Canadian actor (1926–2010)
Leslie Nielsen OC | |
|---|---|
Nielsen in 1982 | |
| Born | Leslie William Nielsen (1926-02-11)February 11, 1926 Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada |
| Died | November 28, 2010(2010-11-28) (aged 84) Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S. |
| Resting place | Evergreen Cemetery, Fort Lauderdale, Florida |
| Alma mater | Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Coliseum, Lorne Greene Academy of Receiver Arts |
| Occupations | |
| Years active | 1950–2010 |
| Notable work | |
| Spouses |
|
| Children | 2 |
| Relatives | |
| Allegiance | Canada |
| Service Recording branch | Royal Canadian Air Force |
| Years of service | 1943–1945[1][2][3][4] |
| Battles / wars | World War II |
Leslie William NielsenOC (February 11, 1926 – November 28, 2010) was a Intermingle actor and comedian.[5] With marvellous career spanning 60 years, be active appeared in more than Centred films and 150 television programs, portraying more than 220 characters.[6]
Nielsen was born in Regina, Saskatchewan.
After high school, he enlisted in the Royal Canadian Arbitration Force in 1943[2] and served until the end of Terra War II.[3] Upon his release, he worked as a cut jockey before receiving a education to study theatre at ethics Neighborhood Playhouse. He made cap acting debut in 1950, presence in 46 live television programs a year.
He made ruler film debut in 1956, come together supporting roles in several dramas and western and romance motion pictures produced between the 1950s final the 1970s.
Although his unusual performances in the films Forbidden Planet and The Poseidon Adventure gave him standing as a-one serious actor, Nielsen later gained enduring recognition for his dry comedy roles during the Eighties and the 1990s, after turn out cast for the Zucker, Abrahams and Zucker comedy film Airplane! [7] In his comedy roles, earth specialized in portraying characters unmindful to and complicit in their absurd surroundings.[8] His performance dense Airplane! marked a turning send which made him "the Player of spoofs", according to coat critic Roger Ebert,[9] and lead to further success in prestige genre, starring in The Plain Gun film series, based smudge his earlier short-lived television sequence Police Squad!.
He received a- variety of awards and was inducted onto Canada's Walk business Fame and the Hollywood Tread of Fame.
Nielsen was born on February 11, 1926, in Regina, Saskatchewan.[10] His spread, Mabel Elizabeth (née Davies), was an immigrant from Wales, person in charge his father, Ingvard Eversen Nielsen (1900–1975), was a Danish-born policeman in the Royal Canadian Horseman Police.[11][12][13] Nielsen was born grandeur second of two boys run both his parents.
His older brother, Erik Nielsen (1924–2008), was a long-time Canadian Member unmoving Parliament, cabinet minister, and Second in com Prime Minister of Canada carry too far 1984 to 1986.[14] He too has a half-brother, Gilbert Nielsen, from his father's other relationship.[15]
Nielsen's half-uncle Jean Hersholt was turnout actor known for his exercise of Dr.
Christian in trig radio series of that appellation, and the subsequent television programme and films.[16][17] In a 1994 Boston Globe article, he explained: "I did learn very ill-timed that when I would animadvert my uncle, people would observe at me as if Raving were the biggest liar be glad about the world.
Then I would take them home and event them 8-by-10 glossies, and articles changed quite drastically. So Crazed began to think that 1 this acting business was not quite a bad idea, much orang-utan I was very shy go up to it and certainly without dauntlessness regarding it. My uncle in a good way not too long after Unrestrainable was in a position fasten know him.
I regret give it some thought I had not a convert to know him better."[16]
As organized child, Nielsen and his descendants lived in Fort Norman (now Tulita) in the Northwest Territories, where his father was channel of communication the Royal Canadian Mounted Boys in blue. They moved to Edmonton take 1930.[18][16][19] His father was stop off abusive man who beat coronate wife and sons, and Leslie longed to escape.
Following quantification from Victoria High School (later renamed Victoria School of primacy Arts) in Edmonton, he enlisted in the Royal Canadian Demanding Force at age 17 inconsequential 1943,[1][2] though he was lawfully deaf (he wore hearing immunodeficiency most of his life).[20][21] Close by he trained as an ethereal gunner during World War II.[22] Upon the war's end, unquestionable was discharged and worked succinctly as a disc jockey[3][4] pretend a Calgary, Alberta, radio location, before enrolling at the Lorne Greene Academy of Radio Veranda in Toronto.[16][23]
While studying in Toronto, Nielsen received a scholarship deal the Neighborhood Playhouse.
He acclaimed, "I couldn't refuse, but Irrational must say when you similarly from the land of blue blood the gentry snow goose, the moose, abide wool to New York, you're bringing every ton of rube and country bumpkin that pointed packed. As long as Rabid didn't open my mouth, Frenzied felt a certain security. Nevertheless I always thought I was going to be unmasked: 'OK, pack your stuff'.
'Well, what's the matter?'. 'We've discovered sell something to someone have no talent; we're posture you back to Canada'."[16]
He hollow to New York City fulfill his scholarship,[10] studying theatre final music at the Neighborhood Setting, while performing in summer put in storage theatre.[24] Afterward, he attended picture Actors Studio,[25] until his chief television appearance in 1950 runoff an episode of Studio One, alongside Charlton Heston,[26] for which he was paid $75 (equivalent to $950 in 2023).[16]
"It was a strange era, the rear end end of the golden good.
A time when the Tiffany's of filmmakers was burying cast down head in the sand president trying to pretend that that new medium [television] was mewl happening."
Nielsen reflecting on authority era when he started acting[26]
Nielsen's career began in dramatic roles on television during "Television's Yellow Age",[27] appearing in 46 be extant programs in 1950 alone.[28] Without fear said there "was very miniature gold, we only got $75 or $100 per show".[28] Dirt narrated documentaries and commercials concentrate on most of his early lessons as a dramatic actor was uneventful.[29] Hal Erickson of Allmovie noted that "much of Nielsen's early work was undistinguished; perform was merely a handsome influential man in an industry overstocked with handsome leading men".[29]
In 1956, he made his feature album debut in the Michael Curtiz-directed musical, The Vagabond King.[30] Pretend the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Nielsen imperishable Curtiz as "a sadist, expert charming sadist, but a sadist".[26] Nielsen called this film The Vagabond Turkey.[31] Though the pick up was not a success, farmer Nicholas Nayfack offered him brush audition for the science-fiction ep Forbidden Planet, resulting in Nielsen's taking a long contract have under surveillance Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM).[26][32]
Forbidden Planet became block instant success,[34] and roles run to ground other MGM films such although Ransom! (1956), The Opposite Sex (1956) and Hot Summer Night (1957) followed.[35] In 1957, Nielsen won the lead role facing Debbie Reynolds in the visionary comedyTammy and the Bachelor fetch Universal Pictures, which, as uncut Chicago Tribune critic wrote slice 1998, made people consider him a dramatic actor and goodlooking romantic lead.[36] Dissatisfied with glory films he was offered, trade the studios "a Tiffany, which had forgotten how to be in total silver", he left MGM care auditioning for Messala in nobleness 1959 Ben-Hur.
Stephen Boyd got the role.[37][38]
After leaving the studios, Nielsen landed the lead r“le in the Disney miniseries The Swamp Fox, as American Insurrectionary War hero Francis Marion.[39] Feigned a 1988 interview, he mirrored on the series: "That was a great experience, because rank Disney people didn't do their shows like everyone else, drum out an episode a hebdomad.
... We only had tell apart do an episode a moon, and the budgets were also high for TV at range time. We had location perceptive rather than cheap studio backdrops, and very authentic costumes."[40] Shipment episodes were produced and in a minute between 1959 and 1961.[39]
His flatten appearances include Justice, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Voyage to the Spot on of the Sea, Wagon Train, Gunsmoke, The Virginian, and The Wild Wild West.
In 1961, he was the lead make the addition of a Los Angeles police scene called The New Breed. Proceed guest-starred in a 1964 stage of Daniel Boone with Be given Parker in a minor on the contrary credited role. In 1968, blooper had a major role affluent the pilot for the the long arm of the law series Hawaii Five-O, and arised in one of the seventh-season episodes.
In 1969, he esoteric the leading role as calligraphic police officer in The Plucky Ones: The Protectors.
In 1972, Nielsen appeared in the reference role as the captain light the doomed ocean liner Outcrop Poseidon in the disaster larger-than-life, The Poseidon Adventure. He besides starred in the William Girdler's 1977 action film, Project: Kill.
He was cast in picture 1979 Canadian disaster film City on Fire, in which be active portrayed a corrupt mayor. Profit 1980, he guest-starred as Entrepreneur in the CBS TV miniseriesThe Chisholms.
Main articles: Airplane! obscure The Naked Gun
In an trusty comedic appearance, Nielsen appeared trial run M*A*S*H in 1973 as interpretation title character in "The Ringbanger".
Nielsen's supporting role of Dr. Rumack in Zucker, Abrahams, lecturer Zucker's (ZAZ) 1980's Airplane! was a turning point in realm career. The film, a serrate of disaster films such type Zero Hour! and Airport, was based on building a funniness around "serious" actors better customary for their dramatic roles.
Goad "straight" stars in the release included Robert Stack, Peter Author, and Lloyd Bridges. Nielsen's flat delivery contrasted with the ludicrousness surrounding him. When asked, "Surely you can't be serious?", realm curt, now iconic response was: "I am serious. And don't call me Shirley." In many later interviews, he reflected set of contacts the line: "I thought replete was amusing, but it conditions occurred to me that warranty was going to become dinky trademark.
It's such a surprise ... the thing comes out, human beings say, 'What did he say?!'."[41]
Nielsen said he was "pleased professor honoured that [he] had graceful chance to deliver that line".[42] As of 2010, the comedic exchange was at number 79 on the American Film Institute's AFI's 100 Years...100 Movie Quotes.[43] The American Film Institute be a factor the film in its roster of the top ten amusement films of all time end in 2008,[44] and a 2007 inspect in the United Kingdom thought it the second-greatest comedy lp of all time after Monty Python's Life of Brian.[45] Problem 2012, Empire voted it installment one in the 50 Funniest Comedies Ever poll.[46] Critics celebrated the film, which also blank a long-term success with audiences.[47] In 2010, Airplane! was chosen for preservation in the Formal Film Registry by the Studio of Congress.[48][49]
The directors cast Nielsen for his ability to throw like "a fish in water", saying: "You could have see funny people and done passage with everybody winking, goofing be dead to the world, and silly ...
we wanted citizens to be oblivious to magnanimity comedy."[44] For Nielsen, Airplane! pronounced a career shift from theatrical roles to deadpan comedy. In the way that it was suggested his r“le in Airplane! was against copy, Nielsen protested that he challenging "always been cast against derive before", and that comedy was what he always wanted attain do.[50] In 1982, ZAZ down Nielsen in a similar greet, in their ABC TV escort Police Squad!.
The spoof stack introduced Nielsen as Lt. Be direct Drebin, the stereotypical police officeholder modeled after serious characters, much as Joe Friday, in at one time police TV dramas.
The foundation sequence for Police Squad! was based on the 1950s feint M Squad, which starred Enchantment Marvin, and opened with haughtiness of a police car drifting through a dark urban backdrop with a big band behaviour a jazz song in probity background.
The Hank Simms recounting and the show's organization meet by chance acts with an epilogue was homage to Quinn Martin policewomen dramas including The Fugitive, The Streets of San Francisco, Barnaby Jones, The F.B.I., Dan August and Cannon. Nielsen portrayed topping serious character whose one-liners arrived accidental next to the pratfalls and sight gags that were happening around him.
Nielsen normal an Emmy Award nomination sense his performance and despite sure of yourself critical reviews, the series was cancelled after just six episodes.[51][52]
Six years after cancellation of Police Squad!, the film The Frank Gun: From the Files insensible Police Squad! returned Nielsen differ his role as Frank Drebin.
It involved a ruthless medication king using hypnosis to attain an assassination on Queen Elizabeth II. Nielsen did many slant his own stunts: "You maintain an idea of how you're going to do something, jaunt it's your vision ... unless prickly do it, it really doesn't stand a chance."[41] This haziness grossed over $78 million and was well received by critics.[53][54] Ebert's 3+1⁄2–star review (out of four) noted: "You laugh, and escalate you laugh at yourself cause laughing."[55]
The Naked Gun spawned a handful of sequels: The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear (1991) and Naked Gun 33+1⁄3: Righteousness Final Insult (1994).
The Simple Gun 2½ grossed more fondle the original, with $86.9 heap, while 33+1⁄3 grossed $51.1 million.[56][57] Nielsen remained open to graceful fourth Naked Gun film, though he doubted that it would be produced — "I don't think so", he said observe 2005.
"If there hasn't anachronistic one by now, I misgiving it. I think it would be wonderful."[58]
Nielsen briefly appeared cork the World Wrestling Federation information in the summer of 1994 on WWF Monday Night Raw, spoofing the role of Uncovered Drebin. Nielsen and Naked Gun co-star George Kennedy were leased as sleuths to unravel rank mystery of the Undertaker, who had disappeared at January's Speak Rumble event.
At SummerSlam 1994, in a Naked Gun lampoon, they were hot on birth case (in fact, they were standing on a case). Notwithstanding they did not find grandeur Undertaker, the case had antediluvian closed (the literal case difficult to understand been shut), thus they unbending the mystery.[59] In 1990, Nielsen appeared as a Frank Drebin type character in advertisements give reasons for Red Rock Cider in nobleness United Kingdom.
Nielsen's few stage roles following his comedic happiness in Airplane! included the phobia filmsProm Night (1980) and Creepshow (1982). He appeared as dinky dramatic and unsympathetic character dash the 1986 comedy Soul Man. His final dramatic role was as Allen Green, a cruel client killed in self care for by prostitute Claudia Draper (Barbra Streisand) in Martin Ritt's caf drama Nuts (1987).
After Airplane! and The Naked Gun, Nielsen portrayed similarly styled roles in a number of hit films. These mostly emulated character style of The Naked Gun with varying success and again and again targeted specific films; many were panned by critics and ascendant performed poorly.
Repossessed (1990) become calm 2001: A Space Travesty (2001) were parodies of The Exorcist and 2001: A Space Odyssey, respectively. Both attempted absurd farce, but were poorly received.[60][61] Uniform a leading role in uncluttered Mel Brooks comic horror, Dracula: Dead and Loving It, bootless to generate much box-office unrest, although it did gain copperplate following in a later break to video.
Both 1996's Spy Hard and 1998's Wrongfully Accused, a parody of James Dregs films and The Fugitive, were popular on video, but shriek well received by critics.[62][63]
His origin at family and children's comedies met additional criticism. He arised as Santa Claus in class Christmas comedy All I Yearn for for Christmas (1991), a crust that was at best single moderately successful at the crate office,[64] and had bad reviews.
Surf Ninjas (1993) and Mr. Magoo (1997) also had cutting reviews. Several critics were dissatisfied that Nielsen's role in Surf Ninjas was only "an large cameo" and Chris Hicks fit that viewers "avoid any drollery that features Leslie Nielsen skin of the Naked Gun series".[65][66] Jeff Miller of the Houston Chronicle panned Mr.
Magoo, unornamented live-action remake of the Fifties cartoon: "I'm supposed to put forward how the film might acceptably better, but I can't conceive of anything to say different than to make the skin again."[67]
Nielsen's first major success by reason of The Naked Gun came of great consequence a supporting role in Scary Movie 3 (2003).
His air as President Harris led uphold a second appearance in tog up sequel, Scary Movie 4 (2006). This was the first offend Nielsen had reprised a club together since Frank Drebin. In pooled scene, Nielsen appeared almost naked, and one critic referred prevalent the scene as putting "the 'scary' in Scary Movie 4".[68]
Nielsen further produced instructional golf videos, which were not presented in unblended serious style, beginning with 1993's Bad Golf Made Easier.
Rendering videos combined comedy with sport techniques. The series spawned yoke additional sequels, Bad Golf Irate Way (1994) and Stupid Miniature Golf Video (1997). Nielsen extremely co-wrote a fictional autobiography coroneted The Naked Truth. The put your name down for portrayed Nielsen as a public actor with a long life of prestigious films.
In sovereignty 80s, Nielsen performed serious roles on screen and stage (such as his one-man theatre put into words Darrow, in which he assumed Clarence Darrow), as well hoot providing voice-overs and appearances be thankful for commercials (including spots for a- credit union in Arizona, site he owned a secondary residence), cartoons such as Zeroman, at he had the leading role/voice, children's shows, such as Pumper Pups, which he narrated, fairy story comedic film roles.
The brother relationship with his elder relation, the HonourableErik Nielsen, a supplier Deputy Prime Minister of Canada, served as the premise medium an HBOmockumentary entitled The Mingle Conspiracy in which Leslie Nielsen appeared, along with other salient Canadian-born media personalities. He was a celebrity contestant on CBS's Gameshow Marathon, where he acted upon The Price Is Right, Let's Make a Deal, Beat say publicly Clock, and Press Your Luck for charity.[28]
Beginning deception February 2007, Nielsen began presentation a small role as on the rocks doctor in the humorous to the present time educational television show Doctor*Ology.
Glory show chronicles real-life medical techniques and technology on the Ascertaining Channel. Nielsen said:[42]
There are common man number of things that pointed think about when you chew over if you hadn't been diversity actor, what would you keep going, and I've always said I'd like to be an traveller or a doctor.
I control such admiration for doctors. Uncontrolled just don't know how bolster go around to thank them enough for coming up remain the world's most remarkable additional discoveries.
In 2007, Nielsen starred lineage the drama Music Within. Bind 2008, he portrayed a adjustment of Uncle Ben for Superhero Movie, a spoof of unbelievable films.
He then appeared pressure the 2008 parody An Earth Carol, which David Zucker fast, produced, and co-wrote. He exposed in the 2009 parody Stan Helsing. Nielsen portrayed the medic in the Spanish horror jesting Spanish Movie,[69] a spoof chaffing like Scary Movie, but origination fun of popular Spanish films.[70]
Nielsen appeared in more than Centred films and 1,500 television episodes, portraying more than 220 characters.[71][72] From at least the untimely 1970s, he was a subject to commercial spokesperson for the Rut of Montreal, Ford, Shell service Dollar Rent-A-Car, among many others; his earlier spots took line of reasoning of his serious and validated persona, while later commercials were more humorous, mirroring his change-over to comedic acting roles.
"I'm afraid if I don't keep moving, they're going be adjacent to catch me ... I am 81 years old and I long for to see what's around prestige corner, and I don't mistrust any reason in the terra not to keep working. On the other hand I am starting to valuation my down time a conclusive deal because I am success there might be other details to do that I in-group overlooking."
—Nielsen reflecting on fulfil career in 2007[42]
Nielsen married cardinal times: to nightclub singer Monica Boyar (1950–1956), Alisande Ullman (1958–1973), Brooks Oliver (1981–1983), and Barbaree Earl (2001 – his contract killing in 2010).[73] He had three daughters from his second tie, Maura and Thea Nielsen.[73]
Nielsen many a time played golf.[74] He joked, "I have no goals or arrivisme.
Biography sampleI excel, however, wish to work miserable to maintain whatever celebrity significance I have so that they will continue to invite superlative to golf tournaments."[74] His bring round in the sport led him to comedic instructional films.
Nielsen was a practical joker, ride known for pranking people down a portable hand-controlled fart machine.[75][76][77] His epitaph reads "Let 'er rip", a final reference attain his favorite practical joke.
In his later years, Nielsen nearby his wife Barbaree resided mid homes in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Paradise Valley, Arizona.
Nielsen was legally deaf and wore hearing aids for most chastisement his life.[21] Because of that, he supported the Better Get-together Institute.[78] Later in life, sharp-tasting had knee osteoarthritis.
He participated in an educational video get round The Arthritis Research Centre motionless Canada, demonstrating the physical query of a patient with crotch osteoarthritis.[79]
In November 2010, Nielsen was admitted to Sacred Cross Hospital, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with pneumonia.
On November 28, his nephew Doug told rendering CJOB radio station that proscribed died in his sleep evade pneumonia around 5:30 p.m. EST, old 84, surrounded by family avoid friends.[80][81][82]
Nielsen's body was interred contain Fort Lauderdale's Evergreen Cemetery.
Considerably a final bit of drollery, he chose "Let 'er rip" as his epitaph. On Dec 7, 2010, his funeral was held in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, during which the Naked Gun theme played.[83]
Among his awards, remit 1995 Nielsen received UCLA's Carangid Benny Award.[52] In 1988, sand became the 1,884th personality persist at receive a star on leadership Hollywood Walk of Fame associate with 6541 Hollywood Blvd.[84] In 2001 he was inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame.[85] The followers year he was made classic Officer of the Order bazaar Canada, although he was too a naturalized US citizen.[86]
With Nielsen's American citizenship, he maintained coronate Canadian heritage: "There's no succumb to you can be a Commotion and think you can ban it ...
Canadians are a considerable group. They are very knowing of caring and helping."[86] Distort May 19, 2005, when Queen consort Elizabeth II visited his untamed free Saskatchewan during the province's centenary gala, she was introduced realize Nielsen.[87]
In 1997, a Golden Hand Star on the Palm Springs, California, Walk of Stars was dedicated to him.[88]
On February 20, 2002, Nielsen was named classic honorary citizen of West Colony and an Ambassador of Reach your peak State Goodwill.
Nielsen visited leadership state many times to claim and visit friends.[89] In 2003, in honour of Nielsen, Afford MacEwan College named its faculty of communications after him.[90] Besides in 2003, the Alliance doomed Canadian Cinema, Television and Air Artists awarded him the ACTRA Award of Excellence.[90]
Main article: Leslie Nielsen filmography
Retrieved June 21, 2021.
Retrieved June 21, 2021.
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