Leslie Nielsen
Known for Acting · 272 credits
- Born
- 1926-02-11
- Died
- 2010-11-28
- Place of birth
- Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
- Also known as
- Leslie William Nielsen · لزلی نیلسن · Лесли Уильям Нильсен
Biography
Leslie William Nielsen (February 11, 1926 – November 28, 2010) was a Canadian-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.
Known For
TV Shows (135)
Family Guy
1999
as Dr. Rumack (archive footage)
Raw
1993
as Leslie Nielsen
The Fugitive
1963
as Harold Cheyney / Martin C. Rowland
Columbo
1971
as A.J. Henderson / Peter Hamilton
Saturday Night Live
1975
as Self - Host
Murder, She Wrote
1984
as David Everett / Captain Daniels
The Love Boat
1977
as Hank Hardaway / Russ Blanchard / Dan Michaels
Golden Globe Awards
1944
as Self - Host
Bonanza
1959
as Sheriff Paul Rowan
Robert Montgomery Presents
1950
as C. K. Dexter Haven / George / Gates Holden
Wogan
1982
as Self
Wagon Train
1957
as Brian Conlin / Jeremy Dow
Hawaii Five-O
1968
as Brent
Die Harald Schmidt Show
1995
as Self
Ironside
1967
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre
1963
as John Joslin
M*A*S*H
1972
as Col. Buzz Brighton
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour
1962
as Mr. Grainger
The Wild Wild West
1965
as Major General Ball
The Virginian
1962
as John Hagen / Cleve Mason / Harry Lightfoot
Fantasy Island
1978
as Doctor Whitfield
Rawhide
1959
as Eli Becker
Dr. Kildare
1961
as Walter Burton / Harry Kleber
Who's the Boss?
1984
Highway to Heaven
1984
as Richard R. Benson
The F.B.I.
1965
as Hudson
Naked City
1958
as Norman Garry
Daniel Boone
1964
as William Russell
Studio One
1948
as Chris Jackson / Stan Janicek / Dr. Clayborn / Dr. Roger Waring / Mac / Edmund / Tallman / Karl
Route 66
1960
The Golden Girls
1985
as Lucas
Thriller
1960
as Alan Patterson
Cannon
1971
as Joe Gilbert / Erich Strasser / Weller Dane
The Big Valley
1965
as Sgt. Maj. Earl Conway
Gunsmoke
1955
as Jess Trevor
Barnaby Jones
1973
as Edward Brendon
Due South
1994
as Sgt. Buck Frobisher
Night Gallery
1970
as Col. Dennis Malloy / The Phantom (segment "Phantom of What Opera?")
Dinah!
1974
as Self
The Defenders
1961
as Bob Garrison
The Name of the Game
1968
Miss USA
1963
as Self - Judge
The Rookies
1972
Kojak
1973
as Michael Hagar
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
1955
as Lloyd Ashley / Rudy Cox
The Bob Hope Show
1950
as Self
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea
1964
Finder of Lost Loves
1984
as Matthew Vail
The Wonderful World of Disney
1997
as Mr. Penn
The Streets of San Francisco
1972
as John T. Connor
The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
1964
as General Maximilian Harmon
Kraft Suspense Theatre
1963
as Dr. David Cord / Paul Maytric
Lights Out
1949
Vega$
1978
MGM Parade
1955
as Self
227
1985
It Takes a Thief
1968
as SIA Security Man
The Mod Squad
1968
as Rusty Bryson
Goodyear Television Playhouse
1951
The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn
1999
as Self
Movies (137)
Halloween
1978
as Commander John J. Adams (archive footage)
Scary Movie 3
2003
as President Baxter Harris
Scary Movie 4
2006
as President Baxter Harris
Airplane!
1980
as Dr. Rumack
The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!
1988
as Frank Drebin
Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult
1994
as Lt. Frank Drebin
The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear
1991
as Lt. Frank Drebin
Spy Hard
1996
as Dick Steele
The Poseidon Adventure
1972
as Captain Harrison
Dracula: Dead and Loving It
1995
as Count Dracula
Little Mo
1978
as Nelson Fisher
Prom Night
1980
as Mr. Hammond
Forbidden Planet
1956
as Commander John J. Adams
Creepshow
1982
as Richard Vickers (segment "Something To Tide You Over")
Repossessed
1990
as Father Jebedaiah Mayii
Family Guy Presents: Blue Harvest
2007
as Dr. Rumack (archive voice)
Superhero Movie
2008
as Uncle Albert Adams
Wrongfully Accused
1998
as Ryan Harrison
Tammy and the Bachelor
1957
as Peter Brent
Stan Helsing
2009
as Kay
Leslie Nielsen's Bad Golf My Way
1994
as Leslie Nielsen
O.J.: Made in America
2016
as Self (archive footage)
2001: A Space Travesty
2000
as Richard 'Dick' Dix
Counterpoint
1967
as Victor Rice
An American Carol
2008
as Osama Bin Nielsen / Grandpa
Amanda Fallon
1973
as Mr. Cummings
Nightstick
1987
as Thad Evans
Hot Summer Night
1957
as William Joel Partain
Mr. Magoo
1997
as Mr. Quincy Magoo
Chance of a Lifetime
1991
as Lloyd Dixon
The Amsterdam Kill
1977
as Riley Knight
Spanish Movie
2009
as Doctor Nielsen
The Sheepman
1958
as Stephen Bedford / Johnny Bledsoe
Nos Bastidores de Hollywood
2005
as Self (archive footage)
Stonerville
2011
as Producer
Soul Man
1986
as Mr. Dunbar
Mel Brooks: Make a Noise
2013
as Self (archive footage)
Nuts
1987
as Allen Green
Foxfire Light
1982
as Reece Morgan
...and millions will die!
1973
as Jack Gallagher
Camouflage
2001
as Jack Potter
All I Want For Christmas
1991
as Santa
Wrong Is Right
1982
as Mallory
Dark Possession
1954
as Dr. Roger Waring
The Canadian Conspiracy
1986
as Self
Project: Kill
1976
as John Trevor
The Opposite Sex
1956
as Steve Hilliard
Slap Shot 3: The Junior League
2008
as Mayor of Charlestown
Rent-a-Kid
1995
as Harry Haber
The Plainsman
1966
as Col. George Armstrong Custer
The Unknown Marx Brothers
1993
as Self - Narrator
Ransom!
1956
as Charlie Telfer
Striker's Mountain
1985
as Jim McKay
Dangerous Curves
1988
as Greg Krevske
Digger
1993
as Arthur Evrensel
They Call It Murder
1971
as Frank Antrim
Brinks: The Great Robbery
1976
as Agent Norman Houston
Men with Brooms
2002
as Gordon Cutter
Companions in Nightmare
1968
as Dr. Neesden
City on Fire
1979
as Mayor William Dudley
Institute for Revenge
1979
as Counselor Hollis Barnes
Music Within
2007
as Bill Austin
How to Commit Marriage
1969
as Phil Fletcher
Family Plan
1997
as Harry Haber
Dayton's Devils
1968
as Frank Dayton
The Nutcracker and the Mouseking
2004
as (Mouseking) (voice)
Dive to the Edge of Creation
1980
as Self - Narrator
Surf Ninjas
1993
as Colonel Chi
How to Steal the World
1968
as General Maximilian Harmon
Journey to the Outer Limits
1973
as (voice)
Day of the Animals
1977
as Paul Jenson
Beau Geste
1966
as Lt. De Ruse
The Battle of Gettysburg
1955
as Narrator (voice)
The Reluctant Astronaut
1967
as Major Fred Gifford
Hauser's Memory
1970
as Joseph Slaughter
The Patriot
1986
as Admiral Frazer
S.P.Q.R.: 2,000 and a Half Years Ago
1994
as Lucio Cinico
The Vagabond King
1956
as Thibault d'Aussigny
The Lost Will of Dr. Rant
1951
as Bill
Home Is Where the Hart Is
1987
as Sheriff Nashville Schwartz
Safety Patrol!
1998
as Mr. Penn
Dark Intruder
1965
as Brett Kingsford
The Velvet Alley
1959
as Eddie Kirkley
Blade in Hong Kong
1985
as Harry Ingersoll
Masters of Illusion: The Wizards of Special Effects
1994
as Self
Chilly Dogs
2001
as Clive Thorton / Cab Driver
Santa Who?
2000
as Santa Claus
WWE SummerSlam 1994
1994
as Himself
Gunfight in Abilene
1967
as Grant Evers
Twilight Theatre
1982
World's Funniest Commercials
1994
Threshold: The Blue Angels Experience
1975
as Self - Narrator (voice)
The Dawson Patrol
1977
as Narrator
Viva Knievel!
1977
as Stanley Millard
Rosie!
1967
as Cabot Shaw
Harvey
1996
as Dr. Chumley
Twilight Theater II
1982
as Self- Host
Can Ellen Be Saved?
1974
as Arnold Lindsey
Back to the Future (Part II): Behind-the-Scenes Special Presentation
1989
as Host
Shadow Over Elveron
1968
as Sheriff Verne Drover
Four Rode Out
1969
as Mr Brown
Spaceship
1983
as Capt. Jamieson
The Resurrection of Zachary Wheeler
1971
as Harry Walsh
The Letters
1973
as Derek Childs
See How They Run
1964
as Elliot Green
Incident in San Francisco
1971
as Lt. Brubaker
Reckless Disregard
1985
as Bob Franklin
Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree
1995
as Baxter
The Night the Bridge Fell Down
1980
as Paul Warren
Fatal Confession: A Father Dowling Mystery
1987
as Senator Erdain
Snatched
1973
as Bill Sutter
Code Name: Heraclitus
1967
as Fryer
Night Slaves
1970
as Sheriff Henshaw
Harlow
1965
as Richard Manley
The Return of Charlie Chan
1973
as Alexander Hadrachi
Sixth and Main
1977
as John Doe
Night Train to Paris
1964
as Alan Holiday
Cave-In!
1983
as Joe Johnson
Trial Run
1969
as Jason Harkness
Deadlock
1969
as Lt. Sam Danforth
About Leslie Nielsen
Leslie William Nielsen (February 11, 1926 – November 28, 2010) was a Canadian-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… With 272 credits spanning from 1944 to 2016, Leslie Nielsen has appeared in 137 films and 135 TV shows.
Fans searching for Leslie Nielsen movies, Leslie Nielsen filmography, or the latest projects starring Leslie Nielsen can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Leslie Nielsen Movies
- Halloween (1978) — as Commander John J. Adams (archive footage)
- Scary Movie 3 (2003) — as President Baxter Harris
- Scary Movie 4 (2006) — as President Baxter Harris
- Airplane! (1980) — as Dr. Rumack
- The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988) — as Frank Drebin
Where to Watch Leslie Nielsen Films
Most Leslie Nielsen movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Leslie Nielsen, check our movies catalogue and browse page.