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The film and TV silver fox who began his career playing leading man dramatic roles and ended it as the comedic cut-up in all those movie spoofs like Airplane! and The Naked Gun has passed away of complications from pneumonia in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He was 84. The Canadian actor appeared in over 100 films and 1,500 television programs.
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This is another sad one. Such a great guy. We remember his serious work in Forbidden Planet and all those 50s films, later his resurgence as a fine comic actor. R.I.P., indeed.
Agreed. RIP and condolences to his family.
I’ve been hearing his comedic lines all morning and he nails each one. A sad day for many, yet those comedic snippets made my laugh out loud several times. Thank god he decided to pivot later in his career since those comedic roles (Airplane & Naked Gun) are timeless.
A classic and a class act. “Airplane” will forever fly the friendly skies of my memory thanks to him. (And “Naked Gun” will always hit the bulls eye!)
Funny dude. And very, very nice from what I hear.
My sincere condolences to his friends, family and loved ones.
RIP, Mr. Nielsen.
My thoughts precisely. Mr. Nielsen positively defined my childhood too, Bobby.
RIP, “Shirley”
Surely you can’t be serious.
Don’t call me Shirley.
Couldn’t help, had to add that line.
Rest in Peace Leslie.
God bless you and your family. I will never forget seeing Naked Gun in the theatre. Terrific actor, terrific career.
Me too. As I watched the movie later on video I did know only half of the jokes, as I was so hard laughing in the theatre, I missed them completely. Still remember the look on his face, when he beat off the turban of the ayatollah guy…. LOL.
surely, I picked a bad day to give up reading obituaries. what a talented guy.
Even in his buffoonish comedic roles, he gave dignity to undignified situations and helped to ground the situations, implausible as they may have appeared.
Rest peacefully, Leslie.
Oh, I’m just heartbroken to hear this. I guess I should have been more prepared but he just never seemed old. Sorry to sound so overly dramatic but I just loved Leslie Nielsen.
I was watching one of the old Naked Gun movies on TV the other day and it’s still funny as ever. Sounds like this guy had two great careers. One dramatic and a later comedic one.
Ok ok I’ll stop calling him Shirley.
RIP sir.
thanks for the memories, condolences to the family…
Horrible news! He is one of my favorite actors. RIP Leslie.
Sad Face! I grew up on this actor – I remember Forbidden Planet with this young man – He will be sorely missed…
R.I.P. A big fan of his. He will be missed.
A toast to a funny man who made me and friends laugh and laugh and laugh.
I don’t know if this was intentional, but IMDB does not list him in the execrable “American Carol” in their listing for him. I would have hated for that to have been his last movie. RIP, LT. Drebin.
One of the best there was. He truly will be missed.
Sad, sad, day for hollywood. RIP Leslie, the world won’t be as funny without you!
The Capt of the SS. Poseidon -RIP
Some of my fondest childhood memories were of watching the NAKED GUN movies with my dad. My heart aches a little.
He was truly one of my favorite funnymen.
I will miss Leslie Nielsen.
An American icon. His roles in Naked Gun as Frank Drebben (sp?) were classics as was his “I am serious and stop calling me Shirley” line from Airplane. He made us laugh and that was his gift. RIP.
A Canadian who became an icon in America, actually.
Surely you can’t be serious…
So “bored” is a relative term, how will i know when I have “bored” you, you presumptuous hubristic twit?
How sad. What an amazing second career the man had though. His Police Squad TV show is a classic, and Forbidden Planet, like him, will always be among the greats.
…airplane…