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Leslie Nielsen

Leslie Nielsen
OC
Leslie Nielsen.jpg
Nielsen in 1982
Born Leslie William Nielsen
(1926-02-11)11 February 1926
Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
Died 28 November 2010(2010-11-28) (aged 84)
Fort Lauderdale, Florida, US
Cause of death Pneumonia
Nationality Canadian
Alma mater Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre
Occupation Actor, comedian, producer
Years active 1948–2010
Notable work
Spouse(s)
  • Monica Boyar (1950–1956)
  • Alisande Ullman (1958–1973)
  • Brooks Oliver (1981–1983)
  • Barbaree Earl (2001–2010)
Children 2
Relatives
Signature
LeslieNielsen.png

Leslie William Nielsen, OC (11 February 1926 – 28 November 2010) was a Canadian actor, comedian, and producer. He appeared in more than 100 films and 150 television programs, portraying more than 220 characters.

Nielsen was born in Regina, Saskatchewan. He enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force and later worked as a disc jockey before receiving a scholarship to study theatre at the Neighborhood Playhouse. Making his acting debut in 1948, by 1950 he was appearing in 46 live television programs a year. Nielsen made his film debut in 1956, with supporting roles in several drama, western, and romance films produced between the 1950s and the 1970s.

Although his performances in the films Forbidden Planet and The Poseidon Adventure gave him standing as a serious actor, Nielsen later gained enduring recognition for his deadpan comedy roles during the 1980s, after being cast against type for the Zucker, Abrahams and Zucker comedy film Airplane!. In his routines, Nielsen specialized in his portrayal of characters oblivious to and complicit in their absurd surroundings, which gave him a reputation as a comedian.Airplane! marked Nielsen's turning point, which made him "the Olivier of spoofs" according to film critic Roger Ebert; his work on the film also led to further success in the genre with The Naked Gun film series, which are based on their earlier short-lived television series Police Squad!, in which he also starred. Nielsen received a variety of awards and was inducted into the Canada and Hollywood Walks of Fame.

Leslie William Nielsen was born on 11 February 1926 in Regina, Saskatchewan. His mother, Mabel Elizabeth (née Davies), was a British immigrant from Wales, and his father, Ingvard Eversen Nielsen, was a Danish-born constable in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Nielsen had two brothers; the elder, Erik Nielsen (1924–2008), was Deputy Prime Minister of Canada from 1984 to 1986.


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