| Leslie Nielsen  AKA Leslie William Nielsen
Born: 11-Feb-1926
Birthplace: Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
Died: 28-Nov-2010
Location of death: Fort Lauderdale, FL
Cause of death: Pneumonia
Gender: Male
Race or Ethnicity: White
Sexual orientation: Straight
Occupation: Actor Nationality: Canada
Executive summary: Airplane! Military service: Royal Canadian Air Force (aerial gunner, WWII) When Leslie Nielsen was a small child, his father, a Canadian Mountie, moved the family close to the Arctic Circle. Nielsen contracted rickets there, which left him bowlegged. Nielsen was as a disc jockey before he began performing on stage in the late 1940s, and landed his first television appearance -- out of more than 1500 -- in 1950.
During the first 30 years of his acting career, he was frequently cast as an authority figure, and became known for his dramatic roles, including the soap opera Peyton Place, the science fiction epic Forbidden Planet, and the camp classic The Poseidon Adventure. He was also, as in Tammy and the Bachelor opposite Debbie Reynolds, cast as a tall, dark and rather wooden leading man.
He worked steadily, but it wasn't until he got the part of Dr. Rumack in 1980's Airplane! that Nielsen exposed his comedic side. His other comedies include the sitcom Police Squad, three Naked Gun movies, and such severely unfunny attempts as Dracula: Dead and Loving It, Mr. Magoo, and Wrongfully Accused. By his death in 2010, he was better known for his comedies than for the stoic, straight-laced leading man image he spoofed so well.
Brother: Eric Nielsen (former Deputy Prime Minister of Canada)
Brother: Gilbert Nielsen (half brother)
Wife: Monica Boyer (m. 1950, div. 1956)
Wife: Alisande Ullman (m. 1958, div. 1973)
Wife: Brooks Oliver (m. 1981, div. 1983)
Wife: Barbaree Earl (m. 2001)
High School: Victoria Composite High School, Edmonton, Alberta
Hollywood Walk of Fame 6541 Hollywood Blvd.
Canada's Walk of Fame 2001
Endorsement of Coors (1989-95)
Endorsement of Domino's Pizza (2004)
Naturalized US Citizen
Danish Ancestry Paternal
Welsh Ancestry Maternal
TELEVISION
Police Squad! Lt. Frank Drebin
FILMOGRAPHY AS ACTOR
Stonerville (11-Jan-2011)
Spanish Movie (4-Dec-2009)
Stan Helsing (21-Oct-2009) · Kay
Slap Shot 3: The Junior League (10-Nov-2008)
An American Carol (3-Oct-2008) · Himself
Superhero Movie (27-Mar-2008)
Music Within (5-Jan-2007)
Scary Movie 4 (12-Apr-2006)
Scary Movie 3 (20-Oct-2003)
Men with Brooms (8-Mar-2002)
Kevin of the North (19-Dec-2001)
Camouflage (9-Jan-2001)
Santa Who? (19-Nov-2000)
2001: A Space Travesty (31-Oct-2000)
Wrongfully Accused (23-Jul-1998)
Safety Patrol (29-Mar-1998)
Family Plan (12-Mar-1998)
Harvey (15-Feb-1998)
Mr. Magoo (25-Dec-1997) · Mr. Magoo
Spy Hard (24-May-1996) · Dick Steele "Agent WD-40"
Dracula: Dead and Loving It (22-Dec-1995) · Dracula
Rent-a-Kid (4-Nov-1995)
The Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult (18-Mar-1994)
Surf Ninjas (12-Aug-1993)
Digger (1993)
Chance of a Lifetime (18-Nov-1991)
All I Want for Christmas (11-Nov-1991)
The Naked Gun 2 1/2: The Smell of Fear (28-Jun-1991)
Repossessed (14-Sep-1990)
The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (2-Dec-1988) · Frank Drebin
Dangerous Curves (1988)
Nuts (20-Nov-1987)
Soul Man (24-Oct-1986)
The Patriot (25-Jul-1986)
Creepshow (12-Nov-1982) · Richard Vickers
Wrong Is Right (16-Apr-1982)
The Creature Wasn't Nice (1981)
Prom Night (18-Jul-1980)
Airplane! (2-Jul-1980) · Dr. Rumack
City on Fire (24-May-1979)
Backstairs at the White House (29-Jan-1979)
Little Mo (5-Sep-1978)
The Amsterdam Kill (26-Dec-1977)
Viva Knievel! (15-Jul-1977)
Day of the Animals (13-May-1977)
Sixth and Main (1977)
...And Millions Die! (1973)
The Poseidon Adventure (12-Dec-1972) · The Captain
Night Slaves (29-Sep-1970)
Change of Mind (1-Oct-1969)
How To Commit Marriage (7-Jul-1969) · Phil Fletcher
Dayton's Devils (2-Oct-1968)
Counterpoint (19-Jan-1968)
Rosie! (22-Nov-1967)
The Reluctant Astronaut (14-Jun-1967) · Maj. Gifford
Gunfight in Abilene (1967)
Beau Geste (7-Sep-1966) · De Ruse
The Plainsman (26-Aug-1966)
Dark Intruder (21-Jul-1965)
Harlow (23-Jun-1965)
The Sheepman (7-May-1958) · Johnny Bledsoe
Tammy and the Bachelor (14-Jun-1957)
Hot Summer Night (Feb-1957)
The Opposite Sex (26-Oct-1956) · Steve Hilliard
The Vagabond King (29-Aug-1956)
Forbidden Planet (15-Mar-1956)
Ransom! (24-Jan-1956)
Author of books:
The Naked Truth (1993, memoir, with David Fisher)
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