Nov. 29, 2010
IN MEMORY OF LESLIE NIELSEN: Comedic Icon Visited Marshall in 2004
By Tony Rutherford
Huntingtonnews.net Entertainment Editor
Huntington, WV (HNN) – The actor who took us on a pilot-challenged “Airplane” and to an efficient officer challenged police precinct (“Naked Gun”) passed away Sunday Nov. 28. The Canadian born actor died from pneumonia complications near his home in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Nielsen came to Hollywood in the mid-50s after appearing in about 150 live television dramas.
During the course of his 60 year career, Nielsen visited West Virginia on at least two occasions. He joined a host of athletes and actors at a celebrity golf tournament and helped raise money for MU theatre students.
On April 24, 2004 he attended a dinner and reception at the Joan C. Edwards Playhouse as a benefit to the University Theatre Department. Following the reception came a performance of “To Kill a Mockingbird” on the Joan C. stage. That morning he spoke to students and members of the press:
Here’s part of the article that came from that appearance at Marshall.
Just out of drama school, Leslie Nielsen “got lucky,” he immediately found work. Soon, he was cast in many leading man roles, such as police detectives (“Bold Ones,” “The New Breed”), a space explorer (“The Forbidden Planet”), ship commander (“The Poseidon Adventure”), studio executive (“Bracken’s World”), doctor (“Peyton Place”) and the legendary Francis Marion (“Swamp Fox”).
He played dastardly TV villains describing the bad guy role as the second best part on a series. “If you’re going to be a hero [on a series], there’s already one, you’re only half a hero.” The heavy offered the best dramatic parts.
But Nielsen had a “yearning” to do comedy. It took awhile for him to act on his impulse. Why? Neilson deadpanned, “rent!” at a morning question and answer Actor’s Studio styled session on the campus of Marshall University. Dramatic roles generally paid twice the salary of comedies.
He “got lucky” when a couple of Zucker’s (Jerry and David) offered him a part in their “Airplane” spoof. When people laughed, “I [still] didn’t believe I was funny. It’s something I love to do and I sneaked in the back door.”
Essentially, the spoof had such a strongly written script that “you didn’t have to have any comedy talent.” Robert Stack, Peter Graves and Nielsen simply played a straight dramatic characters and laughter flowed.
However, “Airplane” launched a second career for Nielsen. He learned by allowing himself to be “natural,” he made people laugh. “In doing comedy,” Nielsen said, “you have do it slightly more serious than drama.”
He then starred as Lt. Frank Drebin in the short-lived “Police Squad” series. Again, the Zuckers’ used sight-gags and non-sequiturs which supplemented the main action. Actors and audiences “paid attention” because you became a participant in the humor.
Nielsen’s acting philosophy contains two components: Not interfering with an audience’s feelings and constantly stretching at work to learn what makes you tick.
He believes that situation comedy laugh tracks attempt to tell viewers --- this is funny. “You learn quickly” what’s supposed to be funny. But the “Naked Gun” movies “don’t try to tell you,” the graceful white-haired actor explained. “That’s why they get played all the time….it’s left for you to discover [what’s funny].”
Although a self-described “lazy actor,” he encourages young performers to “go wherever your fears will let you wander [with your craft].” Admittedly , he slowly finds his own comfort level with new acting challenges. For instance, on stage the butterflies always “make you feel vulnerable…like you’re never fully prepared.”
Among contemporaries, he stands in awe of Tom Hanks, Robin Williams and Jim Carey. “Their talent never seems to stop.”
And, he named Priscilla Presley as his favorite co-star. “She’s very mischievous, has a great sense of humor… I love working with her.”
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IN MEMORY OF LESLIE NIELSEN: Comedic Icon Visited Marshall in 2004
By Tony Rutherford
Huntingtonnews.net Entertainment Editor
Huntington, WV (HNN) – The actor who took us on a pilot-challenged “Airplane” and to an efficient officer challenged police precinct (“Naked Gun”) passed away Sunday Nov. 28. The Canadian born actor died from pneumonia complications near his home in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Nielsen came to Hollywood in the mid-50s after appearing in about 150 live television dramas.
During the course of his 60 year career, Nielsen visited West Virginia on at least two occasions. He joined a host of athletes and actors at a celebrity golf tournament and helped raise money for MU theatre students.
On April 24, 2004 he attended a dinner and reception at the Joan C. Edwards Playhouse as a benefit to the University Theatre Department. Following the reception came a performance of “To Kill a Mockingbird” on the Joan C. stage. That morning he spoke to students and members of the press:
Here’s part of the article that came from that appearance at Marshall.
Just out of drama school, Leslie Nielsen “got lucky,” he immediately found work. Soon, he was cast in many leading man roles, such as police detectives (“Bold Ones,” “The New Breed”), a space explorer (“The Forbidden Planet”), ship commander (“The Poseidon Adventure”), studio executive (“Bracken’s World”), doctor (“Peyton Place”) and the legendary Francis Marion (“Swamp Fox”).
He played dastardly TV villains describing the bad guy role as the second best part on a series. “If you’re going to be a hero [on a series], there’s already one, you’re only half a hero.” The heavy offered the best dramatic parts.
But Nielsen had a “yearning” to do comedy. It took awhile for him to act on his impulse. Why? Neilson deadpanned, “rent!” at a morning question and answer Actor’s Studio styled session on the campus of Marshall University. Dramatic roles generally paid twice the salary of comedies.
He “got lucky” when a couple of Zucker’s (Jerry and David) offered him a part in their “Airplane” spoof. When people laughed, “I [still] didn’t believe I was funny. It’s something I love to do and I sneaked in the back door.”
Essentially, the spoof had such a strongly written script that “you didn’t have to have any comedy talent.” Robert Stack, Peter Graves and Nielsen simply played a straight dramatic characters and laughter flowed.
However, “Airplane” launched a second career for Nielsen. He learned by allowing himself to be “natural,” he made people laugh. “In doing comedy,” Nielsen said, “you have do it slightly more serious than drama.”
He then starred as Lt. Frank Drebin in the short-lived “Police Squad” series. Again, the Zuckers’ used sight-gags and non-sequiturs which supplemented the main action. Actors and audiences “paid attention” because you became a participant in the humor.
Nielsen’s acting philosophy contains two components: Not interfering with an audience’s feelings and constantly stretching at work to learn what makes you tick.
He believes that situation comedy laugh tracks attempt to tell viewers --- this is funny. “You learn quickly” what’s supposed to be funny. But the “Naked Gun” movies “don’t try to tell you,” the graceful white-haired actor explained. “That’s why they get played all the time….it’s left for you to discover [what’s funny].”
Although a self-described “lazy actor,” he encourages young performers to “go wherever your fears will let you wander [with your craft].” Admittedly , he slowly finds his own comfort level with new acting challenges. For instance, on stage the butterflies always “make you feel vulnerable…like you’re never fully prepared.”
Among contemporaries, he stands in awe of Tom Hanks, Robin Williams and Jim Carey. “Their talent never seems to stop.”
And, he named Priscilla Presley as his favorite co-star. “She’s very mischievous, has a great sense of humor… I love working with her.”
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