cinemabon
11-28-2010, 10:33 PM
Born in Regina, Saskatchewan 200 miles south of the Arctic Circle, Nielsen joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1943, mostly to escape his over-bearing father. After the war, he started as a radio disc jockey after he studied at a school for radio operated by Lorne Greene. He earned a scholarship which brought him to New York, where he began work in television. He started out as a serious dramatic actor. Most baby boomers remember him on Disney’s “Swamp Fox.” His first film for Paramount, “The Vagabond King” flopped. However, MGM signed him to a seven year contract where he made such films as “Tammy and the Bachelor” with Debbie Reynolds, “Forbidden Planet” with Walter Pigeon, and “The Poseidon Adventure.”
He broke his contract with MGM and returned to television doing guest appearances until producers Jim Abrahams and the Zucker brothers hired Nielsen to “spoof” doctors for their 1980 film, “Airplane.” Nielsen literally stole the show from such veteran actors as Robert Stack, Peter Graves, and Lloyd Bridges, who also starred. He went on to fame with the “Naked Gun” series of television and films and had an illustrious career over the last three decades of his life performing comedy.
On a personal note, I believe that “Naked Gun, 2 ˝” is probably one of the funniest movies ever made. The comic timing, the jokes, the visuals, and the Nielsen’s dead pan delivery make it one of the most hilarious movies I’ve ever seen. I’ve probably seen it a dozen times and can’t wait to see it again. While some people hate the series because of OJ, I tried to ignore his parts and move on. Nielsen used him as a punching bag anyway, so his stuff is sort of poetic.
I am sorry to see him leave us. The veteran comedic actor died of pneumonia this evening with his wife by his side.
He broke his contract with MGM and returned to television doing guest appearances until producers Jim Abrahams and the Zucker brothers hired Nielsen to “spoof” doctors for their 1980 film, “Airplane.” Nielsen literally stole the show from such veteran actors as Robert Stack, Peter Graves, and Lloyd Bridges, who also starred. He went on to fame with the “Naked Gun” series of television and films and had an illustrious career over the last three decades of his life performing comedy.
On a personal note, I believe that “Naked Gun, 2 ˝” is probably one of the funniest movies ever made. The comic timing, the jokes, the visuals, and the Nielsen’s dead pan delivery make it one of the most hilarious movies I’ve ever seen. I’ve probably seen it a dozen times and can’t wait to see it again. While some people hate the series because of OJ, I tried to ignore his parts and move on. Nielsen used him as a punching bag anyway, so his stuff is sort of poetic.
I am sorry to see him leave us. The veteran comedic actor died of pneumonia this evening with his wife by his side.