“In high school I was (and perhaps still am) a recidivist quoter of Neilsen’s lines in Airplane! and the Police Squad/Naked Gun series. When graduation came around, I had some additional invites left over, and decided to send one to him just for shits and giggles. While he didn’t attend, he did send a nice congratulatory note and an autographed picture.
Years later I ran into him at a country club in Arizona, and I brought up the invitation and his nice response. He actually remembered it and was kind enough to spend a few minutes to chat with me. I saw him a few times after that, and each time he remembered me and took the time to talk and catch up. An awesome comedic actor and a great guy. RIP, Leslie.”
“How soon can we land?”
“I can’t tell.”
“You can tell me, I’m a doctor.”
“No, I mean I’m not sure.”
“Well, take a guess.”
“….not for another three hours.”
(perfectly timed pause) “You can’t take a guess for another three hours.”
I could never believe that he started out a serious actor. I asw him in a syndicated episode of MASH after I’d seen him in Naked Gun and seen some of Police Squad and he played his character totally straight. It was so weird.
I loved Police Squad, Airplane! and the Naked Gun, but by far my favorite Leslie Nielsen movie was Dracula: Dead and Loving It. The man was able to go the proverbial ten rounds with Mel Brooks in terms of slapstick and being an absolutely hysterical snarky old man, and the Dracula/Van Helsing scenes are particularly brilliant.
I saw him at FanExpo ’09 and he looked great. He was hysterically funny, polite and courteous, a complete gentleman.
Also, he was the only man who’s ever truly made a fart machine funny. True to form, he did it by playing it completely straight.
I’m going to make a point of collecting his best works, now.
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18 users responded in this post
So he died in hospital from pneumonia of all things? What is this??
It’s a big building with patients, but that’s not important right now….
84, guess he had a good run. But nobody will ever fill that particular Hollywood niche as well as he did.
He’s crashing into trashcans in a better place now.
Surely you can’t be serious.
Indeed I can — and don’t call me Shirley.
Well, at least the next time Weird Al Yankovic gets invited to the Oscars, he won’t get knocked out and have his suit stolen.
That said, a great loss to the world of Deadpan Comedy.
I just want to tell you both good luck. We’re all counting on you.
Swamp Fox. That is all.
It’s all about Forbidden Planet for me. Robby the Robot! Monsters from the Id! Anne Francis!
http://deadspin.com/comment/33180489/
“In high school I was (and perhaps still am) a recidivist quoter of Neilsen’s lines in Airplane! and the Police Squad/Naked Gun series. When graduation came around, I had some additional invites left over, and decided to send one to him just for shits and giggles. While he didn’t attend, he did send a nice congratulatory note and an autographed picture.
Years later I ran into him at a country club in Arizona, and I brought up the invitation and his nice response. He actually remembered it and was kind enough to spend a few minutes to chat with me. I saw him a few times after that, and each time he remembered me and took the time to talk and catch up. An awesome comedic actor and a great guy. RIP, Leslie.”
“You know, a white guy. A moustache. About six-foot-three.”
“Awfully big moustache.”
Dammit Zenrage, you got me all choked up.
also…
“How soon can we land?”
“I can’t tell.”
“You can tell me, I’m a doctor.”
“No, I mean I’m not sure.”
“Well, take a guess.”
“….not for another three hours.”
(perfectly timed pause) “You can’t take a guess for another three hours.”
And my favourite quote from Police Squad!…
“Who are you and how did you get in here?!”
“I’m a locksmith. …and I’m a locksmith.”
Comedy won’t be the same without Shirley.
(I can call him Shirley if I want to.)
I… just wanted to tell you, ‘good luck. We’re all counting on you.’
I could never believe that he started out a serious actor. I asw him in a syndicated episode of MASH after I’d seen him in Naked Gun and seen some of Police Squad and he played his character totally straight. It was so weird.
Goodbye, Sgt. Buck Frobisher.
I loved Police Squad, Airplane! and the Naked Gun, but by far my favorite Leslie Nielsen movie was Dracula: Dead and Loving It. The man was able to go the proverbial ten rounds with Mel Brooks in terms of slapstick and being an absolutely hysterical snarky old man, and the Dracula/Van Helsing scenes are particularly brilliant.
I saw him at FanExpo ’09 and he looked great. He was hysterically funny, polite and courteous, a complete gentleman.
Also, he was the only man who’s ever truly made a fart machine funny. True to form, he did it by playing it completely straight.
I’m going to make a point of collecting his best works, now.