http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101129/ap_ ... ie_nielsen

from the link...

Leslie Nielsen, who traded in his dramatic persona for inspired bumbling as a hapless doctor in "Airplane!" and the accident-prone detective Frank Drebin in "The Naked Gun" comedies, died on Sunday in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. He was 84.

The Canadian-born actor died from complications from pneumonia at a hospital near his home at 5:34 p.m., surrounded by his wife, Barbaree, and friends, his agent John S. Kelly said in a statement.



edited to add: Sorry, didn't see the post downstairs...mods do what you will with this one!

I always liked him because he was a spitting image of my grandfather... and of course because he was funny. I'll miss this one.

If Nielson had never made Airplane!, he would have been remembered as a competent, but not great
dramatic actor from the 50's. Instead, his career got a second breath of life and he is now remembered
as a great comedian. RIP, Leslie!

RIP

A funny guy, I am a big fan. John C. Reilly is another one who was known for serious acting until he got hooked up with Will Ferrell and became this funny comedic actor.

Yeah, Reilly kept playing the same role over and over: the cuckolded husband whose wife cheated on him. He did it two or three times before turning to comedy.

He was Captain Archer before there was a Captain Archer.

Was that before or after Boogie Nights?