Leslie William Nielsen was a Canadian actor and comedian.
37 Facts About Leslie Nielsen
2.
Leslie Nielsen made his acting debut in 1950, appearing in 46 live television programs a year.
3.
Leslie Nielsen made his film debut in 1956, with supporting roles in several dramas and western and romance films produced between the 1950s and the 1970s.
4.
Leslie Nielsen received a variety of awards and was inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame and the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
5.
Leslie Nielsen was born on 11 February 1926 in Regina, Saskatchewan.
6.
Leslie Nielsen's mother, Mabel Elizabeth, was an immigrant from Wales, and his father, Ingvard Eversen Nielsen, was a Danish-born constable in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
7.
Leslie Nielsen was born the second of two boys to both his parents.
8.
Leslie Nielsen's elder brother, Erik Nielsen, was a long-time Canadian Member of Parliament, cabinet minister, and Deputy Prime Minister of Canada from 1984 to 1986.
9.
Leslie Nielsen has a half-brother, Gilbert Nielsen, from his father's other relationship.
10.
Leslie Nielsen's half-uncle Jean Hersholt was an actor known for his portrayal of Dr Christian in a radio series of that title, and the subsequent television series and films.
11.
Leslie Nielsen lived for several years in Fort Norman in the Northwest Territories, where his father was with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
12.
Leslie Nielsen's father was an abusive man who beat his wife and sons, and Leslie longed to escape.
13.
Leslie Nielsen moved to New York City for his scholarship, studying theatre and music at the Neighborhood Playhouse, while performing in summer stock theatre.
14.
Leslie Nielsen's career began in dramatic roles on television during "Television's Golden Age", appearing in 46 live programs in 1950 alone.
15.
However, dissatisfied with the films he was offered, calling the studios "a Tiffany, which had forgotten how to make silver", Leslie Nielsen left MGM after auditioning for Messala in the 1959 Ben-Hur.
16.
Leslie Nielsen guest-starred in a 1964 episode of Daniel Boone with Fess Parker in a minor but credited role.
17.
In 1972, Leslie Nielsen appeared as the ship's captain in The Poseidon Adventure.
18.
Leslie Nielsen starred in the William Girdler's 1977 action film, Project: Kill.
19.
Leslie Nielsen portrayed a serious character whose one-liners appeared accidental next to the pratfalls and sight gags that were happening around him.
20.
Leslie Nielsen briefly appeared on the World Wrestling Federation program in the summer of 1994 on WWF Monday Night Raw, capitalizing on Frank Drebin.
21.
In 1990, Leslie Nielsen appeared as a Frank Drebin character in advertisements in the United Kingdom for Red Rock Cider.
22.
Leslie Nielsen produced instructional golf videos, which were not presented in a serious style, beginning with 1993's Bad Golf Made Easier.
23.
The sibling relationship with his elder brother, the Honourable Erik Nielsen, a former Deputy Prime Minister of Canada, served as the premise of an HBO mockumentary entitled The Canadian Conspiracy in which Leslie Nielsen appeared, along with other prominent Canadian-born media personalities.
24.
Leslie Nielsen was a celebrity contestant on CBS's Gameshow Marathon, where he played The Price Is Right, Let's Make a Deal, Beat the Clock, and Press Your Luck for charity.
25.
Leslie Nielsen then appeared in the 2008 parody An American Carol, which David Zucker directed, produced, and co-wrote.
26.
Leslie Nielsen portrayed the doctor in the Spanish horror comedy Spanish Movie, a spoof comedy like Scary Movie, but making fun of popular Spanish films.
27.
Leslie Nielsen appeared in more than 100 films and 1,500 television episodes, portraying more than 220 characters.
28.
Leslie Nielsen married four times: to nightclub singer Monica Boyar, Alisande Ullman, Brooks Oliver, and Barbaree Earl.
29.
Leslie Nielsen had two daughters from his second marriage, Maura and Thea Nielsen.
30.
Leslie Nielsen was a practical joker, and known for pranking people with a portable hand-controlled fart machine.
31.
Leslie Nielsen's epitaph reads "Let 'er rip", a final reference to his favourite practical joke.
32.
Leslie Nielsen was legally deaf and wore hearing aids for most of his life.
33.
Leslie Nielsen participated in an educational video from The Arthritis Research Centre of Canada, demonstrating the physical examination of a patient with knee osteoarthritis.
34.
In November 2010, Leslie Nielsen was admitted to Holy Cross Hospital, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with pneumonia.
35.
Leslie Nielsen's body was interred in Fort Lauderdale's Evergreen Cemetery.
36.
On 20 February 2002, Leslie Nielsen was named an honorary citizen of West Virginia and an Ambassador of Mountain State Goodwill.
37.
Leslie Nielsen visited the state many times to speak and visit friends.