By now, everyone has heard the news of the passing of one of cinema's greats, Leslie Nielsen. Generally, they are accompanied by quotes from so many of his movies; a reference to not calling him Shirley, and a sad smile, signifying a longing for the great cinematic personality.Nielsen was born in Canada in February of 1926 and died November 28 from complications of Pneumonia. He is survived by his fourth wife Barbaree and two Thea and Maura.
He was best known for his comedy roles in movies like Airplane or the movies based on the TV show, Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad. He also did tons of other comedies, like one of my favorites, Spy Hard, and he's famous for delivering hilarious lines, and side-splitting prose with a deadpan straight face. It always amazed me Nielsen could say the things he said like his life depended on it.
It may surprise some that before Airplane, Nielsen did quite a bit of serious work, including some stage work and serious roles in movies like The Poseidon Adventure and Forbidden Planet. Before that, he was a radio announcer, and before that, served in the Royal Canadian Airforce. Nielsen was clearly a man of many talents, and it almost seems a shame we remember him for not wanting to be called Shirley.
For me, my favorite Nielsen moment comes from Airplane, where he gives Ted Stryker the "win one for the Zipper" speech, but it's so hard to narrow it down to one.
Yahoo! has some of the five most memorable moments of the stars life HERE for your viewing pleasure, but they don't do the star justice.
Rest in peace, Leslie Nielsen!
What's your favorite Leslie Nielsen moment?
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