Leslie Nielsen
Biography
Leslie William Nielsen was a Canadian-American actor and comedian born on February 11, 1926, in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, and died on November 28, 2010. Before beginning his acting career, he enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force and worked as a disc jockey, later receiving a scholarship to Neighborhood Playhouse. Known for portraying over 220 characters throughout his career, Nielsen appeared in over one hundred films and 1,500 television programs. He was credited with 271 known credits on The Movie Database.
Career overview
Leslie Nielsen made his television debut in 1948 and quickly expanded to over 50 television appearances two years later. He made his feature film debut in 1956, initially collecting roles across dramas, westerns, and romance films. During this early film period, he appeared in the 1956 film Forbidden Planet and later took on a role in The Poseidon Adventure. Over the span of his extensive career, Nielsen established himself as a prolific performer across both television and cinema before his death in November 2010.
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Career timeline
Full filmography
- O.J.: Made in America (2016) as Self (archive footage)
- Mel Brooks: Make a Noise (2013) as Self (archive footage)
- Stonerville (2011) as Producer
- Stan Helsing (2009) as Kay
- Spanish Movie (2009) as Doctor Nielsen
- Superhero Movie (2008) as Uncle Albert Adams
- An American Carol (2008) as Osama Bin Nielsen / Grandpa
- Slap Shot 3: The Junior League (2008) as Mayor of Charlestown
- Family Guy Presents: Blue Harvest (2007) as Dr. Rumack (archive voice)
- Music Within (2007) as Bill Austin
- Lipshitz Saves the World (2007) as Himself
- Scary Movie 4 (2006) as President Baxter Harris
- Gameshow Marathon (2006)
- Amazing! Exploring the Far Reaches of Forbidden Planet (2006) as Self
- Robby the Robot: Engineering a Sci-Fi Icon (2006) as Self
- Robson Arms (2005) as Caldo Vasco
- Nos Bastidores de Hollywood (2005) as Self (archive footage)
- Tubridy Tonight (2005)
- Zeroman (2004) as Zeroman (voice)
- The Nutcracker and the Mouseking (2004) as (Mouseking) (voice)
- Scary Movie 3 (2003) as President Baxter Harris
- Chilly Beach (2003) as Santa (voice)
- Odd Job Jack (2003)
- Noël Noël (2003) as Narrator (english version)
- Men with Brooms (2002) as Gordon Cutter
- Liography (2001) as Terrence Brynne McKennie
- Camouflage (2001) as Jack Potter
- Liocracy (2001)
- Chilly Dogs (2001) as Clive Thorton / Cab Driver
- 2001: A Space Travesty (2000) as Richard 'Dick' Dix
- Santa Who? (2000) as Santa Claus
- Family Guy (1999) as Dr. Rumack (archive footage)
- The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn (1999) as Self
- Harvey (1999) as Dr. Chumley
- Wrongfully Accused (1998) as Ryan Harrison
- Safety Patrol! (1998) as Mr. Penn
- The Wonderful World of Disney (1997) as Mr. Penn
- Mr. Magoo (1997) as Mr. Quincy Magoo
- Family Plan (1997) as Harry Haber
- Leslie Nielsen's Stupid Little Golf Video (1997) as Himself
- Leslie Nielsen's Stupid Little Golf Video (1997) Executive Co-Producer
- The Rosie O'Donnell Show (1996) as Self
- Spy Hard (1996) as Dick Steele
- Spy Hard (1996) Executive Producer
- Life and Times (1996)
- Harvey (1996) as Dr. Chumley
- Die Harald Schmidt Show (1995) as Self
- Dracula: Dead and Loving It (1995) as Count Dracula
- Rent-a-Kid (1995) as Harry Haber
- Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree (1995) as Baxter
- Due South (1994) as Sgt. Buck Frobisher
- Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult (1994) as Lt. Frank Drebin
- Leslie Nielsen's Bad Golf My Way (1994) as Leslie Nielsen
- Masters of Illusion: The Wizards of Special Effects (1994) as Self
- WWE SummerSlam 1994 (1994) as Himself
- World's Funniest Commercials (1994)
- The Danny Baker Show (1994)
- S.P.Q.R.: 2,000 and a Half Years Ago (1994) as Lucio Cinico
- An Audience with Jimmy Tarbuck (1994) as Self - Audience Member
- Cybermania '94 - The Ultimate Gamer Awards (1994) as Host
- Raw (1993) as Leslie Nielsen
- Live & Kicking (1993) as Self
- Katie and Orbie (1993) as Narrator
- The Unknown Marx Brothers (1993) as Self - Narrator
- Surf Ninjas (1993) as Colonel Chi
- Digger (1993) as Arthur Evrensel
- Leslie Nielsen's Bad Golf Made Easier (1993) as Himself
- Terry Wogan's Friday Night (1992) as Self
- Herman's Head (1991) as God
- The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear (1991) as Lt. Frank Drebin
- Chance of a Lifetime (1991) as Lloyd Dixon
- Flesh 'n' Blood (1991) as Red Houser
- All I Want For Christmas (1991) as Santa
- Evening Shade (1990)
- Repossessed (1990) as Father Jebedaiah Mayii
- The Railway Dragon (1989) as Narrator (voice)
- Back to the Future (Part II): Behind-the-Scenes Special Presentation (1989) as Host
- The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988) as Frank Drebin
- Day by Day (1988) as Jack Harper
- Dangerous Curves (1988) as Greg Krevske
- Nightstick (1987) as Thad Evans
- Nuts (1987) as Allen Green
- Race for the Bomb (1987) as Lewis Strauss
- Home Is Where the Hart Is (1987) as Sheriff Nashville Schwartz
- Fatal Confession: A Father Dowling Mystery (1987) as Senator Erdain
- Soul Man (1986) as Mr. Dunbar
- The Canadian Conspiracy (1986) as Self
- The Patriot (1986) as Admiral Frazer
- The Golden Girls (1985) as Lucas
- 227 (1985)
- The Ray Bradbury Theater (1985) as Fantoccini
- Striker's Mountain (1985) as Jim McKay
- Blade in Hong Kong (1985) as Harry Ingersoll
- Doris Day's Best Friends (1985)
- Reckless Disregard (1985) as Bob Franklin
- Murder, She Wrote (1984) as David Everett
- Murder, She Wrote (1984) as Captain Daniels
- Highway to Heaven (1984) as Richard R. Benson
- Who's the Boss? (1984)
- Finder of Lost Loves (1984) as Matthew Vail
- Shaping Up (1984) as Buddy Fox
- Spaceship (1983) as Capt. Jamieson
- Prime Times (1983) as Self
- Cave-In! (1983) as Joe Johnson
- Wogan (1982) as Self
- Police Squad! (1982) as Lt. Frank Drebin
- Creepshow (1982) as Richard Vickers (segment "Something To Tide You Over")
- Foxfire Light (1982) as Reece Morgan
- Wrong Is Right (1982) as Mallory
- Twilight Theatre (1982)
- Twilight Theater (1982)
- Twilight Theater II (1982) as Self- Host
- Aloha Paradise (1981) as Grant Culberson
- Airplane! (1980) as Dr. Rumack
- Prom Night (1980) as Mr. Hammond
- Dive to the Edge of Creation (1980) as Self - Narrator
- The Night the Bridge Fell Down (1980) as Paul Warren
- OHMS (1980) as Governor
- The Littlest Hobo (1979) as Mayor Chester Montgomery
- Backstairs at the White House (1979) as Ike Hoover
- City on Fire (1979) as Mayor William Dudley
- Institute for Revenge (1979) as Counselor Hollis Barnes
- Riel (1979) as Major Leif Newry Fitzroy Crozier
- Fantasy Island (1978) as Doctor Whitfield
- Halloween (1978) as Commander John J. Adams (archive footage)
- Vega$ (1978)
- Little Mo (1978) as Nelson Fisher
- The Love Boat (1977) as Hank Hardaway
- The Love Boat (1977) as Russ Blanchard
- The Love Boat (1977) as Dan Michaels
- Lucan (1977)
- What Really Happened to the Class of '65? (1977)
- The Amsterdam Kill (1977) as Riley Knight
- Day of the Animals (1977) as Paul Jenson
- The Dawson Patrol (1977) as Narrator
- Viva Knievel! (1977) as Stanley Millard
- Grand Jury (1977) as John Williams
- Sixth and Main (1977) as John Doe
- Project: Kill (1976) as John Trevor
- Brinks: The Great Robbery (1976) as Agent Norman Houston
- Saturday Night Live (1975) as Self - Host
- S.W.A.T. (1975)
- The Swiss Family Robinson (1975)
- Threshold: The Blue Angels Experience (1975) as Self - Narrator (voice)
- The Outlaw Cats of Colossal Cave (1975) as Narrator
- King of the Underwater World (1975) as Self/Narrator
- Dinah! (1974) as Self
- The Manhunter (1974)
- Can Ellen Be Saved? (1974) as Arnold Lindsey
- Kojak (1973) as Michael Hagar
- Barnaby Jones (1973) as Edward Brendon
- Amanda Fallon (1973) as Mr. Cummings
- The Evil Touch (1973)
- ...and millions will die! (1973) as Jack Gallagher
- Journey to the Outer Limits (1973) as (voice)
- Snatched (1973) as Bill Sutter
- The Letters (1973) as Derek Childs
- The Return of Charlie Chan (1973) as Alexander Hadrachi
- M*A*S*H (1972) as Col. Buzz Brighton
- The Rookies (1972)
- The Streets of San Francisco (1972)
- The Streets of San Francisco (1972) as John T. Connor
- The Poseidon Adventure (1972) as Captain Harrison
- Assignment: Vienna (1972) as Floyd Macklin
- Kung Fu (1972) as Vincent Corbino
- Columbo (1971) as A.J. Henderson
- Columbo (1971) as Peter Hamilton
- Cannon (1971) as Joe Gilbert
- Cannon (1971) as Erich Strasser
- Cannon (1971) as Weller Dane
- Monty Nash (1971) as Ross Carter
- Sarge (1971)
- Bearcats! (1971) as Col. Ted Donovan
- They Call It Murder (1971) as Frank Antrim
- The Resurrection of Zachary Wheeler (1971) as Harry Walsh
- Incident in San Francisco (1971) as Lt. Brubaker
- Night Gallery (1970) as Col. Dennis Malloy
- Night Gallery (1970) as The Phantom (segment "Phantom of What Opera?")
- Hauser's Memory (1970) as Joseph Slaughter
- Night Slaves (1970) as Sheriff Henshaw
- The Aquarians (1970) as Official
- The Bold Ones: The New Doctors (1969) as Mr. Cummings
- Bracken's World (1969)
- How to Commit Marriage (1969) as Phil Fletcher
- The Bold Ones: The Protectors (1969) as Deputy Police Chief Sam Danforth
- Trial Run (1969) as Jason Harkness
- Four Rode Out (1969) as Mr Brown
- Deadlock (1969) as Lt. Sam Danforth
- Change of Mind (1969) as Sheriff Webb
- The Movie Game (US) (1969)
- Hawaii Five-O (1968) as Brent
- The Name of the Game (1968)
- The Mod Squad (1968) as Rusty Bryson
- It Takes a Thief (1968) as SIA Security Man
- How to Steal the World (1968) as General Maximilian Harmon
- Dayton's Devils (1968) as Frank Dayton
- The Wild Heart (1968) as Narrator
- Companions in Nightmare (1968) as Dr. Neesden
- Shadow Over Elveron (1968) as Sheriff Verne Drover
- Cocoon (1968) as Brent
- Ironside (1967)
- Judd, for the Defense (1967)
- Cimarron Strip (1967)
- Counterpoint (1967) as Victor Rice
- The Reluctant Astronaut (1967) as Major Fred Gifford
- Gunfight in Abilene (1967) as Grant Evers
- Code Name: Heraclitus (1967) as Fryer
- Rosie! (1967) as Cabot Shaw
- The Boy Who Flew with Condors (1967) as Narrator
- The Plainsman (1966) as Col. George Armstrong Custer
- Beau Geste (1966) as Lt. De Ruse
- The Wild Wild West (1965) as Major General Ball
- The Big Valley (1965) as Sgt. Maj. Earl Conway
- The F.B.I. (1965) as Hudson
- National Geographic Specials (1965) as Narrator (voice)
- Convoy (1965)
- Harlow (1965) as Richard Manley
- Dark Intruder (1965) as Brett Kingsford
- Daniel Boone (1964) as William Russell
- Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1964)
- The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (1964) as General Maximilian Harmon
- Night Train to Paris (1964) as Alan Holiday
- See How They Run (1964) as Elliot Green
- The Fugitive (1963) as Harold Cheyney
- The Fugitive (1963) as Martin C. Rowland
- Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre (1963)
- Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre (1963) as John Joslin
- Miss USA (1963) as Self - Judge
- Kraft Suspense Theatre (1963) as Dr. David Cord
- Kraft Suspense Theatre (1963) as Paul Maytric
- The Farmer's Daughter (1963)
- Channing (1963) as Prof. Paul Stafford
- The Art Linkletter Show (1963)
- The Virginian (1962) as John Hagen
- The Virginian (1962) as Cleve Mason
- The Virginian (1962) as Harry Lightfoot
- The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (1962) as Mr. Grainger
- Dr. Kildare (1961) as Walter Burton
- Dr. Kildare (1961) as Harry Kleber
- The Defenders (1961) as Bob Garrison
- The New Breed (1961) as Lt. Price Adams
- Route 66 (1960)
- Thriller (1960) as Alan Patterson
- Moment of Fear (1960)
- Bonanza (1959) as Sheriff Paul Rowan
- Rawhide (1959) as Eli Becker
- The Swamp Fox (1959) as Francis Marion (The Swamp Fox)
- The Velvet Alley (1959) as Eddie Kirkley
- Naked City (1958) as Norman Garry
- The Sheepman (1958) as Stephen Bedford / Johnny Bledsoe
- Wagon Train (1957) as Brian Conlin
- Wagon Train (1957) as Jeremy Dow
- Tammy and the Bachelor (1957) as Peter Brent
- Hot Summer Night (1957) as William Joel Partain
- Playhouse 90 (1956) as Ralph Mohr
- Forbidden Planet (1956) as Commander John J. Adams
- The Opposite Sex (1956) as Steve Hilliard
- The Vagabond King (1956) as Thibault d'Aussigny
- Ransom! (1956) as Charlie Telfer
- Gunsmoke (1955) as Jess Trevor
- MGM Parade (1955) as Self
- Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955) as Lloyd Ashley
- Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955) as Rudy Cox
- Folio (1955) as Biff Loman
- The Battle of Gettysburg (1955) as Narrator (voice)
- First Performance (1955) as Ted
- The Wonderful World of Disney (1954) as Colonel Francis Marion
- The Wonderful World of Disney (1954) as Col. Francis Marion
- Dark Possession (1954) as Dr. Roger Waring
- Love Story (1954)
- Medallion Theatre (1953)
- General Electric Theater (1953) as Judge Wayne Douglas
- General Electric Theater (1953) as Edward Morgan
- Short Short Dramas (1952)
- Goodyear Television Playhouse (1951)
- Tales of Tomorrow (1951)
- Tales of Tomorrow (1951) as Harold 'Harry' Mason
- Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951)
- The Lost Will of Dr. Rant (1951) as Bill
- Out There (1951)
- Robert Montgomery Presents (1950) as C. K. Dexter Haven
- Robert Montgomery Presents (1950) as George
- Robert Montgomery Presents (1950) as Gates Holden
- The Bob Hope Show (1950) as Self
- Danger (1950)
- The Web (1950)
- Sure As Fate (1950)
- Starlight Theatre (1950)
- Stage 13 (1950)
- Suspense (1949)
- Suspense (1949) as Serge Soudekine
- Lights Out (1949)
- The Clock (1949) as David Kyle
- Studio One (1948)
- Studio One (1948) as Chris Jackson
- Studio One (1948) as Stan Janicek
- Studio One (1948) as Dr. Clayborn
- Studio One (1948) as Mac
- Studio One (1948) as Dr. Roger Waring
- Studio One (1948) as Edmund
- Studio One (1948) as Tallman
- Studio One (1948) as Karl
- Actors Studio (1948)
- Golden Globe Awards (1944) as Self - Host