969, he had the leading role as a police officer in ''[[The Bold Ones: The Protectors]]''.
In 1972, Nielsen appeared
===Comedy: ''Airplane!'' and ''The Naked Gun''===
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In an early comedic appearance, Nielsen appeared on ''[[M*A*S*H (TV series)|M*A*S*H]]'' in 1973 as the title character in "[[The Ringbanger]]".
Nielsen's supporting role of Dr. Rumack in [[Zucker, Abrahams, and Zucker]]'s (ZAZ) 1980's ''[[Airplane!]]'' was a turning point in his career. The film, a parody of disaster films such as ''[[Zero Hour!]]'' and ''[[Airport (1970 film)|Airport]]'', was based on building a comedy around "serious" actors better known for their dramatic roles. Other "straight" stars in the film included [[Robert Stack]], [[Peter Graves]], and [[Lloyd Bridges]]. Nielsen's deadpan delivery contrasted with the absurdity surrounding him. When asked, "Surely you can't be serious?",
Nielsen said he was "pleased and honoured that [he] had a chance to deliver that line".<ref name="YahooNe"/> As of 2010, the comedic exchange was at number 79 on the [[American Film Institute]]'s [[AFI's 100 Years...100 Movie Quotes]].<ref name="AFI">{{cite web |title=AFI.com |work=AFI's 100 Years...100 Movie Quotes |url=http://www.afi.com/100years/quotes.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100714151852/http://www.afi.com/100years/quotes.aspx |archive-date= 14 July 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The American Film Institute included the film in its list of the top
The directors cast Nielsen for his ability to play like "a fish in water", saying: "You could have cast funny people and done it with everybody winking, goofing off, and silly ... we wanted people to be oblivious to the comedy."<ref name="MIL"/> For Nielsen, ''Airplane!'' marked a career shift from dramatic roles to [[deadpan|deadpan comedy]]. When it was suggested his role in ''Airplane!'' was [[Typecasting (acting)|against type]], Nielsen protested that he had "always been cast against type before", and that comedy was what he always wanted to do.<ref name="CastType">{{cite news |last1=Dalton |first1=Andrew |last2=Thomas |first2=Bob |title='Airplane!', 'Forbidden Planet' actor Nielsen dies |work=[[The Monitor (Texas)|The Monitor]] |url=http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_OBIT_LESLIE_NIELSEN?SITE=TXMCA&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101208205723/http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_OBIT_LESLIE_NIELSEN?SITE=TXMCA&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT |archive-date= 8 December 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
The opening sequence for ''Police Squad!''
Six years after cancellation of ''Police Squad!'', the film ''[[The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!]]'' returned Nielsen to his role as Frank Drebin. It involved a ruthless drug king
''The Naked Gun'' spawned two sequels: ''[[The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear]]'' (1991) and ''[[Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult|Naked Gun {{frac|33|1|3}}: The Final Insult]]'' (1994). ''The Naked Gun 2½'' grossed more than the original, with $86.9 million, while ''{{frac|33|1|3}}'' grossed $51.1 million.<ref name="MOJO2">{{cite web|title=The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear|work=[[Box Office Mojo]]|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=thenakedgun2.htm|access-date=23 February 2009}}</ref><ref name="MOJO3">{{cite web|title=The 33 1/3: The Final Insult|work=[[Box Office Mojo]]|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=thenakedgun3.htm|access-date=23 February 2009}}</ref> Nielsen remained open to a fourth ''Naked Gun'' film, although he doubted that it would be produced — "I don't think so", he said in 2005. "If there hasn't been one by now, I doubt it. I think it would be wonderful."<ref name="About">{{cite news |last=Topel |first=Fred|title=Scary Movie 3 |publisher=[[About.com]] |url=http://actionadventure.about.com/cs/weeklystories/a/aa102403.htm| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051225060616/http://actionadventure.about.com/cs/weeklystories/a/aa102403.htm |archive-date=25 December 2005 |access-date=23 February 2009}}</ref>
Nielsen briefly appeared on the [[World Wrestling Federation]] program in the summer of 1994 on ''[[WWE Raw|WWF Monday Night Raw]]'',
===Later comedies===
After ''Airplane!'' and ''The Naked Gun'', Nielsen portrayed similarly styled roles in a number of other films. These mostly emulated the style of ''The Naked Gun'' with varying success and often targeted specific films; many were panned by critics and most performed poorly. ''[[Repossessed (film)|Repossessed]]'' (1990) and ''[[2001: A Space Travesty]]'' (2001) were parodies of ''[[
His attempt at family and children's comedies met additional criticism. He appeared as [[Santa Claus]] in the Christmas comedy ''[[All I Want for Christmas (film)|All I Want for Christmas]]'' (1991), a film that was at best only moderately successful at the box office,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl3296298497/weekend/|title=All I Want for Christmas (1991)|website=Box Office Mojo|access-date=2023-06-15}}</ref> and had bad reviews. ''[[Surf Ninjas]]'' (1993) and ''[[Mr. Magoo (film)|Mr. Magoo]]'' (1997) also had scathing reviews. Several critics were disappointed that Nielsen's role in ''Surf Ninjas'' was only "an extended cameo" and Chris Hicks recommended that viewers "avoid any comedy that features Leslie Nielsen outside of the ''Naked Gun'' series".<ref name="Variety">{{cite news|last=Kimmel |first=Daniel M. |title=Surf Ninjas |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |url=https://www.variety.com/review/VE1117901158.html?categoryid=31&cs=1&query=daniel+and+kimmel&display=daniel+kimmel |date=23 August 1993 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101209134208/http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117901158?refcatid=31 |archive-date= 9 December 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="DNews">{{cite news|last=Hicks |first=Chris |title=Surf Ninjas |work=[[Deseret News]] |url=http://deseretnews.com/movies/view/1,1257,1780,00.html |date=26 August 1993 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101209043416/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700001778/Surf-Ninjas.html |archive-date= 9 December 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Jeff Miller of the ''[[Houston Chronicle]]'' panned ''Mr. Magoo'', a live-action remake of the [[Mr. Magoo|1950s cartoon]]
Nielsen's first major success since ''The Naked Gun'' came in a supporting role in ''[[Scary Movie 3]]'' (2003). His appearance as President Harris led to a second appearance in its sequel, ''[[Scary Movie 4]]'' (2006). This was the first time Nielsen had reprised a character since Frank Drebin. In one scene, Nielsen appeared almost nude, and one critic referred to the scene as putting "the 'scary' in ''Scary Movie 4''".<ref name="RVs">{{cite news|last=Berardinelli |first=James |title=Scary Movie 4 |publisher=ReelViews |url=http://www.reelviews.net/movies/s/scary_movie4.html |year=2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101219213229/http://reelviews.net/movies/s/scary_movie4.html |archive-date= 19 December 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
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Nielsen often played [[golf]].<ref name="Tribute">{{cite web|title=Leslie Nielsen |work=Tribute.ca |url=http://www.tribute.ca/people/leslie-nielsen/1314/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101203031523/http://www.tribute.ca/people/leslie-nielsen/1314/ |archive-date= 3 December 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He joked, "I have no goals or ambition. I do, however, wish to work enough to maintain whatever celebrity status I have so that they will continue to invite me to golf tournaments."<ref name="Tribute"/> His interest in the sport led him to comedic instructional films.
Nielsen was a practical joker, and known for pranking people with a portable hand-controlled [[Practical joke device#Embarrassing|fart machine]].<ref>Will Harris, [https://www.avclub.com/article/surely-you-cant-be-serious-oral-history-airplane-218043 "Surely You Can't Be Serious: An Oral History of ''Airplane!''"], ''A.V. Club'', 17 April 2015.</ref><ref>Cal Fussman, [http://www.esquire.com/entertainment/interviews/a4348/leslie-nielsen-0408/ "What I've Learned: Interview with Leslie Nielsen"], ''[[Esquire (magazine)|Esquire]]'', 28 November 2010.</ref><ref>See, e.g., [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7OiKj8Bvrw Leslie Nielsen using his fart machine on a British morning show]
In his later years, Nielsen and his wife Barbaree resided between homes in [[Fort Lauderdale, Florida]], and [[Paradise Valley, Arizona]].
Nielsen was legally deaf and wore hearing aids for most of his life.<ref name=Shirley /> Because of this, he supported the Better Hearing Institute.<ref name="BHISupport">{{cite web|title=About BHI – Celebrities Who Have Supported BHI |work=Better Hearing Institute |url=http://www.betterhearing.org/about/celeb.cfm |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120729094259/http://www.betterhearing.org/about/celeb.cfm |archive-date= 29 July 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Later in life, he
had knee [[osteoarthritis]]. He participated in an educational video from The Arthritis Research Centre of Canada
==Death and funeral==
[[File:Leslie Nielsen Headstone.jpg|thumb|upright=1.13|alt=Leslie Nielsen Gravestone|Leslie Nielsen's gravestone bearing his epitaph, a final reference to his favorite practical joke, a [[Flatulence|fart]] machine]]
In November 2010, Nielsen was admitted to [[Holy Cross Hospital (Fort Lauderdale)|Holy Cross Hospital]], [[Fort Lauderdale, Florida|Fort Lauderdale]], Florida, with [[pneumonia]]. On November 28,
Nielsen's body was interred in Fort Lauderdale's Evergreen Cemetery. As a final bit of humour, ==Achievements==
Among his awards, in 1995 Nielsen received [[University of California, Los Angeles|UCLA]]'s [[Jack Benny]] Award.<ref name="BIO"/> In 1988, he became the 1,884th personality to receive a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]] at 6541 Hollywood Blvd.<ref name="CityN">{{cite news|title=Leslie Nielsen Gets Star on Walk of Fame |work=[[Deseret News]] |url=http://archive.deseretnews.com/archive/26629/LESLIE-NIELSEN-GETS-STAR-ON-WALK-OF-FAME.html |date=12 December 1988 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160813113423/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/26629/LESLIE-NIELSEN-GETS-STAR-ON-WALK-OF-FAME.html |archive-date= 13 August 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 2001 he was inducted into [[Canada's Walk of Fame]].<ref name="hon1">{{cite web|title=The Canada Honours |publisher=Canada's Walk of Fame |url=http://www.canadaswalkoffame.com/inductee/leslie-nielsen |year=2010 |access-date=1 January 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101203215817/http://www.canadaswalkoffame.com/inductee/leslie-nielsen |archive-date= 3 December 2010 }}</ref> The following year he was made an Officer of the [[Order of Canada]], although he was also a naturalized US citizen.<ref name="Record">{{cite news|date=16 June 2005|title=Comedian returning home to host fundraiser|work=[[The Record (Sherbrooke)|The Record]]|url=http://www.royalcityrecord.com/issues05/063205/news/063205nn4.html|access-date=23 February 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060825082417/http://www.royalcityrecord.com/issues05/063205/news/063205nn4.html|archive-date=25 August 2006}}</ref>
With Nielsen's American citizenship, he maintained his Canadian heritage: "There's no way you can be a Canadian and think you can lose it ... Canadians are a goodly group. They are very aware of caring and helping."<ref name="Record"/> On
In 1997, a Golden Palm Star on the [[Palm Springs, California]], [[Palm Springs Walk of Stars|Walk of Stars]] was dedicated to him.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.palmspringswalkofstars.com/web-storage/Stars/Stars%20dedicated%20by%20date.pdf|title=Palm Springs Walk of Stars by date dedicated|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121013165655/http://www.palmspringswalkofstars.com/web-storage/Stars/Stars%20dedicated%20by%20date.pdf|archive-date=13 October 2012|url-status=dead|access-date=November 2, 2019}}</ref>
On
==Filmography==
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{{Commons category|Leslie Nielsen}}
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* [http://www.cbc.ca/archives/categories/society/family/general-18/leslie-and-erik-neilsen-laugh-it-up.html CBC Digital Archives – Leslie and Erik Nielsen laugh it up]
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[[Category:Canadian male voice actors]]
[[Category:Canadian parodists]]
[[Category:Canadian expatriate male actors in the United States]]▼
[[Category:Comedians from Saskatchewan]]▼
[[Category:Canadian deaf people]]▼
[[Category:Royal Canadian Air Force personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:Canadian people of Danish descent]]
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[[Category:Royal Canadian Air Force airmen]]
[[Category:Victoria School of Performing and Visual Arts alumni]]
▲[[Category:Canadian expatriate male actors in the United States]]
▲[[Category:Comedians from Saskatchewan]]
▲[[Category:Canadian deaf people]]
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