Actor Leslie Nielsen dies at 84
Actor Leslie Nielsen, who was best known for his roles in Airplane and the Naked Gun series, died Sunday of complications from pneumonia. He was 84, dpa reported.
"We are saddened by the passing of beloved actor Leslie Nielsen, probably best remembered as Lt Frank Drebin in The Naked Gun series of pictures, but who enjoyed a more than 60-year career in motion pictures and television," said a statement from his family, according to US media reports.
Nielsen was born on February 11, 1926, in Regina, Canada. His acting career started with frequent appearances on live drama series such as Goodyear Playhouse and the 1956 science fiction classic Forbidden Planet.
But he remains best-known for his deadpan comedy role as a doctor in Airplane, and later the bumbling lead character Drebin in the Naked Gun franchise.
In recent years, he appeared in Scary Movie 3 (2003), Scary Movie 4 (2006) and Superhero Movie (2008).
