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Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Leslie Nielsen, Canadian-born American actor (Airplane!, The Naked Gun), died from pneumonia he was , 84

Leslie+Nielsen
 Leslie William Nielsen, OC [1] was a Canadian and naturalized American actor and comedian.[2][3] Nielsen appeared in over one hundred films and 1,500 television ied from pneumonia he was , 84.
 programs over the span of his career, portraying over 220 characters.[4] Born in Regina, Saskatchewan, Nielsen enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force and worked as a disc jockey before receiving a scholarship to Neighborhood Playhouse. Making his television debut in 1948, he quickly expanded to over 50 television appearances two years later. Nielsen made his film debut in 1956, and began collecting roles in dramas, westerns, and romance films. Nielsen's lead roles in the films Forbidden Planet (1956) and The Poseidon Adventure (1972) received positive reviews as a serious actor, though he is primarily known for his comedic roles.

(11 February 1926 – 28 November 2010)

Leslie+Nielsen1Although Nielsen's acting career crossed a variety of genres in both television and films, his deadpan delivery in Airplane! (1980) marked a turning point in his career, one that would make him, in the words of film critic Roger Ebert, "the Olivier of spoofs."[5] Nielsen enjoyed further success with The Naked Gun film series (1988 – 1994), based on a short-lived television series Police Squad! in which he starred earlier. His portrayal of serious characters seemingly oblivious to (and complicit in) their absurd surroundings gave him a reputation as a comedian.[6] In the final two decades of his career, Nielsen appeared in multiple spoof and parody films, many of which were met poorly by critics, but performed well in box office and home media releases. Nielsen married four times and had two daughters from his second marriage. He was recognized with a variety of awards throughout his career, and was inducted into both the Canada and Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Early life


Nielsen was born on 11 February 1926 in Regina, Saskatchewan.[7] His mother, Mabel Elizabeth (née Davies), was a Welsh immigrant from Fulham, London, and his father, Ingvard Eversen Nielsen, was a Danish-born Constable in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.[8][9][10] Nielsen had two brothers; his older brother, Erik Nielsen (1924–2008), was Deputy Prime Minister of Canada during the 1980s.[11] Ingvard beat his wife and children; that made Nielsen want to escape.[12]
Their half-uncle, Jean Hersholt, was an actor best known for his portrayal of Dr. Christian in the long-running radio series of the same name and the subsequent television series and films.[13][14] In a 1994 The Boston Globe article, Nielsen explained, "I did learn very early that when I would mention my uncle, people would look at me as if I were the biggest liar in the world. Then I would take them home and show them 8-by-10 glossies, and things changed quite drastically. So I began to think that maybe this acting business was not a bad idea, much as I was very shy about it and certainly without courage regarding it. My uncle died not too long after I was in a position to know him. I regret that I had not a chance to know him better."[13]
Nielsen spent several years living in Fort Norman (now Tulita), Northwest Territories where his father was stationed with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.[13][15] At the age of seventeen, following his graduation from Victoria Composite High School in Edmonton, Nielsen enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force and was trained as an aerial gunner during the latter part of World War II (but was too young to be fully trained or sent overseas).[16] He worked briefly as a disc jockey at a Calgary, Alberta radio station, before enrolling at the Lorne Greene Academy of Radio Arts, Toronto.[13][17] While studying in Toronto, Nielsen received a scholarship to the Neighborhood Playhouse. He noted, "I couldn't refuse, but I must say when you come from the land of the snow goose, the moose and wool to New York, you're bringing every ton of hayseed and country bumpkin that you packed. As long as I didn't open my mouth, I felt a certain security. But I always thought I was going to be unmasked: 'OK, pack your stuff.' 'Well, what's the matter?' 'We've discovered you have no talent; we're shipping you back to Canada.'"[13] He moved to New York City for his scholarship,[7] studying theater and music at the Neighborhood Playhouse, while performing in summer stock theatre.[18] Afterward, he attended the Actors Studio,[19] until making his first television appearance in 1948 on an episode of Studio One, alongside Charlton Heston,[20] for which he was paid US$75. [13]

Career

Early career

350px-ForbiddenPlanet1 Nielsen's career began in dramatic roles on television during what is known as "Television's Golden Age",[21] appearing in almost 50 live programs in 1950 alone.[22] Nielsen reported that for his salary that there "[...] was very little gold, we only got $75 or $100 per show."[22] His distinct voice narrated several documentaries and commercials but, with a handful of exceptions, his early work as a dramatic actor was uneventful.[23] Hal Erickson of Allmovie noted, "...much of Nielsen's early work was undistinguished; he was merely a handsome leading man in an industry overstocked with handsome leading men."[23] In 1956 he made his feature film debut in the Michael Curtiz-directed musical film The Vagabond King.[24] In the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Nielsen pointed out that he remembers Curtiz as "a sadist, a charming sadist, but a sadist".[20] Nielsen would go on to call this film "The Vagabond Turkey".[25] Though the film was not a box office success, Nielsen caught the eye of producer Nicholas Nayfack who offered him an audition for a role in the science fiction film Forbidden Planet, resulting in Nielsen being signed to a long-term contract by Metro-Goldwyn-Meyer (MGM).[20][26]
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Nielsen, along with co-star Anne Francis, in his second film, Forbidden Planet (1956). Nielsen: "Supposedly a science fiction version of Shakespeare's The Tempest, it was all about the id, or something like that. Who knows? The Trekkies today regard it as the forerunner of Star Trek. I just had to wear a tight uniform and make eyes at Anne Francis. I was pretty thin back then."[27]
Forbidden Planet became an instant success,[28] and roles in other MGM films such as Ransom! (1956), The Opposite Sex (1956) and Hot Summer Night (1957) followed.[29] In 1957 he won the lead role opposite Debbie Reynolds in the romantic comedy Tammy and the Bachelor, which, as a Chicago Tribune critic wrote in 1998, made people consider Nielsen as both a dramatic actor and a handsome romantic lead.[30] However, dissatisfied with the quality of the films he was offered, calling the studios "[..] a Tiffany, which had forgotten how to make silver", Nielsen left MGM, but not before auditioning for the role of Messala in the 1959 historical piece Ben-Hur. Stephen Boyd was eventually given the role.[31][32] After leaving the studios, Nielsen landed the lead role in the Disney miniseries The Swamp Fox, as American Revolutionary War hero Francis Marion.[33] In a 1988 interview he reflected on the series, stating, "That was a great experience, because the Disney people didn't do their shows like everyone else, knocking out an episode a week. [...] We only had to do an episode a month, and the budgets were extremely high for TV at that time. We had location shooting rather than cheap studio backdrops, and very authentic costumes."[34] Eight episodes were produced and aired between 1959 and 1961.[33]
His television appearances include parts in Alfred Hitchcock Presents, The Virginian, and The Wild Wild West. In 1961, he was the lead in a taut Los Angeles police drama called The New Breed. In 1968, he had a major role in the pilot film for the popular police series Hawaii Five-O, and later appeared in one of the seventh season episodes. In 1969, he had the leading role as a police officer in The Bold Ones: The Protectors.
In 1972, Nielsen appeared as the ship's captain in the all-star disaster epic The Poseidon Adventure. He also starred in the William Girdler-directed 1977 action film Project: Kill. His last role before portraying mainly comedy roles was the Canadian disaster film City on Fire in which he played a corrupt mayor. In 1980, he guest starred as Sinclair on the CBS miniseries The Chisholms.

Airplane! and The Naked Gun



Critics praised the film, which also proved to be a success with audiences.[39] The film's directors, Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, and Jerry Zucker, chose Nielsen for the role based on his ability to play "a fish in water", stating that "You could have cast funny people and done it with everybody winking, goofing off, and silly...we wanted people to be oblivious to the comedy."[38] For Nielsen, Airplane! marked a shift from dramatic roles to a new focus on deadpan comedy. When it was suggested that his role in Airplane! was against type, Nielsen protested that he had "always been cast against type before," and that comedy was what he always really wanted to do.[40]
The directors, interested in the success of the new comedy, decided to bring a similar style of comedy to television, casting Nielsen in the lead role in their new series, Police Squad!. The series introduced Nielsen as Frank Drebin, the stereotypical police officer modeled after serious characters in earlier police TV series.
Police Squad's opening sequence was based on the 1950s cop show M Squad, (which starred Lee Marvin), which opened with footage of a police car roving through an after-dark urban setting with a big band playing a jazz theme song in the background. The voice-over and the show's organization into "acts" with an epilogue was homage to Quinn Martin police dramas including The Fugitive, The Streets of San Francisco, Barnaby Jones, The F.B.I., and Cannon. Much like in Airplane!, Nielsen portrayed a serious character whose one-liners appeared accidental next to the pratfalls and sight gags around him. Although the show was quickly canceled, lasting only six episodes after being juggled between time slots, Nielsen received an Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series.[41]
With the exception of Airplane!, Nielsen had not been known as a comedian. His roles continued to be small and sporadic, such as Prom Night (1980) and Creepshow (1982), both horror films. Nielsen's most recent non-comedic role was a cameo appearance as Allen Green, a sleazy character who is murdered by Barbra Streisand's character, Claudia Draper, in Martin Ritt's courtroom drama Nuts (1987).
Six years after the cancellation of Police Squad!, its directors decided to make a feature length version for theaters. Titled The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!. The film returned Nielsen to his role as Frank Drebin. It involved a comical scheme of a ruthless drug kingpin using hypnosis in an attempt to assassinate Queen Elizabeth II. Drebin, like the doctor in Airplane!, seemed unaware of the absurdity around him even when unintentionally contributing toward it. Nielsen later said in an interview that he had done many of his own stunts, "You have an idea of how you're going to do something, and it's your vision... unless you do it, it really doesn't stand a chance."[35] This movie grossed over $78 million at the box office and was well-received by critics.[42][43] Ebert's 3½–star review (out of four) noted, "You laugh, and then you laugh at yourself for laughing."[44]
The Naked Gun spawned two sequels: The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear (1991) and Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult (1994). Naked Gun 2½ grossed more than the original, with $86,930,400, while Naked Gun 33⅓ grossed $51,132,600 in receipts.[45][46] Nielsen remained open to the prospects of acting in a fourth Naked Gun film, although he doubted that it would ever be produced—"I don't think so," he said in 2005. "If there hasn't been one by now, I doubt it. I think it would be wonderful."[47]
Nielsen briefly appeared on the World Wrestling Federation program in the summer of 1994 on Monday Night RAW; capitalizing on his Frank Drebin character, Nielsen (and George Kennedy) were hired as "super-sleuths" to unravel the mystery of The Undertaker who had disappeared at January's Royal Rumble event. At SummerSlam 1994, in a Naked Gun parody, they were hot on the case (in fact, they were literally standing on a case). Although they did not actually find The Undertaker, the case had been closed (the literal case had been shut) and thus, they solved the mystery.[48]

Later comedies

Leslie+Nielsen3Nielsen attempted a variety of similar roles with none achieving the prominence of Frank Drebin. These films mostly emulated the style of The Naked Gun series with varying degrees of critical and commercial success: many were panned by critics and most performed poorly. In 1986, Nielsen played against recent type as a dramatic (and unsympathetic) character in the comedy, Soul Man. In 1990, Nielsen also appeared as a Frank Drebin-style character in a series of advertisements in the United Kingdom for Red Rock Cider.

Although The Naked Gun series parodied police dramas in general, Nielsen's later parody films focused on specific targets. Critics panned Repossessed (1990) and 2001: A Space Travesty (2001), parodies of The Exorcist and 2001: A Space Odyssey, respectively. Both films attempted the absurdist comedy Nielsen is recognized for, but were poorly received.[49][50] Even a leading role in a Mel Brooks comic horror parody, Dracula: Dead and Loving It, failed to generate much box office excitement, although it did gain somewhat of a following on its later release to video. Both 1996's Spy Hard and 1998's Wrongfully Accused, a parody of James Bond films and The Fugitive, respectively, received more popularity on home video but were not well-received by critics.[51][52]
His attempt at children's comedies met with additional criticism. Surf Ninjas (1993) and Mr. Magoo (1997) faced scathing reviews. Several critics were disappointed that Nielsen's role in Surf Ninjas was only "an extended cameo" and film critic Chris Hicks recommended that viewers "...avoid any comedy that features Leslie Nielsen outside of the Naked Gun series."[53][54] Jeff Miller of the Houston Chronicle panned Mr. Magoo, a live action remake of the 1950s cartoon, by saying, "I'm supposed to suggest how the film might be better but I can't think of anything to say other than to make the film again."[55]
Nielsen's first major slapstick success since The Naked Gun came in a supporting role in Scary Movie 3 (2003). His appearance as President Harris proved popular enough for a second appearance in its sequel, Scary Movie 4 (2006). This became the first time Nielsen reprised a character since his appearances as Frank Drebin. In one scene, Nielsen appeared almost fully nude, and one critic referred to the scene as putting "the 'scary' in Scary Movie 4."[56]
Nielsen also hosted a series of instructional golf videos beginning with 1993's Bad Golf Made Easier. The videos were not serious, instead combining absurdist comedy with golf techniques. The series were popular enough to spawn two additional sequels, Bad Golf My Way (1994) and Stupid Little Golf Video (1997). Nielsen also co-wrote a fictional autobiography titled The Naked Truth. The book portrayed Nielsen as a popular actor with a long history of prestigious films.

Final years



220px-Leslie_nielsen_at_moravian_collegeEven in his eighties, Nielsen continued to have an active career. He performed serious roles on screen and stage (such as his one-man theatre show Darrow, in which he played Clarence Darrow), as well as providing voice-overs and on-camera appearances for commercials; cartoons like Zeroman where he had the leading role/voice; children's shows, such as Pumper Pups, which he narrated, in addition to comedic film roles. The sibling relationship with his elder brother, the Honourable Erik Nielsen, a former Deputy Prime Minister of Canada, served as the premise of an HBO mockumentary entitled The Canadian Conspiracy in which Leslie Nielsen appeared, along with other prominent Canadian-born media personalities. He was a celebrity contestant on CBS's Gameshow Marathon, where he played The Price is Right, Let's Make a Deal, Beat the Clock, and Press Your Luck for charity.[22]
Beginning in February 2007, Nielsen began playing a small role as a doctor in the humorous yet educational television show Doctor*Ology. The show chronicles real-life medical techniques and technology, and airs on the Discovery Channel. In an interview, Nielsen admitted his admiration for the doctors on the show: "There are any number of things that you think about when you ponder if you hadn't been an actor, what would you be, and I've always said I'd like to be an astronaut or a doctor. I have such admiration for doctors. I just don't know how you go around to thank them enough for coming up with the world's most remarkable new discoveries."[36]
In 2007, Nielsen starred in the drama Music Within. In 2008, he portrayed a version of Uncle Ben for Superhero Movie, a spoof of superhero films. He then appeared in the 2008 parody films An American Carol, which David Zucker directed, produced, and co-wrote. He appeared in the 2009 parody Stan Helsing. Nielsen portrayed the Doctor in the Spanish horror comedy Spanish Movie,[57] a spoof comedy like Scary Movie, but making fun of popular Spanish films.[58]
Nielsen appeared in over 100 films and 1,500 television programs over the span of his career, portraying over 220 characters.[59][60]

Personal life

Nielsen married four times: Monica Boyer (1950–1956), Alisande Ullman (1958–1973), Brooks Oliver (1981–1983) and Barbaree Earl (2001–2010; his death).[61][62] Nielsen had two daughters from his second marriage, Maura and Thea Nielsen.[62]
Nielsen was a fan of golf, and he often played it in his free time.[63] Nielsen joked about his view on golf, "I have no goals or ambition. I do, however, wish to work enough to maintain whatever celebrity status I have so that they will continue to invite me to golf tournaments."[63] Nielsen's interest in the sport led him to star in several comedic instructional films.
Nielsen stated in several interviews that he had a few medical problems such as hearing impairment.[64] He was legally deaf and wore hearing aids for most of his life.[12] Because of this impairment, he publicly supported the Better Hearing Institute.[65]

Death

In November 2010, Nielsen was admitted to a Fort Lauderdale, Florida hospital for pneumonia. On 28 November, Doug Nielsen, Nielsen's nephew, announced to the CJOB radio station that Nielsen had died in his sleep, due to complications from pneumonia, around 5:30 pm EST, surrounded by family and friends.[66][67][68]

Achievements

Among his numerous awards, in 1995 Leslie Nielsen received UCLA's Jack Benny Award for his comedic roles.[41] In 1988, he became the 1,884th personality to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6541 Hollywood Blvd.[69] In 2001 he was inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame.[70] The following year he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada, although he was also a naturalized U.S. citizen.[2] With his American status, he maintained his Canadian heritage: "There's no way you can be a Canadian and think you can lose it ... Canadians are a goodly group. They are very aware of caring and helping."[2] On 19 May 2005, during the centennial gala of his birth province, Saskatchewan, Leslie Nielsen was introduced to HM Queen Elizabeth II.[71]
On 20 February 2002, Nielsen was named an honorary citizen of West Virginia and an "Ambassador of Mountain State Goodwill". Nielsen visited the state many times to speak and visit friends.[72] In 2003, in honor of Nielsen, Grant MacEwan College named its school of communications after him.[73] Also in 2003, the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists awarded him the ACTRA Award of Excellence.[73]

Filmography

Films

Year Film Role Other notes
1956 Ransom! Charlie Telfer Film debut.
Forbidden Planet Commander John J. Adams
The Vagabond King Thibault
The Opposite Sex Steve Hilliard
1957 Hot Summer Night William Joel Partain
Tammy and the Bachelor Peter Brent
1958 The Sheepman Col. Stephen Bedford/Johnny Bledsoe
1964 See How They Run Elliot Green First television movie.
Night Train to Paris Alan Holiday
1965 Dark Intruder Brett Kingsford
Harlow Richard Manley
1966 The Plainsman Col. George Armstrong Custer
Beau Geste Lieutenant De Ruse
1967 Code Name: Heraclitus Fryer
The Reluctant Astronaut Major Fred Gifford
Gunfight in Abilene Grant Evers
Rosie! Cabot Shaw
1968 How to Steal the World General Maximilian Harmon The Man From UNC.L.E. film.
Counterpoint Victor Rice
Dayton's Devils Frank Dayton
Companions in Nightmare Dr. Neesden
1969 Trial Run Jason Harkness
Deadlock Lieutenant Sam Danforth
How to Commit Marriage Phil Fletcher
Change of Mind Sherrif Webb
1970 Night Slaves Sherrif Henshaw
The Aquarians Official
Hauser's Memory Joseph Slaughter
1971 Incident In San Francisco Lieutenant Brubaker
Four Rode Out Mr. Brown
They Call It Murder Frank Antrim
1972 The Poseidon Adventure Captain Harrison
1973 ...And Millions Die! Jack Gallagher
Snatched Bill Sutting
Amanda Fallon Mr. Cummings
The Return Of Charlie Chan Alexander Hadrachi
1975 Can Ellen Be Saved Arnold Lindsey
Threshold: The Blue Angels Experience Narrator
1976 Grand Jury John Williams
Project Kill Jonathan Trevor
Brinks: The Great Robbery Agent Norman Houston
1977 Sixth and Main John Doe
Day of the Animals Paul Jenson
Viva Knievel! Stanley Millard
The Kentucky Fried Movie Man in Feel-O-Rama Movie Uncredited cameo; Feel-O-Rama segment.
The Amsterdam Kill Riley Knight
1978 Little Mo Nelson Fisher
1979 Institute for Revenge Counselor Hollis Barnes
The Albertans Don MacIntosh
Riel Major Crozier
City on Fire Mayor William Dudley
1980 OHMS Governor
Airplane! Dr. Rumack First comedy role.
Prom Night Mr. Raymond Hammond
1981 A Choice of Two Unknown
1982 Twilight Theater Various Characters
Foxfire Light Reece Morgan
Wrong Is Right Mallory
Creepshow Richard Vickers Something To Tide You Over segment.
1983 Prime Time Unknown
The Night the Bridge Fell Down Paul Warren
Cave-In! Joseph 'Joe' Johnson
The Creature Wasn't Nice (Spaceship) Capt. Jamieson
1985 Murder Among Friends Unknown
Reckless Disregard Bob Franklin
Blade in Hong Kong Harry Ingersoll
Striker's Mountain Jim McKay
1986 The Patriot Admiral Frazer
Soul Man Mr. Dunbar
1987 Nightstick Thad Evans
Nuts Allen Green Final non-comedy role.
Home Is Where The Hart Is Sherrif Nashville Schwartz
1988 Dangerous Curves Greg Krevske
The Railway Dragon Narrator First animated film.
The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! Lt. Frank Drebin First starring role.
1990 Repossessed Father Jebedaiah Mayii
1991 All I Want for Christmas Santa Claus Family holiday film.
The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear Lt. Frank Drebin
Chance of a Lifetime Lloyd Dixon
1993 Digger Arthur Evrensel
Surf Ninjas Colonel Chi
1994 S.P.Q.R. 2000 e 1/2 anni fa Lucio Cinico
Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult Lt. Frank Drebin
1995 Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree Willowby's butler
Rent-a-Kid Harry Haber
Dracula: Dead and Loving It Count Dracula
1996 Spy Hard Dick Steele, Agent WD-40
1997 Mr. Magoo Mr. Magoo
1998 Safety Patrol Mr. Penn
Family Plan Harry Haber
Harvey Dr. Chumley
Wrongfully Accused Ryan Harrison
1999 Pirates 4D Captain Lucky 4D Cinema Show presented at various Busch Gardens amusement parks.
2000 Santa Who? Santa Claus
2001: A Space Travesty Marshal Richard 'Dick' Dix
2001 Camouflage Jack Potter
Kevin of the North (Chilly Dogs) Clive Thornton
2002 Men with Brooms Gordon Cutter
2003 Scary Movie 3 President Harris
Noël Noël English Narrator
2006 Scary Movie 4 President Harris
2007 Music Within Bill Austin
2008 Superhero Movie Uncle Albert
An American Carol Grampa / Himself
Slap Shot 3: The Junior League Mayor of Charlestown
2009 Spanish Movie Doctor
Stan Helsing Kay
2011 Stonerville Producer
The Waterman Movie Ready Espanosa Voice acting is complete; will be released posthumously.[74]

Television

Year Title Role Other Notes
1958–1961 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Lloyd Ashley & DA Rudolph Cox Two episodes
1959 The Swamp Fox Colonel Francis Marion
1960 Thriller Alan Patterson (lead role) Episode "The Twisted Image"
1961 The New Breed Lt. Price Adams Regular
1963 Channing Professor Paul Stafford Single episode
1963-1964 The Fugitive (TV series) Martin C. Rowland & Harold Cheyney Two episodes
1964 Your First Impression As himself Single episode
1964 The Alfred Hitchcock Hour Steven Grainger Single episode
1964–1969 The Virginian Ben Stratton Five episodes
1965 Peyton Place Vincent and Kenneth Marham (twins) 19 episodes
1967 Bonanza Sheriff Paul Rowan One episode
1969 The Bold Ones: The Protectors Deputy Police Chief Sam Danforth Seven episodes
1969–1974 Hawaii Five-O Brent & Colonel Faraday Two episodes
1971–1975 Columbo Peter Hamilton & Geronimo Two episodes
1971 Bearcats! Col. Ted Donovan Single episode
1971 Night Gallery Col. Dennis Malloy Single episode "A Question of Fear"
1973 M*A*S*H Col. Buzz Brighton Episode "The Ringbanger"
1973–1974 The Streets of San Francisco Ofc. Joe Landers, Insp. John T. Connor, & Big Jake Wilson Three episodes
1974 Cannon Eric Strauss Single episode
1974 Kojak Michael Hagar Single episode "Loser Takes All"
1975 Kung Fu Vincent Corbino Four episodes
1975–1976 S.W.A.T. Larry Neal/Vince Richie Three episodes
1979 Backstairs at the White House Ike Hoover Three episodes
1980 The Littlest Hobo Mayor Chester Montgomery Episode "Romiet and Julio"
1982 Police Squad! Det. Frank Drebin
1984 Shaping Up Buddy Fox
1985–1986 Murder, She Wrote Captain Daniels & David Everett Two episodes
1988 Who's The Boss Max
1988 Day By Day Jack Harper One episode, nominated for an Emmy Award
1989 Saturday Night Live Himself Single episode
1992 The Golden Girls Lucas Hollingsworth Series finale
1994–1999 Due South Sgt. Buck Frobisher Four episodes
1994–1996, 2001–2002 Katie and Orbie Narrator
1995 Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree Mr. Willowby's Butler, Baxter Television Christmas special
2000 Santa Who? Santa Claus Television film
2001 Scrubs cross-dresser Uncredited
2002 Liocracy Terrence Brynne McKennie
2004 Zeroman Les Mutton/Zeroman
2007 Doctorology Himself, Host
Lipshitz Saves the World Lipshitz's mentor Pilot
Robson Arms Cado Vasco

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