Leslie William Nielsen, OC was a Canadian-American actor and comedian. He appeared in more than 100 films and 150 television programs, portraying more than 220 characters. Nielsen was born in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. He enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force and later worked as a disc jockey before receiving a scholarship to study theatre at the Neighborhood Playhouse. Making his acting debut in 1948, he made more than 50 television appearances two years later. Nielsen later made his film debut in 1956, and began collecting his supporting roles in several drama, western, and romance films produced between the 1950s and the 1970s. His performance in the films Forbidden Planet and The Poseidon Adventure gave him positive reviews as a serious actor, although he was primarily known for his comedy roles during the 1980s and early 1990s. Although Nielsen's acting crossed genres in both television and films, his deadpan delivery in Airplane! marked a turning point, making him, according to film critic Roger Ebert, "the Olivier of spoofs." [More at Wikipedia]

February 11th, 1926 in Regina  /  Died:   Nov 28th, 2010 - complications of pneumonia, aged 84