Biography
After decades as a rather stolid, unexciting leading man in genre motion pictures like "Forbidden Planet" (1956) and "The Plainsman" (1966), Nielsen inserted his serious, authoritative persona into the parody-based comedies of the Zucker brothers and enjoyed a highly successful second career arc in films like "Airplane" (1980) and especially the "Naked Gun" series (1988, 1991, 1994), as well as "Scary Movie 3" (2003) and "Scary Movie 4" …
Latest Tv Credits
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Career Milestones
2008 | Co-starred in the comedy spoof, "Superhero Movie" | |
2007 | Starred in the comedy film, "Christmas in Wonderland" | |
2006 | Played President Harris in the comedy "Scary Movie 4" | |
2002 | Had featured role in "Men with Brooms" | |
2000 | Portrayed an amnesiac Kris Kringle in "The Wonderful World of Disney" (ABC) presentation, "Santa Who?" | |
| Toured America and Great Britain in one-person stage show, "Leslie Nielsen as Clarence Darrow" | ||
1999 | Appeared as Dr. Chumley in the small screen remake of "Harvey" | |
1998 | Played lead in the broad comedy, "Wrongfully Accused" | |
1997 | Had title role in live-action version of "Mr. Magoo" | |
1996 | Starred in the spoof "Spy Hard" | |
1995 | Played title role in Mel Brooks' "Dracula: Dead and Loving It" | |
1994 | Originated part of Mountie Buck Frobisher in an episode of the CBS series "Due South"; reprised role in 1996 episode | |
1994 | Had yet another turn as Frank Drebin in "Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult" | |
1993 | Published a fake autobiography, Leslie Nielsen: The Naked Truth | |
1992 | Played the man who wins the heart of Dorothy (Bea Arthur) in the finale of the NBC sitcom, "The Golden Girls" | |
1991 | Again played Drebin in the sequel, "Naked Gun 2-1/2: The Smell of Fear" | |
1988 | Reprised television role of Frank Drebin in the big screen comedy, "The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!" | |
1987 | Co-starred as Barbra Streisand's murder victim in "Nuts" | |
1986 | Played recurring role of Max Muldoon, Mona's beau, on "Who's the Boss?" (ABC) | |
1984 | Had lead role of an aging health club owner in the short-lived ABC sitcom, "Shaping Up" | |
1982 | Had featured role in the horror anthology film, "Creepshow" | |
1982 | Starred as bumbling detective Frank Drebin on the cult ABC sitcom "Police Squad!"; only six episodes aired | |
1980 | First collaboration with the Zucker brothers, "Airplane!" | |
1979 | Portrayed the chief usher of the White House staff in the NBC miniseries, "Backstairs at the White House" | |
1979 | Toured America in one-man stage show, "Darrow" | |
1972 | Hosted the syndicated documentary series, "The Explorers" | |
1972 | Was the ship's captain in the "disaster" film, "The Poseidon Adventure" | |
1970 | Cast as the head of a motion picture studio in "Bracken's World" (NBC) | |
1969 | Headlined the NBC rotating series, "The Protectors" | |
1966 | Played George Armstrong Custer in "The Plainsman" | |
1966 | Co-starred in the big screen remake of "Beau Geste" | |
1965 | Portrayed Dr. Vincent Markham on the ABC primetime serial, "Peyton Place" | |
1961 | Headlined the ABC police drama series, "The New Breed" | |
1957 | Cast as Revolutionary War hero Francis Marion in "Swamp Fox," a limited series aired on "Walt Disney" (ABC) | |
1957 | Starred opposite Debbie Reynolds in "Tammy and the Bachelor" | |
1956 | Played the ship's commander in the cult sci-fi movie, "Forbidden Planet" | |
1954 | Moved to Hollywood when put under contract by Paramount | |
1950 | Made TV debut in the "Studio One" production, "Battleship Bismarck" | |
1949 | Moved to New York City | |
| Worked as a disc jockey and announcer on Canadian radio; was also a radio engineer | ||
| Served in Canadian Air Force during WWII | ||
| Spent his boyhood living near the Arctic Circle | ||
Awards
1992 | MTV Movie Award for Best Kiss in The Naked Gun 2 1/2: The Smell of Fear |
1989 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor In a Comedy Series in Day By Day |
1982 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series in Police Squad! |