R.I.P. Irvin Kershner and Leslie Nielsen

A sad start to the week with news of the passing of two talented men. First came word late Sunday that actor Leslie Nielsen had died of pneumonia following a staph infection. He was 84. While best known to audiences today for his deadpan comic performances in Airplane! and The Naked Gun series, he also appeared in the science fiction classic Forbidden Planet. In tribute MTV's blog site has listed several of Nielsen's best movies http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2010/11/29/remembering-leslie-nielsen-naked-gun-forbidden-planet/ Also gone after a reported long illness is director Irvin Kershner, who was 87 http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/11/29/irvin-kershner-empire-strikes-back-director-dies-at-87/. A long time filmmaking veteran, Kershner is best remembered for directing The Empire Strikes Back, adding human depth to the Star Wars series as well as the thriller The Eyes of Laura Mars and the non-series James Bond film Never Say Never Again. Both men will be missed.