Veteran actor Leslie Nielsen dies at 84

Tributes have been pouring in for Canadian–American actor and comedian Leslie Nielsen, who passed away this week, ending a five decade long entertainment career.

A veteran of more than 100 films, most notably the Naked Gun movies, and 1,500 television programmes, the iconic star died in a Fort Lauderdale, Florida, hospital on November 28th.

Nielsen's nephew Doug told Canadian radio station CJOB that the 84-year-old actor died in his sleep of complications from pneumonia after being in hospital for 12 days with the illness.

"He just fell asleep and passed away. He was truly a nice man. A very caring, naturally funny guy in day-to-day life, not just because someone wrote something on paper for him," he said.

"He was a very tender-hearted man. He was one of my best friends and I loved him dearly. I'll miss him greatly."

Nielsen also starred in Airplane!, which turned him into a household name, as well as Police Squad and more lately, Superhero Movie and An American Carol.