JONATHAN CHAIT NOVEMBER 28, 2010
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[Guest post by Isaac Chotiner]
The great Leslie Nielsen passed away today at the age of 84. Nielsen is best known for his roles in The Naked Gun series and Airplane!, the laugh-a-second comedies from the Zucker/Abrahams/Zucker team. But before his breakout success as a comic actor, he starred in a number of films and television shows, often as a straight-man. And, indeed, Nielsen's most visible skill in the roles that eventually made him a star was the ability to deliver ridiculous lines with a serious face. ("Surely you can't be serious?" "Of course I am. And stop calling me Shirley.") But the greatness of the Naked Gun films also lies in the character Nielsen created. Lt. Frank Drebin is more than a buffoon (although he is definitely an idiot)--he's also a morally upstanding, and extremely likeable figure who is compelling enough to make the films better than they otherwise would be. (The comparison here would be to Hot Shots, another amusing Zucker/Abrahams/Zucker film that doesn't rise to the Naked Gun level because the Charlie Sheen character is much more dull than Drebin).
Nielsen eventually made too many silly comedies (although Wrongfully Accused--really!--had some funny moments). But he will be sorely missed. Thankfully, his films will survive.
6 comments
Wrongfully Accused does have some great moments. The (sadly also late) Richard Crenna was absolutely perfect spoofing Tommy Lee Jones Sam Gerard from The Fugitive.
- Crock1701
November 29, 2010 at 12:11am
Do you like to watch Gladiator movies?
- CRS9TNR
November 29, 2010 at 6:36am
Wrong actor, CRS9. That was Peter Graves, who also sadly died this year, not Mr. Nielsen.
- Crock1701
November 29, 2010 at 9:37am
Leslie Nielsen was hilarious. he will be terribly missed.
- liberal reformer
November 29, 2010 at 9:58am
I haven't seen anything like this since the Anita Bryant concert.
- JakeH
November 29, 2010 at 3:50pm
Dr. Rumack: Captain, how soon can you land? Capt. Oveur: I can't tell. Dr. Rumack: You can tell me, I'm a doctor. Capt. Oveur: No, I mean, I'm just not sure. Dr. Rumack: Well, can't you take a guess? Capt. Oveur: Well, not for another two hours. Dr. Rumack: You can't take a guess for another two hours? Capt. Oveur: No, no, no, I mean we can't land for another two hours. Dr. Rumack: You'd better tell the Captain we've got to land as soon as we can. This woman has to be gotten to a hospital. Elaine: A hospital? What is it? Dr. Rumack: It's a big building with patients, but that's not important right now. Dr. Rumack: What was it we had for dinner tonight? Elaine: Well, we had a choice of steak or fish. Dr. Rumack: Yes, yes, I remember, I had lasagna. Striker: It's an entirely different kind of flying altogether. Dr. Rumack, Randy: [together] It's an entirely different kind of flying. Dr. Rumack: The last thing he said to me, "Doc," he said, "some time when the crew is up against it, and the breaks are beating the boys, tell them to get out there and give it all they got and win just one for the Zipper. I don't know where I'll be then, Doc," he said, "but I won't smell too good, that's for sure."
- JakeH
November 29, 2010 at 4:00pm