Well, this sucks.
Leslie Nielsen had one of the most unconventional career paths of any actor. Born in 1926, the majority of his career was spent as a journeyman TV mainstay and character actor; with only the cult-classic “Forbidden Planet” in 1957 and “Tammy & The Bachelor” (which was very popular in it’s day) in 1956 standing out; plus a turn as The Captain in the original “Poseidon Adventure.”
All that changed in 1980, when the Zucker/Abrams/Zucker team cast him in “Airplane!” With the senatorial gravitas that made him a mainstay playing iron-jawed authority figures repurposed for comedic-deapan, he became the unlikliest comedy megastar of the 80s and 90s in the “Naked Gun” films; becoming synonymous with both the movie-parody genre and the Z.A.Z. films in-particular. He kept busy well into the New Millenium, and still had (at least) three films yet to be released when he passed away in his sleep this weekend. He was 84.
Good lord, I grew up watching this guy. Amazing actor, with one of the best deadpan deliveries in the business. I'm really going to miss him.
Rest in Peace, Mr. Nielsen
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Surely you can't be serious!
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sucks isn't even covering it..
aww.. and I am not the only one who is going to be devastated all evening. I had hoped to play some fun D&D this evening but now I just know the place will have the atmosphere of a mourning crypt D:
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Good luck up there Leslie. We're all counting on you.
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Oh Leslie, you were indeed a great funny man
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Rest in Peace Leslie Nielsen, thanks for all the laughs
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I love the way he jerseys the Ayatollah in that clip. You can take the boy out of Canada…
You'll be missed, Leslie.
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They are going tho show The Naked Guy here this afternoon. So awesome….
See you later Leslie, thanks for the laughs, you rocked!
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And now Irvin Kershner (the director of The Empire Strikes Back) is dead.
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And I was just thinking about watching “Airplane” again. Perhaps now I really should for old time's sake. I miss him already.
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