[MD Expat in PA]

Leslie Nielsen was known as a "serious" dramatic actor up until Airplane! which made him "the Olivier of spoofs" according to film critic Roger Ebert, and leading to further success in the genre with The Naked Gun and Scary Movie film series, and a leading role in a Mel Brooks comic horror, “Dracula: Dead and Loving It” – IMO not Brooks’ best work but still funny.

Robert Stack, Lloyd Bridges and Peter Graves also showed great comedic talent in Airplane!

[nomorelurker]

Leslie Nielsen was a once big name star who at the time Airplane was made was down to appearances on tv dramas and secondary movie roles. Airplane not only saved his career but in a sense made it.