Perhaps today it is difficult to meet a person who has not watched at least one comedy with the participation of Leslie Nielsen. This great actor for many decades pleased more than one generation of spectators with his unforgettable work in the cinema. And we can say with full confidence that even after the death of the great comedian, films with his participation will be relevant and funny for a long time to come. We offer today more to learn about the life path and career of this talented actor.
Leslie Nielsen: biography
The future Hollywood star was born on February 11, 1926 in a small Canadian town called Regina, Saskatchewan. Leslie's mother - Mabel Elizabeth emigrated to this country from the UK. His father, Ingvard Eversen, was a Danish by birth and served in the Canadian Mounted Police. At birth, the boy was given the name Leslie William. He became the youngest child in the family. It is interesting that his older brother, Eric Nielsen, was Canada's vice-premier in the eighties, while his uncle Gene Hershlot achieved great success in the acting field and even won two of the most prestigious Academy Awards.
Childhood and youth
The first years of his life, Leslie spent with his family in the very north of Canada in a town that looked more like a village. Food was brought here only twice a week. A few years later, the Nielsen family moved to the south of the country to the city of Edmonton, where the boys began to attend a local school.
After graduation, Leslie joined the Royal Canadian Air Force. This period just happened during the Second World War. After the end of the service, he got a job as an announcer on the local radio. As for the acting career, according to Leslie himself, he owes his talent to his father, who was always very strict, and the boy had to constantly lie to him, inventing more and more tales.
The first steps towards a film career
Leslie Nielsen very successfully graduated from the Lorne Green Academy of Radio, and then enrolled at the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York. After this, the young man finally decided to connect his life with cinema. Therefore, in 1949 he moved to live in New York, where for the next three years he starred in a variety of television dramas, including “First Studio”, “Hall of Fame”, “Culmination” and others.
Leslie Nielsen: films and the beginning of a career
In the mid-1950s, the young actor moved to Hollywood. Here he makes his debut in a very popular television series called "Alfred Hitchcock Presents," which appeared on the screens from 1955 to 1962. Also at this time, Leslie Nielsen played a cameo role in the movie “King of the Vagabonds”.
The first real hit with the actor’s participation was the 1956 film entitled Forbidden Planet, where he brilliantly played the commander of a spaceship.
Slowly, Leslie made his way on the screen. Despite the fact that for the most part at that time he was given secondary and episodic roles, he did not despair, since the criticism that accompanies the release of any picture invariably paid him due attention. At that time, Nielsen took part in such films as "Redemption", "Opposite Sex", "Shepherd", "Bonazza", "Tammy and the Bachelor" and others.
In 1959, the actor had a chance to star in one of the most successful American Westerns, Rawhide, directed by Ted Post. Leslie's partners on the set were celebrities such as Clint Eastwood, Eric Fleming, James Murdoch and Steve Reines. In the same year, Nielsen played a secondary role in the series “The Untouchables”, which tells about the struggle of FBI agents with organized crime.
1960s
During this period, Leslie Nielsen was not able to make any significant breakthrough in his career, and his popularity, as they say, was stamped on the spot. The actor was mainly offered to play minor characters, however, by the number of roles, he could give odds to many Hollywood stars. The directors and producers enjoyed working with Leslie, who was adored for the reliability and excellent acting. At that time, he starred in more than 30 films, most of which, however, remained known only to a narrow circle of viewers. Among the films of this time with the participation of Nielsen, one can distinguish Alfred Hitchcock’s Hour, Doctor Kildare, The Fugitive, Harlow, Wild Wild West and Name for the Game.
1970s: career continuation and first major role
This period became more fruitful for Leslie, however, despite his undeniable talent, he still played minor characters. In 1971, he took part in the filming of a very popular detective series called "Colombo: Lady is Waiting." The main role in the film was played by Peter Falk. A year later, the series "1983 MES" was released with the participation of Nielsen, which tells about the Korean War. The actor also took part in the filming of "Streets of San Francisco", "Recruits" and "The Catastrophe of Poseidon."
In 1977, Leslie finally played his first major role in the thriller William Girdler's “Animal Day”. Nielsen's partners on the set were Christopher George and Linda Day George. However, then secondary roles in projects that can hardly be called successful followed again: Vegas, Fantasy Island, City on Fire and Little Tramp.
Role change
Or not very successful films of recent years, or the trends of the new decade, and maybe all together prompted Leslie Nielsen to move away from his usual image of a solid phlegmatic hero and try himself in the comedy genre. Moreover, a very suitable case turned up. The actor was invited to the role in the parody of the Zucker brothers “Airplane”. Brilliant work appealed to both the audience and film critics. In the same year, the actor played excellently in the Canadian film "School Ball".
Leslie Nielsen, the comedies with whom were a huge success, finally found a suitable role, and his career rapidly went up. So, in 1982, the film “Airplane 2: Continuation” and a black comedy were released, where he played in a duet with the legendary Sean Connery - “Wrong Rights”. Then followed by shooting in the films “Twilight Theater”, “Hotel” and “Naked Space”.
However, the actor continued to play not only the main roles, but also appeared in such a familiar role of a secondary hero. In the following years, such famous projects as “The Naked Gun” and “The Naked Gun 2”, “Dracula: Dead and Satisfied”, “Take the Rent a Child”, “Guilty Without Guilt”, and the television series “Strictly South” ".
2000s
Leslie Nielsen met the new millennium being at the zenith of fame, full of strength and creative plans. During these years, several films were released, where the actor brilliantly performed the main roles. Among them are the comedy comedy "The Sixth Element", 3rd, 4th and 5th parts of the acclaimed "Scary Movie", "American Tale", "Very Spanish Cinema" and "Stan Helsing Cinema".
Personal life
It is known that the actor was married four times. The last time he was married by marriage was in 2001 with Barbara Earle, a relationship with whom until then had lasted 18 years. He has two children from his second marriage.
Leslie Nielsen died on November 28, 2010 from the effects of pneumonia. At that time, the actor was 84 years old.
Despite the fact that the great comedian is no longer with us, Leslie Nielsen, whose best films we will probably never tire of watching, will always live in the hearts of grateful viewers and fans.