Sad news from the Hollywood Bureau: The fog is gettng thicker. Actor Leslie Nielsen, the star of send-up comedies like "Airplane" and "The Naked Gun," has died.
Entertainment Weekly recalls...
The master of parody boasted a talent for delivering the most ridiculous lines in the straightest way possible, cloaking outright absurdity in straight-faced obliviousness. Ironically enough, the foundation of that earnest gravitas was built early in his career as a dramatic actor: After serving in the Royal Canadian Air Force and studying at New York City’s famed Actors Studio, the Saskatchewan-born Nielsen popped up on early ’50s TV. He received his first big film break playing sturdy Commander J.J. Adams in the 1956 sci-fi flick Forbidden Planet. Over the next few decades, he established himself as a reliable, handsome, rich-voiced character actor who graced myriad TV dramas (Peyton Place, Dr. Kildare) and movies (The Poseidon Adventure).
His career took a comical hard left turn when he was cast as Dr. Rumack in the 1980 big-screen parody film Airplane! (Let us honor his famous line, which stands as one of the best retorts in comedic cinema history: “Surely you can’t be serious!” “I am serious. And don’t call me Shirley.”)
That last bit is presented here, as it oringinally appeared in "Airplane," as a tribute to the man himself. Thanks for the laughs:
RIP Leslie. His comedic genius will certainly be missed, the guy always get me laughing hard! Everyone remembers him in the Naked Gun movies, which were great. I also remember him for his small role in Surf Ninjas, one of my favorite childhood movies.
He probably got to Heaven, saw God, and said "I just want you to know, good luck, we're all counting on you"
Posted by: zach | 29 November 2010 at 07:45 PM