Here’s why Leslie Nielsen preferred comedy over drama on television

Leslie Nielsen was a veteran dramatic actor who made his comedic debut later in his career with the 1980 disaster spoof Airplane!

Acting in Airplane! changed the course of his career — from the serious guy to the guy who was never serious. After his success in Airplane!, he kept the comedy going with the 1982 series Police Squad!, playing Detective Frank Drebin in the one-season wonder.

Airplane! taught him not only how to be funny, but also what kind of comedy worked best for him.

In a 1982 interview with The Town Talk, Nielsen said that he drew inspiration from his role in Airplane! when approaching his character on Police Squad!

"The secret of the producers' brand of comedy is to play your character with complete seriousness and credibility. That’s where the insanity comes in," Nielsen said. "In Police Squad! I start out playing a lieutenant, but then I’ll say that I’m a captain and then work my way up through the ranks. It’s absolute deadpan comedy."

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Leslie Nielsen found a love for comedy through Police Squad!

Nielsen said he turned to television comedy because "the search for a good serious script is elusive right now." But he quickly realized that comedy was exactly where he wanted to be—and Police Squad! was a perfect fit.

"Besides, I like going to work every day and laughing," Nielsen said. "There aren’t too many jobs out there like that. My intuition tells me that Police Squad! will be very successful. I usually don’t go out on a limb and say things like that either."

Nielsen was part of a growing trend at the time—networks were giving familiar TV names from the past a second act, recycling stars like James Garner and James Arness into more contemporary roles. 

"It used to be that the networks would avoid you if you had too much exposure," Nielsen said. "Today they’re looking for anybody who had exposure, because you become etched into the memory of people's lives."

Though Police Squad! was short-lived, it cemented Nielsen’s legacy as a master of deadpan humor and paved the way for even greater comedic success in the Naked Gun film series.

He had a true love for making people laugh—a love shared by the many fans who embraced his unserious side.