As you probably noticed by the explosion of “surely/Shirley” jokes last night, beloved actor Leslie Nielsen passed away from complications of pneumonia yesterday. He was 84 and Canadian.
While Nielsen was best known as a film actor (see his FilmDrunk obit), I’m paying tribute to him here because The Naked Gun series was based off the brilliant but short-lived “Police Squad!” on ABC (see video below). If not for “Police Squad!,” there would be no Enrico Palazzo, and that would be a sad world indeed.
In a 1988 interview with The New York Times, Leslie Nielsen discussed his career-rejuvenating transition to comedy, a development that he had recently described as “too good to be true.”
“It’s been dawning on me slowly that for the past 35 years I have been cast against type,” he said, “and I’m finally getting to do what I really wanted to do.” [NYT]
This is a bummer, but I don’t think anyone should be too surprised. I mean, the dude was sporting white hair 30 years ago.
(images via It’s Strictly Business)
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What is Phil Donahue doing?
I’m old enough to remember Police Squad on t.v. Great show, way before it’s time. Hard to believe they only made 6 episodes.
Did you hear the one about the hipster Chilean miner who doesn’t want to be called Shirley? Turns out his jokes got beat into the ground so fast they should have stayed underground.
Theyre not here for you, Frank. Weird Al Yankovic is on the plane.
“Who are you? How did you get in here?”
I’m the locksmith. And I’m the locksmith.
If not for “Warming Glow,” there would be no Enrico Palazzo, and that would be a sad world indeed.
Fear not, commenter EP is alive and well!!!
I’m also old enough to remember “Police Squad”, and to this day the opening and closing credits (the fake freeze frame) are among my favorite TV moments of all time.
I think tonight in Leslie Nielsen’s honor I’ll go out and assault a woman with a concrete dildo.
I’ve had the theme tune to Police Squad stuck in my head all day, so Leslie Nielsen didn’t die in vain.
I’m the locksmith. And I’m the locksmith.
That episode also had the classic moment when Nielsen shows up at the store to see the thugs have bashed out the “L” in the window’s “LOCKSMITH,” and then sees the rancher with the ox.
“No, no. Locksmith.”