It’s with heavy hearts that we find ourselves reporting that Leslie Nielsen has died aged 84.
The Canadian actor, who had us crying with laughter with his many varied comedy roles, passed away after suffering from a case of pneumonia.
Nielsen spent the past 12 days at the Ft. Lauderdale Hospital, and his condition took a turn for the worse over the weekend.
“With his friends and his wife, Barbaree, by his side, he fell asleep and passed away,” said Doug Nielsen, the actor’s nephew.
Nielsen is perhaps best known to an entire generation as bumbling detective Frank Drebin in the Naked Gun movies, though his turn in Airplane! earned him the moniker “the Olivier of spoofs”.
Starting out in the 1950s, Nielsen also earned acclaim as a serious actor with his role in The Poseidon Adventure .
Rest in peace, buddy.
