Although Nielsen's acting career crossed a variety of genres in both television and films, his deadpan delivery as a doctor 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, based on a short-lived television series Police Squad! in which he starred. His portrayal of serious characters seemingly oblivious to (and complicit in) their absurd surroundings gave him a reputation as a comedian. In the final two decades 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. He was recognized with a variety of awards throughout his career and was inducted into both the Canada and Hollywood Walk of Fame. Nielsen married four times and had two daughters from his second marriage
MORE ABOUT WILLIAM LESLIE NIELSEN
Leslie Nielsen was raised in Tulita (formerly Fort Norman), Northwest Territories. His father was a mountie and a strict disciplinarian. His mother was Welsh. Leslie studied at the Academy of Radio Arts in Toronto before moving on to New York's Neighborhood Playhouse. His acting career started at a much earlier age when he was forced to lie to his father in order to avoid severe punishment. Leslie has starred in over fifty movies and many more TV films. One of his two brothers became the deputy prime minister of Canada.
IMDb Mini Biography By: Rob Hartill
Spouse
| Barbaree Earl Nielsen | (2001 - present) |
| Brooks Oliver | (13 November 1981 - 5 December 1984) (divorced) |
| Alisande Ullman | (10 September 1958 - 1974) (divorced) 2 children |
| Monica Boyer | (1950 - 1956) (divorced) |
Trade Mark
Delivering sophomoric punchlines with a deadpan expression."Whoopee cushion" gags
Appearing oblivious to everything that's happening around him.
Trivia
Nephew of the late actor Jean Hersholt.Born at 5:00 am MST.
Brother was a high-ranking Canadian politician. Eric Nielsen was the Government Leader of the Yukon Territory before becoming a Member of Parliment and the Deputy Prime Minister of Canada.
His grandfather on father's side was Danish.
While in Winnipeg, Canada, to promote their movie Men with Brooms (2002), he and co-star Paul Gross received Honorary Citizenships from Winnipeg Mayor Glen Murray at the Granite Curling Club.
Naturalized U.S. citizen.
Attended Victoria Composite High School in Edmonton, Alberta.
He has a half brother named Gilbert Nielsen who lives in Hobbs, New Mexico.
Was made an "Honorary West Virginian and Ambassador of Mountain State Goodwill" on February 20, 2002, by then-Secretary of State of West Virginia Joe Manchin, now the Governor (elected 2004).
In the Fall of 2003, the Grant MacEwan College in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada opened the Leslie Nielsen School of Communications, with the actor on hand for the ceremony.
He was awarded an O.C. (Officer of the Order of Canada) on October 10, 2002 for his services to entertainment.
Has two daughters: Maura Nielsen Kaplan and Thea Nielsen Disney.
At age 17 1/2 enlisted in the Royal Canadian AirForce and trained as an aerial gunner.
Tested for the role of "Messala" in Ben-Hur (1959).
Film critic Roger Ebert once called him "the Laurence Olivier of spoofs".
Was considered for the role of Willy Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005).
His father was a Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer for Northwest Territory and Saskatchewan.
Avid Motorcylist.
Attended the Chiller Theater Expo in Parsippany, NJ along with actress Jamie Luner of "Profiler" (1996), John Schneider, Angie Dickinson, Brian O'Halloran, Danny Woodburn, David Hedison, Erik Estrada, Audra Lynn, Barry Williams, on October 24, 2008.
Was considered for the role of Jack Torrance in The Shining (1980).
Lives in Phoenix, Arizona.
Personal Quotes
Doing nothing is very hard to do . . . you never know when you're finished.The reason they call it 'golf' is that all the other four-letter words were used up.
[on the part of his career when he played almost exclusively bad guys] The best part is always the heavy. And the meaner and crueler and the worse you are, the more vicious you are as the heavy, the better the hero looks when he whips you. So, the heavy is liable to be a very dramatic, fine acting part. I told my agent at that time, "I want to play heavies who are really vicious and cruel and terrible. I want them to know that they're terrible and I want them to enjoy it."
[on his wrestling a "wild grizzly bear" (it was actually a docile honey bear] in Day of the Animals (1977)] I had to weave and play around with a honey bear, and I could wrestle with him a little bit, but there's no way you can even wrestle a honey bear, let alone a grizzly bear that's standing ten feet to eleven feet tall! Can you imagine? But it was fascinating to work that close to that kind of animal.
From the 28th floor of the Point of Americas complex, Leslie Nielsen — aka Lt. Frank Drebin — could look out over the beach, Port Everglades and downtown Fort Lauderdale.
The star of "The Naked Gun," "Airplane!" and other movies that made use of his square-jawed looks and comic timing, who died Sunday, tooled around town in an eye-catching antique Bentley. But otherwise he lived a low-key life in Fort Lauderdale, socializing with friends and traveling frequently with his wife, Barbaree.
"I was at the pool this morning, and there were people who were very surprised that he lived in the building," said his neighbor Margaret Farragher.
"He was a very pleasant guy," she said. "Our children know every line of his movies, and he was delightful to them."
Bob Bell, a general contractor who lives on an adjacent floor, became friends with Nielsen after meeting him at a photo shoot at the pool.
"He's very laid back and fun, just like you see him on film," said Bell, whose Facebook page displays a photo of himself and Nielsen with Point of Americas in the background. "They traveled quite a bit. They had a place in Arizona, and they always traveled extensively. Last time I ran into them they were going on a two-week cruise."
Bell said Nielsen displayed a sense of humor in keeping with his movie lines. (When a character in "Airplane!" says "Surely you can't be serious," he responds with a deadpan, "I am serious. And don't call me Shirley.")
One evening, Bell recalled, Nielsen and his wife were planning on duck for dinner. "He kept ducking," Bell said. "Every time someone said the word 'duck' he would duck."
And on his birthday, Bell received a card from Nielsen and his wife that said, "Another year older? Surely you can't be serious."
Nielsen died of complications from pneumonia at Holy Cross Hospital, with his wife and friends by his side. He was 84.
He received a lifetime achievement award at the 2002 edition of the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival, where he introduced a screening of the 1956 sci-fi cult classic "Forbidden Planet." In the festival program, Nielsen offered a typical dead-pan perspective on his career:
"I have no goals or ambition," he admitted. "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."
Said Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival president Gregory von Hausch: "His appearance at the festival was one of the most memorable occasions I can recollect. He was charismatic, funny and our audiences loved him."
In 2005, a similar career achievement honor at the Palm Beach International Film Festival offered Nielsen another opportunity for a signature moment. He strolled the red carpet for the festival's black-tie gala at the Boca Raton Resort & Spa with a flatulence noisemaker in his tuxedo pocket, punctuating the event with perfectly timed sound effects.
"I can tell you, there has never been a more entertaining acceptance speech as his," festival executive director Randi Emerman recalled. "He had the entire crowd in stitches."
In high school I was (and perhaps still am) a recidivist quoter of Neilsen's lines in Airplane! and the Police Squad/Naked Gun series. When graduation came around, I had some additional invites left over, and decided to send one to him just for shits and giggles. While he didn't attend, he did send a nice congratulatory note and an autographed picture.
Years later I ran into him at a country club in Arizona, and I brought up the invitation and his nice response. He actually remembered it and was kind enough to spend a few minutes to chat with me. I saw him a few times after that, and each time he remembered me and took the time to talk and catch up. An awesome comedic actor and a great guy. RIP, Leslie.
"The attempt on Nordberg's life left me shaken and disturbed, and all the questions kept coming up over and over again, like bubbles in a case of club soda. Who was this character in the hospital? And why was he trying to kill Nordberg? And for whom? Did Ludwig lie to me? I didn't have any proof, but somehow, I didn't entirely trust him either. Why was the 'I Luv You' not listed in Ludwig's records? And if it was, did he know about it? And if he didn't, who did? And where the hell was I?"
Years later I ran into him at a country club in Arizona, and I brought up the invitation and his nice response. He actually remembered it and was kind enough to spend a few minutes to chat with me. I saw him a few times after that, and each time he remembered me and took the time to talk and catch up. An awesome comedic actor and a great guy. RIP, Leslie.
"The attempt on Nordberg's life left me shaken and disturbed, and all the questions kept coming up over and over again, like bubbles in a case of club soda. Who was this character in the hospital? And why was he trying to kill Nordberg? And for whom? Did Ludwig lie to me? I didn't have any proof, but somehow, I didn't entirely trust him either. Why was the 'I Luv You' not listed in Ludwig's records? And if it was, did he know about it? And if he didn't, who did? And where the hell was I?"
