Leslie William Nielsen was born on the 11th February 1926, in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada of Welsh and Danish descent, and was best recognized for being a comic actor, who appeared in over 240 titles, such as “The Poseidon Adventure” (1972), “The Naked Gun” film series, “Zeroman” (2004-2005), etc. His career was active from 1950 to 2010. He passed away in 2010
So, have you ever wondered how rich Leslie Nielsen was? According to authoritative sources, it was estimated that the total sum of Leslie’s net worth was $20 million at the time of his death, accumulated through his successful career in the entertainment industry.
Leslie Nielsen Net Worth $20 Million
Leslie Nielsen was the son of Mabel Elizabeth and Ingvard Eversen Nielsen, who worked as an officer in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police; he had two brothers and the elder was the late Erik Nielsen, known for being the Deputy Prime Minister of Canada (1984-1986). Upon matriculation from Victoria School of Performing and Visual Arts in Edmonton, he joined the Royal Canadian Air Force. Afterwards, he briefly worked as a DJ at a radio station, until he enrolled at the Lorne Greene Academy of Radio Arts in Toronto. While there, he received a scholarship to continue his studies at the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York City, where parallel with his education, Leslie performed in summer stock theatre. Later, he went to the Actors Studio, and soon enough his career began.
Leslie made his debut appearance on the screen in the TV series “Actor’s Studio” in 1950, which was followed by a number of small roles in other TV series, including “Lights Out” (1950-1952), “Suspense” (1950-1953), “Kraft Theatre” (1950-1954), etc. Before the 1960s, his name became recognized in the film industry, as he appeared in such films as “Forbidden Planet” (1956), “The Sheepman” (1958), which increased his net worth.
During the 1960s, his career reached a whole new level, which only increased further his net worth, and popularity as well, as Leslie appeared in such titles as “The New Breed” (1961-1962), playing Lt. Price Adams, “Dark Intruder” (1965), in the role of Brett Kingsford, and “Dr. Kildare” in the same year, as Harry Kleber.
In the next decade, Leslie continued on to feature in such TV and film titles as “Bracken’s World” (1970), “Kung Fu” (1975), and “Fantasy Island” (1978-1980). Later, in 1982, his career changed even more for the better, when he was selected for the role of Det. Frank Drebin in the TV series “Police Squad!”, which was short-lived; however, his career reached the whole new level when he was chosen to appear in the first of “The Naked Gun” film series, entitled “The Naked Gun: From The Files Of Police Squad!” (1988), as Frank Drebin, which he reprised in two subsequent films – “The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear” (1991), and “Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult” (1994). All of these appearances added a considerable amount to his net worth.
Afterwards, he continued to line up success after success, portraying such characters as Sgt. Buck Frobisher in the TV series “Due South” (1994-1999), Dracula in the film “Dracula: Dead And Loving It” (1995), and as Ryan Harrison in the film “Wrongfully Accused” (1998), among others all of which contributed to his net worth.
Leslie’s first role in the new millennium was Richard ‘Dick’ Dix in the 2000 film “2001: A Space Travesty”, which was followed by the role of Jack Potter in the film “Camouflage” (2001). Two years later, he featured in “Scary Movie 3”, playing President Baxet Harris, alongside such actors as Anna Faris and Charlie Sheen, and he reprised the role in “Scary Movie 4” (2006), which increased his net worth. To speak further of his career, he starred in films “Superhero Movie” (2008), “Stan Helsing” (2009), and his last appearance was as Doctor Nielsen in the 2009 film “Spanish Movie”.
Thanks to his accomplishments, Leslie received a number of awards and nominations, including the 1995 UCLA’s Jack Benny Award, the 2003 ACTRA Award of Excellence, etc. He was also rewarded with stars on Canada’s Walk of Fame in 2001. And on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1988.
Regarding his personal life, Leslie married four time, firstly to Monica Boyar(1950-56), and afterwards to Alisande Ullman (1958-73), with whom he had two daughters. His third wife was Brooks Oliver (1981–1983), and the last was Barbaree Earl, with whom he was in marriage from 2001 until his death. In his spare time, Leslie enjoyed playing golf. He passed away at the age of 84 from pneumonia, on the 28th November 2010 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA.
UCLA's Jack Benny Award (1995), ACTRA Award of Excellence (2003)
Music Groups
Senses Fail
Nominations
MTV Movie Award for Best Kiss (1991), Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series (1988), Canada's Walk of Fame (2001), Hollywood Walk of Fame (1988)
Movies
“The Poseidon Adventure” (1972), “The Naked Gun” , “A Space Travesty” (2001), “Camouflage” (2001), “Scary Movie 3” (2003), “Dracula: Dead And Loving It” (1995), “Wrongfully Accused” (1998)
Frequently worked with Jim Abrahams and the Zucker Brothers
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His characters are often deeply stupid but still get praised as intelligent by others in the film
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Grey hair and blue eyes
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Deep commanding voice
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Misinterprets what other people say. For example, in The Naked Gun, a character offers him a cigar and says, "Cuban?" Leslie's character replies with "Err, no. Dutch Irish. My father was from Wales."
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Appearing oblivious to everything that's happening around him
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"Whoopee cushion" gags
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Delivering sophomoric punchlines with a deadpan expression
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Quote
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[on specializing in serious roles in his early years]: Actually, I always wanted to do comedy, but I never made the effort because I was a coward. I didn't have the courage. I was a closet comedian. I was too self-conscious and lacking in confidence.
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[on Lorne Greene]: The hair would stand up on my arms, his voice was so magnificent. When I met him, Lorne looked exactly the way he sounded, the patriarch. I could never have imagined him riding the range, herding the cattle, as he did in Bonanza (1959). But he became a friend who was always there, always gentle, always friendly.
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[on using his famous "farting machine"]: You have to have some body movement, some wiggling of legs and hips in rhythm with the sound of breaking wind. Actually in the north, in Fort Norman, that used to be the way we said goodnight, although, of course, then we did it naturally.
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[on touring in Ireland with Robert Goulet]: That was a wonderful time. Halfway through, we were joined by a friend, a mad Armenian. We were enjoying ourselves so much, with a drink here and a drink there, what we should have done - like mountaineers - was to tie ropes around our waists, so if anybody fell, we would know.
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When people are laughing, they don't beat up on you. You're secure and safe. It's when they stop laughing that it's dangerous.
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[on his wrestling a "wild grizzly bear" (it was actually a docile honey bear) in Day of the Animals (1977)] I had to weave and play around with a honey bear, and I could wrestle with him a little bit, but there's no way you can even wrestle a honey bear, let alone a grizzly bear that's standing ten feet to eleven feet tall! Can you imagine? But it was fascinating to work that close to that kind of animal.
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[on the part of his career when he played almost exclusively villains] The best part is always the heavy. And the meaner and crueler and the worse you are, the more vicious you are as the heavy, the better the hero looks when he whips you. So, the heavy is liable to be a very dramatic, fine acting part. I told my agent at that time, "I want to play heavies who are really vicious and cruel and terrible. I want them to know that they're terrible and I want them to enjoy it.".
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The reason they call it 'golf' is that all the other four-letter words were used up.
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Doing nothing is very hard to do... you never know when you're finished.
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Fact
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May have been the first "Trekkie". According to _Star Trek_ story editor / screenwriter D.C. Fontana, Nielsen called the production office the morning after the first episode aired and offered high praise. Star Trek was inspired, in part, by Nielsen's film Forbidden Planet (1956).
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Following his death, he was interred at Evergreen Cemetery in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
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Leslie Nielsen passed away on November 28, 2010, less than three months away from what would haven been his 85th birthday on February 11, 2011.
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Leslie Nielsen passed away only eight months after his Airplane co-star Peter Graves (who was also only a month younger than him).
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He was awarded a star on Canada's Walk of Fame in Toronto, Ontario in 2001.
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He was awarded a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars on December 4, 1997.
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Director/producer Wendy Dent presented Leslie Nielsen with the final award of his career, a Lifetime Achievement Award, at the star-studded 2005 Palm Beach International Film Festival Gala at the ritzy Boca Raton Resort. The black-tie affair was attended also by Woody Harrelson, Salma Hayek and tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams, but Leslie Nielsen was the talk of the night, accepting the award from Wendy Dent with a gentlemanly flirtatiousness after he first walked the red carpet armed with a flatulence-maker in his tuxedo pocket.
He was awarded an OC (Officer of the Order of Canada) by the Governor General of Canada on October 10, 2002 for his services to entertainment.
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In fall 2003, the Grant MacEwan College in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada opened the Leslie Nielsen School of Communications, with the actor on hand for the ceremony.
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Was made an "Honorary West Virginian and Ambassador of Mountain State Goodwill" on February 20, 2002, by then-Secretary of State of West Virginia Joe Manchin III, now junior United States Senator for West Virginia (elected 2010) after having served as West Virginia Governor since 2004.
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Had one half-brother: Gilbert Nielsen who lives in Hobbs, New Mexico.
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Attended and graduated from Victoria Composite High School in Edmonton, Alberta.
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Became a naturalized United States citizen on November 16, 1958.
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While in Winnipeg, Canada, to promote their movie Men with Brooms (2002), he and co-star Paul Gross received Honorary Citizenships from Winnipeg Mayor Glen Murray at the Granite Curling Club.
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His father was Danish and his mother was Welsh.
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Older brother was a high-ranking Canadian politician. Erik Nielsen was a Progressive Conservative Member of Parliament (1957-87) for the Yukon Territory. He served as Leader of the Opposition (1983) and later rose to become the Deputy Prime Minister of Canada (1984-86). He died from a massive heart attack on September 4, 2008 in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada.