Celebrating 80's week here at HorrorBid has been all fun and games so far. Its given us a chance to look back and laugh at a decade that helped mold who and what we are today. Unfortunately in this life, the good is usually followed by bad and such is the case with the news off the wire today.....

Follow up:

If you want to talk about the 1980's, regardless if it invovles horror or not, the name Leslie Nielson is going to pop up near the top of the list. The man was a living breathing icon of the decade and his popularity today is as strong as it was 20 years ago. Obviously when you think of Leslie Nielson comedy first comes to mind. Hits like Airplane, Spy Hard and the Naked Gun movies sky rocketed Nielson as Mr. Dead Pan and led the actor and comedian on a whirlwind of fame that many others will never achieve.

You may or not be aware of this but it was until 1980, when Nielson starred in Airplane, did the actor get his comedic feet wet so-to-speak. Before the 80's Leslie Nielson starred in hits like Forbidden Planet and countless TV shows and Westerns that showed the actors dramatic roots were just as strong as his slapstick comedies.

And we finally get to the very genre we all love, horror. Nielson couldn't be a great performance actor without being in more than a few horror films and the man didn't shy away from the genre. Whether it be his performance in Prom Night or his role in the classic Creepshow, Nielson had the range needed to not just make it in the business but to become a star. Add in roles like Father Jebedaiah Mayii in Repossessed, which costarred The Exorcist's Linda Blair, along with Dracula Dead and Loving It and Nielson proved to the world that horror could indeed have a funnier, lighter side.


The man looked 65 every day of his life with his never changing, snow white hair. He never seemed to look older or younger, which is why I think this news is so hard to hear. We obviously love to goof off around here as much, if not more, than most so Neslon to all of us was a true legend in the business. He lived a meaningful and long 84 years but he will be missed. There is no denying that. His legacy however will go on thanks to the countless hours of fantastic films he left for us to watch. I think its time for a little Frank Drebin action right now, and of course we can't end this without a classic line from Nielson below....