Leslie Nielsen (February 11, 1926 – November 28, 2010) was a Canadian-American actor who achieved a rare feat in Hollywood: a complete and legendary career reinvention. For the first half of his career, he was a handsome and dependable leading man with a commanding presence, known for his serious roles in dramas, Westerns, and classic science-fiction films like Forbidden Planet (1956) and as the ship’s captain in the disaster epic The Poseidon Adventure (1972).
Everything changed in 1980 with the parody film Airplane!, where his deadpan delivery of absurd lines (“Don’t call me Shirley”) as Dr. Rumack revealed a comedic genius. This single role launched the second act of his career, transforming him into an international comedy superstar. He solidified this new persona as the bumbling Detective Frank Drebin in the TV series Police Squad! and the subsequent, hugely successful Naked Gun film franchise. Leslie Nielsen’s unique gift was playing the most outrageous slapstick with the unwavering gravity of a serious actor, a style that made him one of the most beloved comedians of his generation.