Leslie Nielsenwas one of themost beloved comedians of all time, whose work in the parody genre made him a true Hollywood legend. With an impressive career filled with classic releases, Nielsen got his start as a dramatic actor before embracing his status as a satirical icon and one of the funniest figures of 20th-century cinema.
Whether it was solving silly crimes inThe Naked Gunfranchiseor embracing his spooky side inMel Brooks spoofs,Nielsen always delivered laughs through his signature deadpan styleand firm commitment to the bit. While Nielsen sadly passed away in 2010, his outstanding career continues to inspire the next generation of comedians.
10Tammy And The Bachelor (1957)
While most viewers will think of Leslie Nielsen as an older man, once upon a time, back in 1957, he was the handsome, young romantic lead inTammy and the Bachelor. This old-fashioned rom-com starred Nielsen opposite Debbie Reynolds in the story of an unsophisticated girl from the Mississippi swamps who falls for an unconventional southern gentleman.
With Nielsen playing it straight for once,Tammy and the Bachelorwas a sentimental romance whose humor may feel a little bit outdated today, but its star power makes it stand out. As the first of four lightheartedTammymovies, neither Reynolds nor Nielsen returned for the sequels.
9Harvey (1999)
Leslie Nielsen had his work cut out for him when he opted to take on the role first made famous by James Stewart in thismade-for-TV remake ofHarvey. Telling the classic story of a mild-mannered eccentric who converses with a six-foot-tall rabbit that only he can see,Harveywas an interesting take on mental distress.
While Nielsen was well cast in his role, the harsh truth was thatHarveypales in comparison to Stewart’s 1950 movie. It seems the producers knew this, as, despite being completed in 1996, CBS didn’t air the film until after Stewart’s passing, and it eventually premiered in 1999.
8Creepshow (1982)
The horror anthologyCreepshowwas an excellent collaboration between theNight of the Living Deaddirector George A. Romero and horror legend Stephen King. With five simultaneously hilarious and scary segments, they consist of a selection of King adaptations and original stories by the author.
Leslie Nielsen showed up in a particularly memorable segment asRichard Vickers in “Something to Tide You Over.”Nielsen played a vicious and heartless millionaire who uses his good-natured sense of humor to mask his murderous impulses. With the perfect balance of menace and merriment, Nielsen was perfectly cast in the role.
7The Poseidon Adventure (1972)
Leslie Nielsen played a supporting role inThe Poseidon Adventure, a disaster movie of the same kind thatAirplanewould hilariously parody eight years later. Centering on an aging luxury liner on its final voyage from New York City to Athens, things take a terrifying turn when it is overturned by a tsunami and the passengers and crew are trapped inside.
Through slow-building tension and a genuinely horrifying premise,The Poseidon Adventurewas a prime example of the disaster genre done right, and it went on to become a top-grossing movie of 1973. Nielsen played Captain Harrison, a crew member who voiced his safety concerns about the journey before it even began.
Leslie Nielsen teamed up with Mel Brooks for the supernatural comedyDracula: Dead and Loving It. As a hilarious take on Bram Stoker’sDracula, Nielsen starred as the titular vampire and brought his unmatched comedic timing to a silly and scary tale of bats and bloodshed.
As a funny send-up of Hammer Horror movies,Dracula: Dead and LovingIt may not live up to older Brooks classics likeYoung Frankenstein, but there were still plenty of laugh-out-loud moments throughout. While Nielsen may have been portraying the prince of darkness, this was just yet another example of his status as the king of parody.
5Spy Hard (1996)
Having already taken on cop stories, disaster films, and horror classics, Leslie Nielsen turned his sights to James Bond-style espionage with the parodySpy Hard. Coming from the future directors ofDate Movie,Disaster Movie, andMeet the Spartans,Nielsen brought his signature deadpan charm to the role of Dick Steele, also known as Agent WD-40.
WhileSpy Harddoesn’t quite live up to Nielsen’s glory days, his performance alone was worth the price of admission, and an opening theme song from Weird Al Yankovic helped it stand out. The film’s relentless barrage of gags may have been hit-or-miss, but Nielsen’s unwavering commitment to the joke keeps things funny throughout.
4Wrongfully Accused (1998)
Leslie Nielsen hilariously parodiedThe FugitiveinWrongfully Accused, which told the story of a man who has been framed for murder and is desperately trying to find the real culprits. With near-constant jokes, those who love Nielsen classics likeThe Naked GunandAirplanewill find a lot to love here, although the critics at the time were particularly dismissive of the film.
The critical failure ofWrongfully Accusedis a prime example of Nielsen struggling to find his place in the comedy landscape during the 1990s, yet it still boasts plenty of hilarious sequences and laugh-out-loud moments. As a satirical send-up of everything fromBravehearttoTitanic,Wrongfully Accusedwas an interesting time capsule of its era.
3Forbidden Planet (1956)
Leslie Nielsen’s greatest dramatic role came withForbidden Planet, which was one of the greatest sci-fi movies of the 1950s. As the story of an interstellar journey to another world where robots were more than simple tin cans,Forbidden Planetlaid the foundations for more complex representations in sci-fi.
As a trailblazing depiction of artificial intelligence that utilized an entirely electronic soundtrack,Forbidden Planetfelt modern in a way few other films from this era achieved. Nielsen excelled as the heroic leading man, and it’s movies likeForbidden Planetthat make us wish he continued to do more dramatic work alongside comedy in his later years.
2The Naked Gun (1988)
The Naked Gunremains not just one of Leslie Nielsen’s best movies, but also the inception point for a franchise that continues to this day. What started as a TV series calledPolice Squadlater turned intoThe Naked Gun,where Nielsen portrayed Lieutenant Frank Drebin, who stands as one of the most iconic comedy characters of all time.
With the full titleThe Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad,this hilarious send-up of cop crime stories saw Nielsen uncover a criminal conspiracy as visual gags, puns, and witty one-liners came at a mile a minute. It’s no surprise thatThe Naked Gunwas revived in 2025, as viewers can’t get enough of the Police Squad.
1Airplane! (1980)
More than four decades since its release,Airplaneremains the definitive parody movie, as its hilarious send-up of disaster tropes has truly stood the test of time. With Leslie Nielsen giving his greatest comedic performance,Airplanewas packed with iconic quotes from start to finish, as its sharp satirical and silly sensibility struck the perfect balance.
From slapstick chaos to surreal imagery, Airplane took many elements from the genuine disaster movieAirport 1975but still managed to carve out an identity that was totally its own. With a reputation as a comedy classic that’s only grown in the years since its release,Airplanewas the crown jewel inLeslie Nielsen’scareer.
