Leslie Nielsen

Lore & Background

Nielsen was born in Regina, Saskatchewan, to a Welsh immigrant mother and a Danish-born Royal Canadian Mounted Police constable father. His elder brother, Erik Nielsen, served as Deputy Prime Minister of Canada. His half-uncle was actor Jean Hersholt. Nielsen enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force at age 17 in 1943, training as an aerial gunner during World War II, but was never sent overseas. After the war, he worked as a disc jockey before studying at the Lorne Greene Academy of Radio Arts and later receiving a scholarship to the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York City.

Nielsen made his acting debut in 1950, appearing in 46 live television programs that year. His film debut came in 1956 with The Vagabond King, followed by a contract with MGM and roles in Forbidden Planet (1956) and The Poseidon Adventure (1972). His career shifted dramatically when he was cast in the Zucker, Abrahams and Zucker comedy Airplane! (1980), where his deadpan delivery of lines such as 'I am serious. And don't call me Shirley' became iconic. This led to starring roles in The Naked Gun film series, based on his television series Police Squad! (1982).

Nielsen received a variety of accolades, including induction onto Canada's Walk of Fame and the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2001.

Reader's Guide

Leslie Nielsen's significance lies in his transformation from a dramatic actor in 1950s and 1960s films and television to a comedic icon in the 1980s. His performance in Airplane! marked a turning point that film critic Roger Ebert described as making him 'the Olivier of spoofs.' Nielsen specialized in portraying characters oblivious to and complicit in their absurd surroundings, a style that defined the spoof genre. His deadpan delivery in the line 'I am serious. And don't call me Shirley' became a trademark, ranked number 79 on the American Film Institute's list of top movie quotes. The American Film Institute included Airplane! in its top ten comedy films of all time in 2008. Nielsen's legacy endures through his influence on comedy and his ability to bring a straight-faced approach to absurd situations, cementing his place as a master of parody.

Did You Know?

• Nielsen was legally deaf and wore hearing aids most of his life.
• His half-uncle Jean Hersholt was an actor known for portraying Dr. Christian.
• He trained as an aerial gunner in the Royal Canadian Air Force during World War II but was never sent overseas.
• The line 'I am serious. And don't call me Shirley' from Airplane! is ranked number 79 on AFI's 100 Years...100 Movie Quotes.