Comedian Bio: Leslie Nielsen

"Surely you can't be serious?" "I am serious. And don't call me Shirley."

Leslie Nielsen in Airplane!

This is possibly the most famous sentence Leslie Nielsen has ever spoken. Although he started as a 'serious' actor, comedy was what he always wanted to do. With the critically acclaimed Airplane! His dream came true. He played the dead serious Dr. Rumack who responded to the craziness around him in a completely deadpan manner. This resulted in hilarious situations, such as the quote above this post.

The success that came with Airplane! resulted in a television series being produced called Police Squad! starring Nielsen in the role of police sergeant Frank Drebin. The series was cancelled after only 6 episodes, not because it was bad, but it was before it's time. The viewer in the 1980s was unable to keep up with the fast pace and it's quick jokes. Simpsons creator Matt Groening has said Police Squad! would have been quite a hit had it been aired twenty years later. This point of view is shared by many others.

Leslie Nielsen in his final years

Police Squad! did however lead to the production of 3 Naked Gun films: Naked Gun: from the files of  Police Squad!, Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear, and Naked Gun 33⅓:The Final Insult. These were the highlight of Nielsen's career and these films are most often mentioned when he's remembered.

After the Naked Gun films, Nielsen has mainly attempted to find roles similar to Frank Drebin but has often proven unsuccessful. He has starred in many parody films such as Dracula:Dead and Loving It, and Scary Movie II and III. This was often with varying results. He has indicated he would think it 'wonderful' to do a fourth Naked Gun but he didn't think it would happen. He proved to be right.

With over 100 films and over 150 television series, countless awards including 2 Emmy awards and a star on both the Hollywood and Canada walks of fame, Nielsen leaves behind a strong legacy and a portfolio that will be enjoyed by generations to come.