Leslie Nielsen (Leslie Nielsen) - biography, life and death of a comedian

Perhaps today it is difficult to meet a man who did not watch at least one comedy with Leslie Nielsen. This great actor for many decades rejoiced not one generation of spectators with his unforgettable work in the cinema. And we can say with full confidence that even after the death of a great comedian, his films will be still relevant and ridiculous for a long time. We suggest today to learn more about the life and career of this talented actor.

Leslie Nielsen: Biography

The future star of Hollywood was born on February 11, 1926 in a small Canadian town called Regina, Saskatchewan province. Mother Leslie - Mabel Elizabeth emigrated to this country from the UK. Father - Ingvard Eversen by birth was a Dane 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. Interestingly, his elder brother, Erik Nielsen, was the vice-premier of Canada in the eighties, and his uncle, Jean Hershlot, made great strides in acting and even won two prestigious Oscar nominations.

Childhood and youth

The first years of life Leslie, along with his family spent in the north of Canada in the town, which more like a hamlet. Food was imported 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 Air Force of Canada. This period occurred 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, then, 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 new tales.

The first steps on the way to film career

Leslie Nielsen very successfully graduated from the Academy of Radio named after Lorna Greene, and then went on to study at the New York Theater "Neighborhood Playhouse". After that, the young man finally decided to connect his life with the cinema art. Therefore, in 1949, he moved to live in New York, where over the next three years he appeared in various television dramas, among them "First Studio", "Hall of Fame", "Climax" and others.

Leslie Nielsen: movies 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 represents", which appeared on the screens from 1955 to 1962. Also at this time Leslie Nielsen performed an episodic role in the film "The King of the Vagrants."

The first real hit with the participation of the actor was released in 1956, a film called "Forbidden Planet", where he brilliantly played the commander of the spacecraft.

Slowly Leslie made his way through 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 exit of any picture invariably paid him proper attention. At that time Nielsen's participation in such films as "Redemption", "Opposite Sex", "Shepherd", "Bonazza", "Tammy and Bachelor" and others.

In 1959, the actor happened to star in one of the most successful American Westerns "Syromyatnaya whip" directed by Ted Post. Leslie's partners on the set were such celebrities as Clint Eastwood, Eric Fleming, James Murdoch and Steve Raines. In the same year, Nielsen played a secondary role in the series "The Untouchables", which tells the story of the fight of FBI agents with organized crime.

1960s

During this period, Leslie Nielsen failed to make any noticeable breakthrough in the career, and his popularity, as they say, trampled on the spot. The actor was mainly offered to play secondary characters, but in terms of the number of roles he could give odds to many Hollywood stars. Directors and producers were happy to work with Leslie, who was adored for his faultlessness and excellent acting. At that time he acted in more than 30 scenes, most of which, however, remained only known to a narrow circle of spectators. Among the films of this time, with Nielsen's participation, 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 the undisputed talent, he still played minor characters. In 1971, he took part in the shooting of a very popular detective series called "Colombo: The Lady is Waiting." The main role in the tape was played by Peter Falk. A year later, the series "1983 MESH" with Nielsen's participation, telling about the Korean War , appeared on the screens . The actor also took part in the filming of paintings "Streets of San Francisco", "Recruits" and "The Catastrophe of Poseidon".

In 1977, Leslie finally played his first major role in the William Girdler thriller "Animal Day." Nielsen's partners on the set were Christopher George and Linda Day George. However, then secondary roles in projects that could hardly be called successful were again followed: Vegas, Fantasy Island, City on Fire, and Little Vagabond.

Change of Role

Or not very successful films of recent years, or the trends of a new decade, and maybe all together, inspired Leslie Nielsen to depart from his usual image of a solid phlegmatic hero and try himself in a comedy genre. Moreover, a very suitable case has come up. The actor was invited to play the part in the parody comedy of the brothers Tsukerov "Aeroplan". Brilliant work appealed to both the audience and film critics. In the same year, the actor played well in the Canadian band "School Ball".

Leslie Nielsen, a comedy with whom had a huge success, finally found a suitable role, and his career quickly went up. So, in 1982, the screens went to the movie "Airplane 2: Continuation" and a black comedy, where he played in a duet with the legendary Sean Connery - "The Wrong of the Rights." Then followed the 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 for the secondary hero. In the following years, such famous projects as "Naked Gun" and "Naked Gun 2", "Dracula: Dead and Satisfied", "Take the Child for Rent", "Without Guilt", as well as the TV series "Strictly to the South ".

2000s

New millennium Leslie Nielsen met at the zenith of glory, full of strength and creative plans. In those years, several films appeared on the screens, where the actor brilliantly performed the main roles. Among them are the parody comedy The Sixth Element, 3rd, 4th and 5th parts of the acclaimed "Very Scary Movie", "American Tale", "Very Spanish Cinema" and "Cinema Stan Helsing".

Personal life

It is known that the actor was married four times. The last time in marriage, he was combined in 2001 with Barbara Earl, relations with which until this 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 never tire of revising, will always live in the hearts of grateful spectators and fans.