Leslie Nielsen Biography

Fast Facts

• Hearing impaired since childhood, he has been a lifelong supporter of the Better Hearing Institute
• Inspired by his uncle Jean Hersholt's radio success, he decided to go into show business at a young age
• Quote: "I always wanted to do comedy, but I never made the effort because I was a coward․ I didin't have the courage․ I was a closet comedian․ I was too self-conscious and lacking in confidence․"
• Quote: "I have no goals or ambition․ I do, however, wish to maintain whatever celebrity status I have so that they will continue to invite me to golf tournaments․"
• Passed away on November 28, 2010, at the age of 84 after being hospitalized in Florida for complications from pneumonia
• After several uninspiring appearances in dramatic film roles during the late 1950s, he would eventually gain more traction in the '80s in more comedic roles that included "Airplane!" and "The Naked Gun" series
• Began hosting a series of instructional golf videos in the early 1990s titled "Bad Golf Made Easier" which would gain popularity and spurn several sequels
• Appeared as more than 220 characters in over 100 films and 1,500 television episodes over the course of his career
• His epitaph states, "Let 'er rip․"
• His brother, Erik, was a high-ranking political official in Canada before his death in 2008