Leslie Carlson

• Date of Birth:

  24 February 1933 Mitchell, South Dakota, USA

Excellent, prolific and versatile character actor Leslie Carlson was born on February 24, 1933 in Mitchell, South Dakota. Leslie has both a BFA and an MA from the University of South Dakota, which he attended in the 50's. Carlson began his acting career performing in several stage plays in both America and England. He immigrated to Canada in the late 60's and began popping up in a slew of films and TV shows in the early 70's. His most memorable movie roles include helpful police officer Gr... more

Excellent, prolific and versatile character actor Leslie Carlson was born on February 24, 1933 in Mitchell, South Dakota. Leslie has both a BFA and an MA from the University of South Dakota, which he attended in the 50's. Carlson began his acting career performing in several stage plays in both America and England. He immigrated to Canada in the late 60's and began popping up in a slew of films and TV shows in the early 70's. His most memorable movie roles include helpful police officer Graham in the chilling seasonal slasher shocker "Black Christmas," stuffy newspaper reporter Tom Sims in the creepy "Deranged," security expert Jim in "Shoot," bumbling drunk Bud in "High-Ballin'," and a pushy Christmas tree salesman in the delightful "A Christmas Story." Leslie has appeared in four pictures for noted director David Cronenberg: splendidly slimy as sinister white collar corporate sleazeball Barry Convex in "Videodrome" (for which he was nominated for a Genie Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role), "The Dead Zone," "The Fly," and the offbeat short "Camera." Among the many TV shows Carlson has done guest spots on are "Road to Avonlea," "The X-Files," "Highlander," "Friday the 13: The Series," "21 Jump Street," "MacGyver," "The Twilight Zone," and "The New Avengers." In addition to his film and TV credits, Leslie has also acted throughout the decades in stage productions of such plays as "Homecoming," "Our Town," "A Lie of the Mind" (Carlson was nominated for a Jessie Richardson Award in 1989 for his sterling work in this particular play), "A Walk in the Woods," "Candida," "Glengarry Glen Ross," "Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde," "Hamlet," "Joggers," "All My Sons," and "Death and the Maiden." Leslie Carlson lives in Ontario, Canada.