Leslie Nielsen

Leslie Nielsen

Highest Rated: 98% Forbidden Planet (1956)

Lowest Rated: 0% All I Want for Christmas (1991)

Birthday: Feb 11, 1926

Birthplace: Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada

Although his career stretches back half a century and includes over 100 films and countless TV programs, Leslie Nielsen gained true fame late in his career, when he starred in a series of comic spoofs beginning with 1980's Airplane!.The son of a Canadian Mountie and the brother of Canada's future Deputy Prime Minister, Nielsen was born in Regina, Saskatchewan, on February 11, 1926. He developed an early knack for acting when he was forced to lie to his disciplinarian father in order to avoid punishment, and he went on to become a radio announcer after serving in the Royal Canadian Air Force during WWII (despite being legally deaf, the result of a childhood illness). To prepare himself for his future career, Nielsen studied at Toronto's Academy of Radio Arts, which was run by CBC commentator and future Bonanza star Lorne Greene. After several years in radio, he won a scholarship to New York's Neighborhood Playhouse, where he studied acting under Sanford Meisner and dance under Martha Graham. He then spent five years appearing on such live television programs as Tales From Tomorrow before making his film bow in Ransom! (1956). With the exception of his starring roles in the sci-fi classic Forbidden Planet (1956) and the popular Debbie Reynolds-vehicle Tammy and the Bachelor (1957), much of Nielsen's early work was undistinguished; he was merely a handsome leading man in an industry overstocked with handsome leading men. An attempt to do a "Davy Crockett" by starring as Francis Marion in the Disney TV saga The Swamp Fox resulted in a nifty title tune but little else. Nielsen went on to star in such series as The New Breed, Bracken's World, and Hawaii Five-O (1968), but found he was more in demand as a heavy than as a hero.A notorious offscreen practical joker and cut-up, Nielsen was not given an onscreen conduit for this trait until he was cast in the Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker spoof Airplane (1980). This led to his deadpan characterization of monumentally inept police lieutenant Frank Drebin on Z.A.Z.'s cult TV series Police Squad, which in turn spawned the 1988 hit The Naked Gun and two sequels. Nielsen also found success in a number of other film spoofs, so much, in fact, that those familiar only with his loopy comedy roles are invariably surprised that, once upon a time, he took himself deadly seriously in films like Harlow (1965) and The Poseidon Adventure (1972). Nielsen died at the age of 84, of pneumonia, in late November 2010.

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Highest Rated Movies

Filmography

Movies

Credit
No Score Yet Stonerville Actor — 2011
14% Stan Helsing Kay — 2009
13% An American Carol Grandpa $7M 2008
17% Superhero Movie Uncle Albert Adams $25.9M 2008
No Score Yet Slap Shot 3: The Junior League Actor — 2008
33% Music Within Bill Austin $0.2M 2007
35% Scary Movie 4 Präsident Harris President Harris $90.7M 2006
No Score Yet Nutcracker And The Mouse King Actor — 2005
35% Scary Movie 3 President Harris — 2003
55% Men with Brooms Gordon Cutter — 2002
No Score Yet 2001: A Space Travesty Marshall Dix Screenwriter Executive Producer — 2002
No Score Yet Chilly Dogs Clive Thornton — 2001
No Score Yet Santa Who? Santa Claus — 2000
No Score Yet Camouflage Jack Potter — 2000
No Score Yet Harvey Dr. Chumley — 1999
No Score Yet Family Plan Harry Haber — 1998
22% Wrongfully Accused Ryan Harrison — 1998
No Score Yet Safety Patrol (Disney's Safety Patrol) Mr. Penn — 1998
No Score Yet National Geographic Host — 1998
7% Mr. Magoo Mr. Magoo — 1997
No Score Yet Stupid Little Golf Video Actor — 1997
No Score Yet National Geographic Explorer Actor — 1997
8% Spy Hard Dick Steele, Agt. WD-40 Executive Producer — 1996
11% Dracula - Dead and Loving It Dracula — 1995
No Score Yet Rent-a-Kid Harry Haber — 1995
No Score Yet Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree Baxter — 1995
No Score Yet Digger Arthur Evrensel — 1994
54% The Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult Lt. Frank Drebin — 1994
No Score Yet Unknown Marx Brothers Host — 1993
11% Surf Ninjas Col. Chi — 1993
No Score Yet Leslie Nielsen's Bad Golf Made Easier Actor — 1993
No Score Yet Unknown Marx Brothers Actor — 1993
No Score Yet The Blue Frontier: Underseas Legacy Narrator — 1992
No Score Yet The Blue Frontier: Gigi's Legacy Narrator — 1992
No Score Yet The Blue Frontier: Aquaspace Adventure Narrator — 1992
No Score Yet The Blue Frontier: Nature's Playground Narrator — 1992
No Score Yet The Blue Frontier: King of the Sea Narrator — 1992
No Score Yet The Blue Frontier: To Save a Whale Narrator — 1992
0% All I Want for Christmas Santa — 1991
57% The Naked Gun 2 1/2: The Smell of Fear Lt. Frank Drebin — 1991
0% Repossessed Father Jebedaiah Mayii — 1990
No Score Yet The Blue Frontier: Antarctic Adventure Narrator — 1990
No Score Yet The Blue Frontier: Vanishing Mermaids Narrator — 1990
No Score Yet The Blue Frontier: Tails From the Nursery Narrator — 1990
No Score Yet The Blue Frontier: Shark, Shark, Shark Narrator — 1990
No Score Yet The Blue Frontier: Sea of Many Moods Narrator — 1990
No Score Yet The Blue Frontier: Clown or Criminal Narrator — 1990
No Score Yet Railway Dragon Actor — 1989
87% The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! Lt. Frank Drebin — 1988
No Score Yet Dangerous Curves Greg — 1988
No Score Yet Home Is Where the Hart Is Sheriff Nashville Schwartz — 1987
33% Nuts Allen Green — 1987
No Score Yet Nightstick Thad Evans — 1987
No Score Yet Striker's Mountain Jim McKay — 1987
13% Soul Man Mr. Dunbar — 1986
No Score Yet The Patriot Adm. Frazer — 1986
No Score Yet Blade in Hong Kong Harry Ingersoll — 1985
No Score Yet Reckless Disregard Bob Franklin — 1984
No Score Yet Foxfire Light Reece Morgan — 1984
No Score Yet The Creature Wasn't Nice Capt. Jamieson — 1983
73% Creepshow Richard Vickers — 1982
30% Wrong Is Right Mallory — 1982
No Score Yet Naked Space Actor — 1981
No Score Yet Spaceship Actor — 1981
50% Prom Night Mr. Hammond — 1980
97% Airplane! Dr. Rumack — 1980
No Score Yet The Night the Bridge Fell Down Paul Warren — 1980
No Score Yet Backstairs at the White House Actor — 1979
No Score Yet Riel Actor — 1979
No Score Yet City on Fire Mayor William Dudley — 1978
17% Viva Knievel! Stanley Millard — 1977
No Score Yet The Amsterdam Kill Riley Knight — 1977
No Score Yet Day of the Animals Paul Jenson — 1977
No Score Yet Project: Kill John Trevor — 1976
79% The Poseidon Adventure Ship's Captain — 1972
No Score Yet Snatched Bill Sutter — 1972
No Score Yet Columbo: Lady in Waiting Actor — 1971
No Score Yet The Resurrection of Zachary Wheeler Harry Walsh — 1971
No Score Yet They Call It Murder Actor — 1971
No Score Yet Four Rode Out Mr. Brown — 1970
No Score Yet How to Commit Marriage Phil Fletcher — 1969
No Score Yet How to Steal the World Actor — 1968
No Score Yet Dayton's Devils Dayton — 1968
No Score Yet Gunfight in Abilene Grant Evers — 1967
No Score Yet The Reluctant Astronaut Major Fred Gifford — 1967
No Score Yet Rosie! Cabot — 1967
No Score Yet The Plainsman Col. George A. Custer — 1966
No Score Yet Beau Geste Lt. De Ruse — 1966
No Score Yet Dark Intruder Brett Kingsford — 1965
No Score Yet Harlow Richard Manley — 1965
No Score Yet Night Train to Paris Alan Holiday — 1964
No Score Yet The Sheepman Johnny Bledsoe — 1958
No Score Yet Tammy and the Bachelor Peter Brent — 1957
20% The Opposite Sex Steve Hilliard — 1956
No Score Yet Ransom! Charlie Telfer — 1956
98% Forbidden Planet Commander J. J. Adams — 1956
No Score Yet Studio One Anthology Actor — 1948

TV

Credit
71% Family Guy
1999 		Voice 2007
No Score Yet Due South
1994-1998 		Buck Buck Frobisher Sgt. Duncan `Buck' Frobisher 1998
1996
1994
No Score Yet The Golden Girls
1985-1992 		Guest Lucas 1992
No Score Yet Saturday Night Live
1975 		Guest Host 1989
No Score Yet Who's the Boss?
1984-1992 		Max Muldoon 1988
1987
No Score Yet Highway to Heaven
1984-1989 		R.R. Benson 1987
No Score Yet Murder, She Wrote
1984-1996 		Captain Daniels David Everett 1986
1985
100% Police Squad!
1982 		Det. Frank Drebin 1982
No Score Yet Kung Fu
1972-1975 		Corbino 1975
1974
No Score Yet Columbo
1968-2003 		Hamilton Henderson 1975
1971
No Score Yet Ironside
1967-1975 		Justin 1974
No Score Yet Kojak
1973-1978 		1974
No Score Yet The Streets of San Francisco
1972-1977 		Landers Wilson Connor 1974
1973
No Score Yet M*A*S*H
1972-1983 		Col. Buzz Brighton 1973
No Score Yet Night Gallery
1970-1973 		Denny Phantom 1971
No Score Yet Gunsmoke
1955-1975 		Guest Jess Trevor 1969
100% The Man From U.N.C.L.E.
1964-1968 		Harmon 1968
No Score Yet Bonanza
1959-1973 		Sheriff Rowan 1967
No Score Yet The Wild Wild West
1965-1969 		General 1966
1965
No Score Yet The Fugitive
1963-1967 		Rowland Harold Cheyney 1964
1963
No Score Yet The Alfred Hitchcock Hour
1962-1965 		Grainger 1964
1962
No Score Yet Alfred Hitchcock Presents
1955-1962 		Lloyd Ashley Rudolf Cox 1961
1958
No Score Yet Rawhide
1959-1965 		Baker 1959
No Score Yet The Bold Ones
1968-1973 		Dep. Chief Sam Danforth

QUOTES FROM Leslie Nielsen CHARACTERS

Lt. Frank Drebin says: Congratulations! I hear Edna's pregnant again...

Lt. Frank Drebin says: Congratulations! I hear Edna's pregnant again.

Ed Hocken says: I know... and if I catch the guy who did it...

Ed Hocken says: I know and if I catch the guy who did it.

Quentin Hapsburg says: I don't recall seeing you on the guest list.

Lt. Frank Drebin says: That's because sometimes I go by my maiden name.

Commissioner Anabell Brumford says: Do you realize that, thanks to you, the city is being overrun with baboons?

Lt. Frank Drebin says: Isn't that the fault of the voters?

Dracula says: Renfield, you asshole!

Ryan Harrison says: Your dog has a surprised look on his face

Ryan Harrison says: Your dog has a surprised look on his face.

Lauren Goodhue says: That's because you are looking at his butt

Lauren Goodhue says: That's because you are looking at his butt.

Ryan Harrison says: Then he probably won't like that treat I just fed him

Ryan Harrison says: Then he probably won't like that treat I just fed him.

Uncle Albert says: Ah! The rituals of Man-hood. Today, you have your first beer. And tomorrow we'll circumcise you.

The President says: Man kind is doomed either way. But wait now I need to find out if the goose layed it's egg

Ted Striker says: Surely you can't be serious.

Dr. Rumack says: I am serious...and don't call me Shirley.

Dr. Rumack says: I am serious and don't call me Shirley.

Richard Vickers says: I can hold my breath a long, long time!

Dr. Rumack says: I just want to tell you both,good luck.We're all counting on you.

Dr. Rumack says: I just want to tell you both, good luck. We're all counting on you.

Commander John J. Adams says: About a million years from now the human race would have crawled up to where the Krell stood in their great moment of triumph and tragedy. And your fathers name will shine again like a beacon in galaxy. It's true It will remind us that we are, after all, not God..

Dr. Rumack says: Can you fly this plane and land it?

Ted Striker says: Surely you can't be serious?

Dr. Rumack says: I am serious, and don't call me Shirley.

Nordberg says: Drugs...drugs...

Lt. Frank Drebin says: Nurse! Get this man some drugs! Can't you see he's in pain?

Nurse #2 says: (Administers drugs)

Nurse #2 says: [administers drugs]

Nordberg says: No...no...heroin Frank, heroin...

Lt. Frank Drebin says: Uh...that's a pretty tall order, Nordberg. You'll have to give me a couple of days on that one.

Dr. Rumack says: Captain, how soon can we land?

Capt. Oveur says: I can't tell.

Dr. Rumack says: You can tell me, I'm a doctor.

Ted Striker says: Surely you can't be serious!

Dr. Rumack says: I am sure. And don't call me Sherly

Commander John J. Adams says: Which makes it a guilt edged priority we get into that Krell lab and take that brain boost.

Commander John J. Adams says: That sounded like an ultimatum.

Uncle Albert says: How can you say that? I've been like a father to you! I raised you, just like your father did! I believed in you, just like your father did! I slept with your mother, just like your father did!

The President says: Get off my planet you alien(hits person)

The President says: Get off my planet you alien.

Mr. Magoo says: [talking to a bush who looks like his secretary] Goodnight Mrs. Winterbottom!.....ugliest hair-do I've ever seen......

Mr. Magoo says: [talking to a bush who looks like his secretary] Goodnight Mrs. Winterbottom!... ugliest hair-do I've ever seen.

Dr. Rumack says: i just wanted to say good luck and we're all counting on you

Dr. Rumack says: I just want to tell you both good luck. We're all counting on you.

Jane Spencer says: Could I interest you in a nightcap, Lieutenant?

Lt. Frank Drebin says: No thank you, I don't wear them

Lt. Frank Drebin says: No thank you, I don't wear them.

Dr. Rumack says: I am serious... and don't call me Shurley

Dr. Rumack says: I am serious... and don't call me Shirley.

Uncle Albert says: and once a month you'll bleed from your vagina

Uncle Albert says: There are mood swings, fluid retention, and once a month you'll bleed from your vagina.

Mr. Hammond says: Principal by day, disco king by night!

Harry says: (as a zombie) - Here we come, Richard! Let's go to the beach. We just want you to come to the beach. Come with us. Come down to the beach. If you don't panic...If you can hold your breath...If you can hold your breath...If you can hold your breath...If you can hold your breath...

Harry says: (as a zombie) Here we come, Richard! Let's go to the beach. We just want you to come to the beach. Come with us. Come down to the beach. If you don't panic. If you can hold your breath. If you can hold your breath. If you can hold your breath. If you can hold your breath.

Richard Vickers says: (buried to his head in sand) - I can hold my breath...for a long time! Ha-ha-ha-ha

Richard Vickers says: (buried to his head in sand) I can hold my breath, for a long time! Ha-ha-ha-ha

Richard Vickers says: (he hears a noise in his house) - Who's out there? Wentworth? Is that you, Wentworth? May I remind you, dear boy, I have the gun.

Richard Vickers says: (he hears a noise in his house) Who's out there? Wentworth? Is that you, Wentworth? May I remind you, dear boy, I have the gun.

Richard Vickers says: I'm not trying to prove a thing. It may be on some subjects that I'm not entirely sane. The subject of what is mine, for example, I'm not sane...at all!

Richard Vickers says: I'm not trying to prove a thing. It may be on some subjects that I'm not entirely sane. The subject of what is mine, for example, I'm not sane at all!

Richard Vickers says: I don't know whether I ever loved her or not, Harry. That doesn't matter. The point is I keep what is mine. No exception to that rule, ever! No exceptions, Harry.

Mr. Magoo says: Ugliest child I've ever seen!

Ted Striker says: Surely you can't be serious!

Dr. Rumack says: I am serious... and don't call me Shirley.

Ted Striker says: Surely you can't be serious?

Dr. Rumack says: I am serious. And don't call me Shirley.