Leslie Nielsen was an acclaimed Canadian actor who was noted for his deadpan comedy in both films and television. Popularly known as the Laurence Olivier of spoofs, Nielsen worked as an actor, producer and comedian in his life.
Nielsen’s early career in television was mostly uneventful. In 1956, he got his big break in films with the Michael Curtiz-directed musical film ‘The Vagabond King’. Though the film fared averagely, it subsequently led him to bag a role in the science fiction film ‘The Forbidden Planet’, which was a box office blockbuster. The success of the film led to his future filmography that consisted of several hit movies such as ‘Ransom!’, ‘The Opposite Sex’ and ‘Hot Summer Night’. Meanwhile, Nielsen made several television appearances in ‘Justice’, ‘Alfred Hitchcock Presents’, ‘Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea’, ‘The Virginian’, and ‘The Wild Wild West’.Â
‘The Poseidon Adventure’ sealed Nielsen’s reputation as a serious actor. He then was seen in a number of legendary roles in films like ‘Airplane!’ and ‘The Naked Gun’ series. However, what followed was a streak of unsuccessful films such as ‘Repossessed’, ‘2001: A Space Travesty’, ‘Wrongfully Accused’ and ‘Dracula: Dead and Loving It’.Â