Leslie William Nielsen OC (born
February 11, 1926) is a Canadian born American comedian
and actor. Although Nielsen’s acting career crossed a
variety of genres in both television and movies, he has
achieved his greatest film success in comedies, including
Airplane! and The Naked Gun series of films. His portrayal
of serious characters seemingly oblivious of (and
complicit in) their absurd surroundings gave Nielsen a
reputation as a comedian.A series of later comedies
attempted to emulate the popularity of his prior roles.
This paralleled the serious roles of his early career.
Leading roles in the science fiction classic Forbidden
Planet and as the ship's captain in The Poseidon Adventure
came long before Nielsen considered a turn to comedy. His
deadpan delivery as a doctor in 1980’s Airplane! marked a
turning point in Nielsen’s career, one that would make
him, in the words of movie critic Roger Ebert, "the
Olivier of spoofs."
