Leslie Neilson Remembered (03/11/26 – 11/28/10)
“Leslie William Nielsen“ Canada & America’s actor/comedian started his acting career on the serious side with film debut as newspaper reporter “Charlie Telfer” in 1956′s movie “Ransom!” and ending his film career with the role of “Ready Espanosa” in the animated movie “The Waterman Movie” which is due for release in 2011. Although he made his film debut in 1956 he started his acting career in 1948 on Canadian television, which is not listed in his film or television credits, he started his career shortly after working as a Disc Jockey for the “Royal Canadian Air Force“ and receiving a scholarship to “Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre“, with 50 T.V. appearances with-in 2 years.
Mr. Neilson started comedy acting in 1982 as “Det. Frank Drebin” in ABC‘s very short lived (6 episodes) “Police Squad!“, the show was cancelled by then-ABC entertainment president Tony Thomopoulos after only 4 episodes with the last 2 being aired in the summer of that same year. The reason given for the cancellation being “Police Squad! was cancelled because the viewer had to watch it in order to appreciate it.” In its annual “Cheers and Jeers” issue, TV Guide magazine called the explanation for the cancellation “the most stupid reason a network ever gave for ending a series.” Although the T.V. series was cancelled in 1988 marked the beginning of ” The Naked Gun Series” with the first being “The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!” with the return of Leslie Neilson in the lead role as “Det. Lt. Frank Drebin“, “The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear“, with the last being “Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult“, with the intent of a fourth tentatively named “Naked Gun 4: This Is Really It“. Though in my opinion ” The Naked Gun” series is what defined Leslie Neilson as a comedian actor his first “billed” comedy role is “Airplane!” playing the role of “Dr. Alan Rumack” the bumbling Doctor who figures out what has happened to the passengers and flight crew on the plane. These movies are very Highly recommended for your viewing pleasure, here also is the list of Film and Television credits to his name which is over 100 film credits, 1500 T.V. credits. ” Film and T.V. credits” .
The other achievements to his name are he was nominated for both ” Hollywood Walk of Fame” (1988) and “Canada’s Walk of Fame“(2001) and in May 2005 was introduced to “HM Queen Elizabeth II” during the centennial gala of his birth province, “Saskatchewan“. This is only a small portion of his achievements. Leslie Neilson will be missed from this day forward as one of the worlds comedy greats. I want to express my deepest sympathies to Mr. Nielson’s family. Now excuse me while I go and watch the movies that made him great.
