How odd: Leslie Nielsen has died, and everyone is talking about the silly comedies he made late in life. Doesn't anyone remember Forbidden Planet? What's the matter with you people?
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Godspeed, Commander Adams
Posted on: November 28, 2010 9:55 PM, by PZ Myers
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Comments
Posted by: NitricAcid
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November 28, 2010 10:02 PM
What? Oh no.
As a Canadian and a lover of comedy, I am saddened.
Posted by: 'Tis Himself, OM
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November 28, 2010 10:03 PM
I remember Forbidden Planet. But all the good quotes are from the silly comedies like Airplane.
Rumack (Nielson): Captain, how soon can you land?
Captain Oveur (Peter Graves): I can't tell.
Rumack: You can tell me. I'm a doctor.
Captain Oveur: No. I mean I'm just not sure.
Rumack: Well, can't you take a guess?
Captain Oveur: Well, not for another two hours.
Rumack: You can't take a guess for another two hours?
Posted by: Finch
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November 28, 2010 10:07 PM
I liked his clever style. How sad.
Posted by: Caine, ghetto féministe
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November 28, 2010 10:11 PM
I certainly do. Anne Francis...back to Leslie and Commander Adams:
Altaira: [swiming in a pool] Come on in.
Commander John J. Adams: I didn't bring my bathing suit.
Altaira: What's a bathing suit?
Commander John J. Adams: [quickly turning his back] Oh, murder!
Goodbye, Leslie. You'll be missed.
Posted by: Aliasalpha
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November 28, 2010 10:13 PM
AAAAAAW No! That sucks, he was one of the best!
Posted by: 'Tis Himself, OM
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November 28, 2010 10:14 PM
Nielson's family has class:
Posted by: Michelle R
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November 28, 2010 10:16 PM
Well um... I've never seen forbidden planet. I'm too young for that... And I've been practically raised watching Naked Gun.
Posted by: BoxNDox
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November 28, 2010 10:24 PM
The Tempest with electronic tonalities - what's not to love?
Posted by: iamnothouse.com
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November 28, 2010 10:34 PM
Leslie's dead? Surely you're joking?!
Posted by: Stardrake
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November 28, 2010 10:36 PM
Damn--I just watched FORBIDDEN PLANET last night!
Ave, Commander J.J. Adams. You set the standard.
Posted by: chronoslynx [launchpad.net]
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November 28, 2010 10:39 PM
"Surely you can't be serious."
"I am serious... and don't call me Shirley."
Sad night... He will be missed.
Posted by: Squidocto
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November 28, 2010 10:51 PM
Michele #7,
You're never too young to see Forbidden Planet. The finest example of what B film-making can do....
Posted by: Killua
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November 28, 2010 10:52 PM
I called home to let my parents know he had died, and my mom apparently had met him when she first came to LA. He was holding some sort of beach shoot or something of the sort and she was invited.
I had no idea my mom met Leslie Nielsen until the day he died. How odd.
Posted by: NitricAcid
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November 28, 2010 10:57 PM
A cousin of mine once won a Leslie Nielsen scholarship. But never met him.
Posted by: tallman
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November 28, 2010 11:07 PM
Forbidden Planet. The first sci-fi movie I can remember. Also, the first and best movie that scared the living sh*t out of me. The concepts were very advanced for the time. If you thought about the ideas in the movie it was scary. Of course Alta was a bid draw too.
As for Leslie Nielsen, he was in an incredible number of movies and TV shows. He was enjoyable in everything I ever saw him do.
Posted by: TB Tabby
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November 28, 2010 11:11 PM
I remember seeing him in person at a dine-in theater showing Airplane!. I'm saddened to learn this. He was a superb actor and will be missed.
Posted by: Reed
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November 28, 2010 11:14 PM
Saskatchewan takes a double whammy tonight :(
None the less, a life well lived.
Posted by: Greg Laden
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November 28, 2010 11:18 PM
Not odd at all from a Minnesota Perspective: http://tinyurl.com/27pfay7
Posted by: Robbie
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November 28, 2010 11:23 PM
I remember Nielsen as a kid on B&W TV. He was always a super straight American, like an agent, sheriff or similar. I fell off my chair when he showed up in a comedy, then another and on it went. He was just a funny funny man, didn't even need to open his mouth.
Posted by: Caine, ghetto féministe
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November 28, 2010 11:27 PM
BoxNDox:
Yep. It's still great fun to watch Forbidden Planet (Is it awful to admit I have it on DVD?) and know you're watching The Tempest, just with added Robbie the Robot.
Posted by: rufustfirefly66
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November 28, 2010 11:59 PM
"And don't call me Shirley" would be the perfect epitaph.
Posted by: Midnight Rambler
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November 29, 2010 12:05 AM
PZ - I love you and all, but Airplane is not just a "silly comedy". Yeah the formula got overworn after a while, but that one is a gem.
Posted by: https://me.yahoo.com/a/fuLDMN5024xFeT5yy1mHyhc5ORVxyTrv#f4632
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November 29, 2010 12:10 AM
Caine:
Certainly not! I do too. On my shelf, it holds a place of great honour next to "Silent Running", "Logon's Run", and "Westworld".
Not to mention I have a life-sized poster of Robbie the Robot on the wall behind me.
You'll be missed, Leslie!
Posted by: Caine, ghetto féministe
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November 29, 2010 12:12 AM
Yahoomess:
Ah, here we would differ - I'd rather have a life-sized poster of Anne Francis as Altaira. ;)
Posted by: Tim, not my real name.
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November 29, 2010 12:17 AM
"Nice Beaver"
"Thanks, just had it stuffed."
Canadian to the core eh.
Posted by: Hekuni Cat, Champion of Oriana
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November 29, 2010 12:28 AM
Caine:
It also find it to be great fun to watch. I bought the DVD when it first came out for my husband's birthday. I'll be watching it this week in honor of Leslie. I will miss watching his performances.
I hope you had a great Thanksgiving, Caine. Mine was good, but quiet...which is just the way we wanted it. (The days leading up to Thursday were rather frantic, but that all evaporated by the end of Wednesday.)
Posted by: Caine, ghetto féministe
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November 29, 2010 12:39 AM
Hekuni Cat:
I'm glad it was a good one for you. We did the same, it was nice and quiet, which is just how we like it.
It's nice to know that others have Forbidden Planet on DVD too.
Leslie Nielsen's work was extensive and for those who enjoyed his work, it's nice to revisit a lot of it.
Posted by: jaranath
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November 29, 2010 1:06 AM
It's a shame Forbidden Planet is so unknown these days. I'd put up with a remake if only to see the original gain a few curious fans. You'll be missed, Leslie.
Posted by: Autumn
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November 29, 2010 1:17 AM
I'll be putting Airplane on my netflix queue tonight. I feel like I did when I heard of Sam Kinison's death.
Oddly, upon hearing of Kinison's death, I pointed out that, if there was a god, surely it should have killed Mother Teresa instead. The next morning, the nun was gone, and I was as close as I have ever been to believing in a deity.
Posted by: cafeeine
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November 29, 2010 1:24 AM
I saw Forbidden Planet after Nielsen had been etched in my head as Frank Drebin, so it was quite a shock for me.
Looking at imdb, he has had an amazing 60 years of credits to his name.
At least he seems to have died without much pain.
Posted by: RobertL
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November 29, 2010 1:25 AM
As tasteless as it is, I hope that someone said at the appropriate time:
"We have to get this man to a hospital".
"A hospital, what is it?"
"It's a big building where sick people go...but that's not important right now".
Posted by: Caine, ghetto féministe
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November 29, 2010 1:28 AM
jaranath:
Ugh. No, bad idea. Very bad. Not only that, there's no reason - Forbidden Planet is widely available. It's available on DVD, it can be rented via Netflix and TCM (Turner Classic Movies) gives it regular airplay on television. I'm sure there are places it can be streamed on the net, too.
Posted by: Jennifer
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November 29, 2010 1:59 AM
I've never seen Forbidden Planet! It's on my list...but the first movie I ever saw Mr. Nielson in was Tammy and the Bachelor.
Posted by: DLC
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November 29, 2010 2:06 AM
Forbidden Planet! I thought that movie was so cool, for what it was. 50s scifi but with a psychological twist.
Sorry to hear of his passing.
Posted by: dannystevens.myopenid.com
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November 29, 2010 3:26 AM
My wife and I went on one of our first dates to see "Return to the Forbidden Planet, Shakespear's forgotten musical". I still have the T-Shirts. The original flick is good 50's space opera and I love Adams and Altaira and the whole coy sex thing. And cook with the 80 bottles of smooth "rocket fuel" produced by Robbie after proper analysis in his built in and burping chem lab.
Its also fascinating that the monster in the force field special effect was produced by Disney and the bit of the space man being ripped in half was censored out of the cinematic release.
Sigh. Time keeps on moving on and we lose the people, but the film stays as a fun piece of work.
Posted by: Alice Bluegown
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November 29, 2010 4:29 AM
Weirdest thing I ever saw Leslie Nielson in was hosting a video ostensibly dedicated to the air races at Reno, Nevada - in fact air racing took up roughly ten minutes of its 2-hour running time, the rest being given over to an insanely detailed (and hopelessly boring) survey of Reno's downtown nightlife.
That aside, Forbidden Planet is a classic, but then so is Airplane - Mr Nielson will be missed.
Posted by: locka99
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November 29, 2010 4:51 AM
Surely you can't be serious.
Posted by: antallan
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November 29, 2010 5:27 AM
Oh, it would have been so spooky if, when I was in the Forbidden Planet shop in Birmingham yesterday, I had bought the Forbidden Planet DVD…
(I did, almost, but it’s cheaper on amazon.)
Posted by: fcaccin
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November 29, 2010 6:49 AM
I do. Fondly.
Posted by: Dancaban
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November 29, 2010 7:07 AM
Spooky. Last week just bought the 50th anniversary DVD box set of Forbidden Planet...
Posted by: fowlbruce
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November 29, 2010 7:24 AM
You wield the American screwdriver of statement with righteousness. It is a sad condemnation of our kultur that the pinnacle of science fiction cinema can only be remembered for stoogery. Perhaps this is the actual nature of monsters from the Id?
Posted by: Cowcakes
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November 29, 2010 7:24 AM
I will raise a glass in his memory when I get to watch my recently arrived copy of Forbidden Planet on Blue-Ray (I've had the DVD since it was first available). It's a true classic of the genre and holds up surprisingly well.
His Naked Gun stuff was brilliant. Still ROFL at "I haven't had this much sex since I was a scout master".
Posted by: Nebula99
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November 29, 2010 7:40 AM
I love forbidden planet. It's an awesome movie, and it gave me a nightmare the first time I saw it. I still remember both the nightmare and the movie vividly.
Moment of silence for Leslie Nielson:
.
Posted by: ursulamajor
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November 29, 2010 8:00 AM
As soon as I heard, I linked a youtube clip from Forbidden Planet on FB, not one from Airplane. Plenty of us are old enough to remember him from his earlier work. Part of the reason he was so funny in Airplane (along with Stack, Lloyd and Graves) is that it was so odd to see them doing that kind of schticky, broad comedy.
Posted by: neon-elf.myopenid.com
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November 29, 2010 8:20 AM
When I heard of Leslie's death on the news, Forbidden Planet was the first thing that I thought of. But I grew up watching '50s SF movies on TV every school holidays when I was a kid, so that may explain it.
Danny @ #35:
I have a Return to the Forbidden Planet T-shirt, too! I saw a production in Melbourne in the early '90s.
Posted by: AJ Milne OM
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November 29, 2010 8:25 AM
I had a coworker once tell me one of his best friends from childhood got seated next to Nielsen on a plane. And he's sitting there thinking, as a lot of us probably would, fuck, that's Leslie Nielsen. What do I say? He must get so pestered... gotta come up with something at least halfway clever.
Then it occurs to him. He pulls out a cigarette, holds it out, sez to Nielsen, 'Cigarette'?
Nielsen replies without skipping a beat, in perfect, deadpan Rumack/Drebin style: 'It certainly is.'
... and somehow, I pretty much believe this account.
Posted by: Rev. BigDumbChimp
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November 29, 2010 8:28 AM
I am serious... and don't call me Shirley
Posted by: george.wiman
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November 29, 2010 8:30 AM
Our town is lucky enough to have a city-owned historic theater. It is a restored 1930's Art Deco theater and they show classic, foreign and independent films. It is one of the best things about our community, though I suppose it could be called Socialistic.
Just two weeks ago the Mrs and I saw a wonderful print of Forbidden Planet there. I had never seen it on the big screen before. We had no idea he was ill.
Posted by: Gawdzilla
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November 29, 2010 8:31 AM
"Let's say he was in a show called 'Police Squad'."
Posted by: SteveV, Death's Pissant Haberdasher
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November 29, 2010 8:41 AM
"Who are you and how did you get in here?"
"I'm a locksmith and - I'm a locksmith"
(reposted from another place)
Posted by: IanKoro
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November 29, 2010 8:43 AM
In the early 50s there was an AWESOME live sci-fi show called Tales of Tomorrow. Here's an episode starring Mr. Nielsen. I know he was in several others, and this is hardly the best episode in the series but here it is.
http://www.archive.org/details/TOT_Another_Chance
There are plenty of other episodes on archive.org
Posted by: NotStradamus
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November 29, 2010 8:52 AM
Leslie and his brother Erik were both famous. Erik Nielsen was a conservative MP for the Yukon Territory and Deputy Prime Minister under Brian Mulroney.
Posted by: Eidolon
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November 29, 2010 9:34 AM
I will miss him. I remember "Forbidden Planet" and the associated nightmares from my youth. Now, when I watch the DVD, I still am surprised at the overall quality for the time it was made. As for his comedy work, "Police Squad" was great, even if for only 4 episodes and "Airplane" was perhaps the best send-up ever. I would rate it right along "Young Frankenstein" for funniest movie.
He had a great career - actually a couple of them - and will be well remembered for the enjoyment he brought to so many. I'd say that was a life well lived.
Posted by: jaranath
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November 29, 2010 10:04 AM
I hear ya, Caine, but I'm thinking of people like my nephew, for whom old movies practically don't exist. Maybe a remake would seduce them into checkin out the original...but then, I'm a hopeless optimist.
Posted by: mistereveready
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November 29, 2010 10:10 AM
I much preferred his serious acting than his comedies. Forbidden planet was good, and he kept a strong presence in it.
Posted by: gerryfromktown
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November 29, 2010 10:36 AM
When I was growing up in Canada in the 1970's, Leslie Nielson was the advertising face of the Bank of Montreal. At that time he was a "serious" actor, and his straight-as-an-arrow delivery was supposed to reassure us all that our money was in safe hands.
It was only later that he parlayed that straight-as-an-arrow delivery into his deadpan comedy delivery of lines like "... and don't call me Shirley".
Anyone else remember him in those TV spots, dressed in plaid business suit? I wish I could find a clip somewhere ...
Posted by: Ignignockt
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November 29, 2010 10:44 AM
I am sad to see him go.
The doctors did say he had a 50/50 chance of making it; though there was only a 10 percent chance of that.
Posted by: toth
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November 29, 2010 11:15 AM
No!! This is horrible! At least we'll always have Police Squad. And Naked Gun movies. And Airplane.
Posted by: Shala
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November 29, 2010 12:00 PM
I'm going to go watch Airplane! again just because of this.
Posted by: Michelle R
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November 29, 2010 12:01 PM
@Squidocto: You're right. And I fully intend to fix that ASAP. For my love of B movies (and Nielsen.)
Posted by: P_Smith
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November 29, 2010 12:11 PM
"Doesn't anyone remember Forbidden Planet?"
What most Americans wouldn't know is that Leslie Neilsen was the brother of Erik Neilsen, former Deputy Prime Minister to Brian Mulroney - a horrid decade of "leadership" that was as blindly obedient to Ronnie Raygun as Tony Blair was to George Bu**sh**.
It was Mulroney's incompetence and corruption that destroyed the traditional Progressive Conservative party, opening the door to extreme rightwing political groups including the Reform Party, which was linked to the neo-nazis in Alberta. The current Canadian conservative government is the descendant of that far-right movement.
.
Posted by: Buttered Potato
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November 29, 2010 12:12 PM
"Use your open eye, Frank."
I was born late enough to only remember his work from Police Squad on.
Posted by: horrabin
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November 29, 2010 12:31 PM
What? Doesn't anyone remember Nielsen's greatest role? "Day of the Animals", a 70s revenge-of-nature flick with Leslie as a businessman who turns into a brutish alpha-male when the animals attack. Here's the best part: BEAR!.
Bonus points for a shirtless Nielsen yelling at god: "Our father who art in heaven...you've made a jackass out of me for years!".
Posted by: scarina
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November 29, 2010 1:14 PM
My personal favorite will always be Creepshow, when he buried his unfailthful wife and her lover up to their necks in the sand as the tide came in. It's my favorite part of that whole movie.
Also, as Uncle Lucas when he married Dorothy on The Golden Girls.
Posted by: daveau
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November 29, 2010 2:37 PM
Forbidden Planet should be on everyone's fave Sci-fi movie list. High budget, good story, the classic Robby the Robot, Walter Pidgeon, and Anne Francis busily tearing down those 50s mores. First thing I thought of. The second was Airplane. Farewell Leslie Nielsen.
Posted by: markkernes
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November 29, 2010 2:58 PM
I remember him as the police captain in "The New Breed" TV show -- "A Quinn Martin Production." They had a sign over the squad room doorway reading, "No Fat Cops Stealing Apples."
Posted by: Silič O'Nopolitanopoulos, Färschdbischuf Beesknees aus Ulm und Klein Elguth, Elector Pharynguline.
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November 29, 2010 3:05 PM
I hate you, timfast.
Posted by: oodiesmith
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November 29, 2010 3:08 PM
I have a copy of Airplane (it was retitled Flying High here) right next to a copy of Forbidden Planet on my shelf. I'll watch them both and let the laughter battle the 'monsters from the Id'.
Posted by: oodiesmith
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November 29, 2010 3:13 PM
I'd forgotten Creepshow. "I can hold my breath for a very long time!" And that corpse was Ted Dansen, or Danson....you know, the dude from Cheers.
Posted by: stevieinthecity#9dac9
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November 29, 2010 3:18 PM
Irvin Kershner, director of the Empire Strikes Back died early this morning. May the force be with you.
Posted by: Dave Gilbert
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November 29, 2010 5:00 PM
What, Leslie Neilson and Irvin Kershner dead? Seems I picked the wrong week to quit amphetamines.
Posted by: jbowen42
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November 29, 2010 5:02 PM
I haven’t seen any of those movies in a very long time. While reading this thread, the scene where Frank Drebin jumped on the queen popped into my head and I literally laughed out loud here at work.
I’ll definitely have to watch them again.
Posted by: Pacal
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November 29, 2010 6:35 PM
I will miss Leslie Nielson also. I remember in the first Naked Gun flick. Ms. Presley is up on a ladder and it looks like Drebin is looking up her dress and he says "Nice Beaver". Ms. Preseley then hands down a stuffed Beaver, (the Rodent) to Drebin.
Posted by: https://www.google.com/accounts/o8/id?id=AItOawkqQXrl7yEsdEmCGIJY6e4vK85szmL2lf8
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November 29, 2010 8:21 PM
I remember him as the Revolutionary war hero Francis Marion in Disney's The Swamp Fox.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vvQJ7ZDg1Y&feature=related
Posted by: Cory Meyer
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November 29, 2010 10:25 PM
I have a Forbidden Planet movie poster right next to me at this very moment, truth be told.
Posted by: chosenfrozen
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November 30, 2010 12:58 AM
Just don't call him Shirley.
My favorite Yukonner gone, sad sad.
Posted by: https://me.yahoo.com/a/K2PNji0at.txAjzTShOlxwLuFcVVFwbnng--#bd813
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November 30, 2010 1:09 AM
How very similar Forbidden Planet is to a STAR Trek episode. (But better in some respects)
Posted by: antallan
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November 30, 2010 6:18 AM
@ #75
Actually, so do I (and did yesterday). It’s on the door of my study.
@ #77
Actually, that’s not surprising. I recall that Roddenberry publicly acknowledged that Forbidden Planet had been one of the inspirations for Star Trek. You just know which of the C-57D crew would’ve been wearing red shirts…
Posted by: The Sailor
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November 30, 2010 1:22 PM
My boss, 5 years older than me, when I told her the news, went "the Swamp Fox is dead!?" And then went on and on about his manner and horse riding and such.
I think she had a crush on him.
He had an incredible career, he worked almost every year of his professional life.
Ya kinda got to wonder what was going on in the minds of all the vintage actors who were solicited for Airplane! 'I play what!? In a movie about what!? Saying WHAT!?' And yet they did it, and the world is a better place for it.
Thanks Leslie, RIP.
Posted by: =8)-DX
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December 1, 2010 6:33 PM
The monsters from the ID are really the only valid naturalistic "gods" or "ghosts" that atheists must fear. If you are a concept you don't exist as an object, but can exist without a material body or shape, as a configuration or arrangement of real existing entities. If technology allows humans to better express their concepts physically, disaster may be the outcome.