LN

Leslie Nielsen
Actor, Producer, Additional Credits
Born February 11, 1926Died November 28, 2010 (84 years)
Leslie William Nielsen, OC was a Canadian and naturalized American actor and comedian. Nielsen appeared in over one hundred films and 1,500 television programs over the span of his career, portraying over 220 characters. Born in Regina, Saskatchewan, Nielsen enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force and worked as a disc jockey before receiving a scholarship to Neighborhood Playhouse. Making his television debut in 1948, he quickly expanded to over 50 television appearances two years later. Nielsen made his film debut in 1956, and began collecting roles in dramas, westerns, and romance films. Nielsen's performances in the films Forbidden Planet (1956) and The Poseidon Adventure (1972) received positive reviews as a serious actor, though he is primarily known for his comedic roles.
Although Nielsen's acting career crossed a variety of genres in both television and films, his deadpan delivery in Airplane! (1980) marked a turning point in his career, one that would make him, in the words of film critic Roger Ebert, "the Olivier of spoofs." Nielsen enjoyed further success with The Naked Gun film series (1988 – 1994), based on a short-lived television series Police Squad! in which he starred earlier. His portrayal of serious characters seemingly oblivious to (and complicit in) their absurd surroundings gave him a reputation as a comedian. In the final years of his career, Nielsen appeared in multiple spoof and parody films, many of which were met poorly by critics, but performed well in box office and home media releases. Nielsen married four times and had two daughters from his second marriage. He was recognized with a variety of awards throughout his career, and was inducted into the Canada and Hollywood Walks of Fame.
Although Nielsen's acting career crossed a variety of genres in both television and films, his deadpan delivery in Airplane! (1980) marked a turning point in his career, one that would make him, in the words of film critic Roger Ebert, "the Olivier of spoofs." Nielsen enjoyed further success with The Naked Gun film series (1988 – 1994), based on a short-lived television series Police Squad! in which he starred earlier. His portrayal of serious characters seemingly oblivious to (and complicit in) their absurd surroundings gave him a reputation as a comedian. In the final years of his career, Nielsen appeared in multiple spoof and parody films, many of which were met poorly by critics, but performed well in box office and home media releases. Nielsen married four times and had two daughters from his second marriage. He was recognized with a variety of awards throughout his career, and was inducted into the Canada and Hollywood Walks of Fame.
Movies & Shows on Plex
Known For
Filmography
2018 | A Futile and Stupid Gesture · as Dr. Rumack |
2012 | Steve Harvey (TV Series) · as Dr. Chumley |
2011 | Stonerville · as Producer |
2009 | Spanish Movie · as Doctor Nielsen |
2009 | Stan Helsing · as Kay |
2008 | Slap Shot 3: The Junior League · as Mayor Of Charlestown |
2008 | An American Carol · as Osama Bin Nielsen / Grandpa |
2008 | Superhero Movie · as Uncle Albert Adams |
2008 | Family Guy Presents: Blue Harvest · as Dr. Rumack (archive Voice) |
2007 | Doctor*ology (TV Series) · as Uncle |
2007 | Music Within · as Bill Austin |
2006 | Gameshow Marathon (TV Series) |
2006 | Scary Movie 4 · as President Baxter Harris |
2005 | Watch the Skies!: Science Fiction, the 1950s and Us · as Commander John J. Adams |
2005 | Robson Arms (TV Series) · as Caldo Vasco |
2004 | The Nutcracker and the Mouseking · as (mouseking) (voice) |
2004 | Zeroman (TV Series) · as Zeroman (voice) |
2003 | Noël Noël · as Narrator (english Version) |
2003 | Scary Movie 3 · as President Baxter Harris |
2003 | Chilly Beach (TV Series) |
2003 | Odd Job Jack (TV Series) |
2002 | Gylne tider (TV Series) · as Frank Drebin |
2002 | Men with Brooms · as Gordon Cutter |
2001 | Chilly Dogs · as Clive Thorton / Cab Driver |
2001 | Liography (TV Series) |
2001 | Camouflage · as Jack Potter |
2000 | Santa Who? · as Santa Claus |
2000 | 2001: A Space Travesty · as Richard 'dick' Dix |
1999 | Family Guy (TV Series) · as Dr. Rumack (archive Footage) |
1998 | Wrongfully Accused · as Ryan Harrison |
1998 | Safety Patrol · as Mr. Penn |
1998 | Family Plan · as Harry Haber |
1997 | Mr. Magoo · as Mr. Quincy Magoo |
1997 | The Wonderful World of Disney (TV Series) · as Mr. Penn |
1997 | National Geographic Video: The Savage Garden · as Gardener |
1996 | Harvey · as Dr. Chumley |
1996 | Life and Times (TV Series) |
1996 | Spy Hard · as Dick Steele |
1995 | Dracula: Dead and Loving It · as Count Dracula |
1995 | Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree · as Baxter |
1995 | Rent-a-Kid · as Harry Haber |
1994 | Ben-Hur: The Making of an Epic · as Messala |
1994 | S.P.Q.R.: 2,000 and a Half Years Ago · as Lucio Cinico |
1994 | Katie and Orbie (TV Series) · as Narrator |
1994 | Due South (TV Series) · as Sgt. Buck Frobisher |
1994 | Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult · as Lt. Frank Drebin |
1993 | Digger · as Arthur Evrensel |
1993 | Surf Ninjas · as Colonel Chi |
1992 | Funny Business (TV Series) · as Cast |
1991 | Chance of a Lifetime · as Lloyd Dixon |
1991 | All I Want for Christmas · as Santa |
1991 | Herman's Head (TV Series) · as God |
1991 | The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear · as Lt. Frank Drebin |
1990 | Evening Shade (TV Series) |
1990 | Repossessed · as Father Jebedaiah Mayii |
1989 | |
1989 | The Railway Dragon · as Narrator (voice) |
1988 | The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! · as Frank Drebin |
1988 | Dangerous Curves · as Greg Krevske |
1988 | Day by Day (TV Series) |
1987 | Nuts · as Allen Green |
1987 | Home Is Where the Hart Is · as Sheriff Nashville Schwartz |
1987 | Fatal Confession: A Father Dowling Mystery · as Senator Erdain |
1987 | Nightstick · as Thad Evans |
1987 | Race for the Bomb (TV Series) · as Lewis Strauss |
1986 | Soul Man · as Mr. Dunbar |
1986 | The Patriot · as Admiral Frazer |
1986 | |
1985 | Striker's Mountain · as Jim Mckay |
1985 | The Golden Girls (TV Series) · as Lucas |
1985 | 227 (TV Series) |
1985 | The Ray Bradbury Theater (TV Series) · as Fantoccini |
1985 | Blade in Hong Kong · as Harry Ingersoll |
1985 | Reckless Disregard · as Bob Franklin |
1984 | Murder, She Wrote (TV Series) · as Captain Daniels |
1984 | Finder of Lost Loves (TV Series) · as Matthew Vail |
1984 | Who's the Boss? (TV Series) |
1984 | Highway to Heaven (TV Series) |
1984 | Shaping Up (TV Series) · as Buddy Fox |
1983 | Hotel (TV Series) · as Jonathan Talbot |
1983 | Cave in! · as Joe Johnson |
1983 | Foxfire Light · as Reece Morgan |
1982 | Airplane II: The Sequel · as Dr. Rumack |
1982 | Creepshow · as Richard Vickers (segment "something To Tide You Over") |
1982 | Hollywood: The Gift of Laughter · as Actor - 'airplane!' |
1982 | Wrong Is Right · as Mallory |
1982 | Police Squad! (TV Series) · as Lt. Frank Drebin |
1982 | |
1981 | The Creature Wasn't Nice · as Capt. Jamieson |
1980 | The Night the Bridge Fell Down · as Paul Warren |
1980 | Prom Night · as Mr. Hammond |
1980 | Airplane! · as Dr. Rumack |
1980 | OHMS · as Governor |
1979 | The Littlest Hobo (TV Series) · as Mayor Chester Montgomery |
1979 | City on Fire · as Mayor William Dudley |
1979 | Riel · as Major Crozier |
1979 | The Chisholms (TV Series) · as Thomas Sinclair |
1979 | Backstairs at the White House (TV Series) · as Ike Hoover |
1979 | Institute for Revenge · as Counselor Hollis Barnes |
1978 | Little Mo · as Nelson Fisher |
1978 | Vega$ (TV Series) |
1978 | The Mad Trapper · as Cast |
1977 | The Amsterdam Kill · as Riley Knight |
1977 | What Really Happened to the Class of '65? (TV Series) |
1977 | Viva Knievel! · as Stanley Millard |
1977 | Lucan (TV Series) |
1977 | Day of the Animals · as Paul Jenson |
1977 | The Love Boat (TV Series) · as Russ Blanchard |
1977 | Fantasy Island (TV Series) · as Doctor Whitfield |
1977 | Sixth and Main · as John Doe |
1976 | Grand Jury · as John Williams |
1976 | Project: Kill · as John Trevor |
1976 | Brinks: The Great Robbery · as Agent Norman Houston |
1975 | Swiss Family Robinson (1975) (TV Series) |
1975 | Threshold: The Blue Angels Experience · as Narrator |
1975 | S.W.A.T. (TV Series) |
1974 | Lucas Tanner (TV Series) · as Jack Stanton |
1974 | Manhunter (TV Series) |
1974 | Can Ellen Be Saved? · as Arnold Lindsey |
1973 | ...and Millions Die! · as Jack Gallagher |
1973 | Kojak (TV Series) · as Michael Hagar |
1973 | The Evil Touch (TV Series) |
1973 | The Letters · as Derek Childs |
1973 | Snatched · as Bill Sutter |
1973 | Barnaby Jones (TV Series) · as Edward Brendon |
1972 | The Return of Charlie Chan · as Alexander Hadrachi |
1972 | The Poseidon Adventure · as Captain Harrison |
1972 | M*A*S*H (TV Series) · as Col. Buzz Brighton |
1972 | The Streets of San Francisco (TV Series) · as John T. Connor |
1972 | The Rookies (TV Series) |
1972 | Kung Fu (TV Series) · as Vincent Corbino |
1971 | |
1971 | The Resurrection of Zachary Wheeler · as Harry Walsh |
1971 | Columbo (TV Series) · as A.j. Henderson |
1971 | Cannon (TV Series) · as Weller Dane |
1971 | Police Surgeon (1971) (TV Series) · as Harry Lyon |
1971 | Bearcats (TV Series) · as Col. Ted Donovan |
1971 | Incident in San Francisco · as Lt. Brubaker |
1971 | Sarge (TV Series) |
1970 | Hauser's Memory · as Joseph Slaughter |
1970 | Night Slaves · as Sheriff Henshaw |
1969 | How to Commit Marriage · as Phil Fletcher |
1969 | Night Gallery (TV Series) · as Col. Dennis Malloy |
1969 | Change of Mind · as Sheriff Webb |
1969 | Bracken's World (TV Series) |
1969 | The Bold Ones: The New Doctors (TV Series) · as Mr. Cummings |
1969 | Medical Center (TV Series) · as Frank |
1969 | The Bold Ones: The Protectors (TV Series) · as Deputy Police Chief Sam Danforth |
1969 | Four Rode Out · as Mr Brown |
1968 | Dayton's Devils · as Frank Dayton |
1968 | The Mod Squad (TV Series) · as Rusty Bryson |
1968 | The Name of the Game (TV Series) |
1968 | Hawaii Five-O (TV Series) · as Brent |
1968 | How to Steal the World · as General Maximilian Harmon |
1968 | Shadow Over Elveron · as Sheriff Verne Drover |
1968 | It Takes a Thief (TV Series) · as S.i.a. Security Man |
1967 | Counterpoint · as Victor Rice |
1967 | Rosie! · as Cabot Shaw |
1967 | Ironside (TV Series) |
1967 | Judd for the Defense (TV Series) |
1967 | Cimarron Strip (TV Series) |
1967 | The Reluctant Astronaut · as Major Fred Gifford |
1967 | Gunfight in Abilene · as Grant Evers |
1966 | Beau Geste · as Lt. De Ruse |
1966 | The Plainsman · as Col. George Armstrong Custer |
1965 | The Loner (TV Series) · as Mccomb |
1965 | The Wild Wild West (TV Series) · as Major General Ball |
1965 | Convoy (TV Series) |
1965 | The F.B.I. (TV Series) · as Hudson |
1965 | The Big Valley (TV Series) · as Sgt. Maj. Earl Conway |
1965 | Run for Your Life (TV Series) · as Mark Foster |
1965 | National Geographic Specials (TV Series) · as Narrator (voice) |
1965 | Dark Intruder · as Brett Kingsford |
1965 | Harlow · as Richard Manley |
1964 | See How They Run · as Elliot Green |
1964 | Daniel Boone (TV Series) · as William Russell |
1964 | Night Train to Paris · as Alan Holiday |
1964 | The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (TV Series) · as General Maximilian Harmon |
1964 | Peyton Place (TV Series) · as Vincent Markham |
1964 | Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (TV Series) |
1963 | Kraft Suspense Theatre (TV Series) · as Paul Maytric |
1963 | Bob Hope Presents The Chrysler Theatre (TV Series) · as John Joslin |
1963 | The Farmer's Daughter (TV Series) |
1963 | Channing (TV Series) · as Prof. Paul Stafford |
1963 | The Fugitive (TV Series) · as Martin C. Rowland |
1962 | The Doctors and the Nurses (TV Series) · as Sergeant Burt Andrews |
1962 | The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (TV Series) · as Mr. Grainger |
1962 | The Virginian (TV Series) · as Harry Lightfoot |
1961 | The New Breed (TV Series) · as Lt. Price Adams |
1961 | Ben Casey (TV Series) · as Dr. Jeff English |
1961 | Dr. Kildare (TV Series) · as Harry Kleber |
1961 | The Defenders (TV Series) · as Bob Garrison |
1960 | |
1960 | The Islanders (TV Series) · as Howard Cavanaugh |
1960 | Thriller (TV Series) · as Alan Patterson |
1960 | Moment of Fear (TV Series) |
1959 | The Swamp Fox (TV Series) · as Francis Marion (the Swamp Fox) |
1959 | |
1959 | The Velvet Alley · as Eddie Kirkley |
1959 | The Untouchables (TV Series) · as Tom Sebring |
1959 | Rawhide (TV Series) · as Eli Becker |
1958 | Naked City (TV Series) · as Norman Garry |
1958 | The Sheepman · as Stephen Bedford / Johnny Bledsoe |
1957 | Goodyear Theatre (TV Series) · as Ray Stuart |
1957 | Wagon Train (TV Series) · as Brian Conlin |
1957 | Tammy and the Bachelor · as Peter Brent |
1957 | Hot Summer Night · as William Joel Partain |
1956 | The Opposite Sex · as Steve Hilliard |
1956 | Playhouse 90 (TV Series) · as Ralph Mohr |
1956 | The Vagabond King · as Thibault D'aussigny |
1956 | Ransom! · as Charlie Telfer |
1956 | Forbidden Planet · as Commander John J. Adams |
1955 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents (TV Series) · as Rudy Cox |
1955 | Gunsmoke (TV Series) · as Jess Trevor |
1954 | Disneyland (TV Series) · as Col. Francis Marion |
1954 | Climax! (TV Series) · as Cast |
1953 | The Man Behind the Badge (TV Series) · as Cast |
1953 | You Are There (TV Series) · as George Mallory |
1953 | General Electric Theater (TV Series) · as Edward Morgan |
1952 | Omnibus (TV Series) · as (segment "mother Goose") |
1952 | CBS Television Workshop (TV Series) · as Cast |
1951 | Hallmark Hall Of Fame (TV Series) |
1951 | Out There (1951) (TV Series) |
1951 | Goodyear Television Playhouse (TV Series) |
1951 | The Red Skelton Show (TV Series) · as Police Officer Ryan |
1951 | Tales of Tomorrow (TV Series) · as Harold 'harry' Mason |
1950 | Danger (TV Series) |
1950 | The Web (1950) (TV Series) |
1950 | The Armstrong Circle Theatre (TV Series) · as Jet Pilot |
1950 | Robert Montgomery Presents Your Lucky Strike Theatre (TV Series) · as Gates Holden |
1949 | The Big Story (TV Series) · as Bert Murray |
1949 | Suspense (TV Series) · as Serge Soudekine |
1948 | Studio One (TV Series) · as Karl |
1948 | The Philco Television Playhouse (TV Series) · as Cast |
1948 | Actors Studio (TV Series) |
1947 | Kraft Television Theatre (TV Series) · as Prince Charming |
1946 | Lights Out (TV Series) |