Leslie Nielsen was raised in Tulita (formally Fort Norman), Northwest Territories. His father was a mountie and a strict disciplinarian. His mother was Welsh. Leslie studied at the Academy of Radio Arts in Toronto before moving on to New York's Neighborhood Playhouse. His acting career started at a much earlier age when he was forced to lie to his father in order to avoid severe punishment. Leslie has starred in over fifty movies and many more TV films. One of his two brothers became the deputy prime minister of Canada.


Nephew of the late actor Jean Hersholt. Brother was a high-ranking Canadian politician. Eric Nielsen was the Government Leader of the Yukon Territory before becoming a Member of Parliment and the Deputy Prime Minister of Canada. While in Winnipeg, Canada, to promote their movie Men with Brooms (2002), he and co-star Paul Gross received Honorary Citizenships from Winnipeg Mayor Glen Murray at the Granite Curling Club. Attended Victoria Composite High School in Edmonton, Alberta. Was made an "Honorary West Virginian and Ambassador of Mountain State Goodwill" on February 20, 2002, by then-Secretary of State of West Virginia Joe Manchin, now the Governor (elected 2004). He was awarded an O.C. (Officer of the Order of Canada) on October 10, 2002 for his services to entertainment. At age 17 1/2 enlisted in the Royal Canadian AirForce and trained as an aerial gunner. Film critic Roger Ebert once called him "the Laurence Olivier of spoofs". His father was a Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer for Northwest Territory and Saskatchewan. Attended the Chiller Theater Expo in Parsippany, NJ along with actress Jamie Luner of "Profiler" (1996), John Schneider, Angie Dickinson, Brian O'Halloran, Danny Woodburn, David Hedison, Erik Estrada, Audra Lynn, Barry Williams, on October 24, 2008. Lives in Phoenix, Arizona.