LESLIE NIELSEN has died. He was 84.

The comedy actor—best known for his role in movies Airplane! and the Naked Gun series—died in his sleep yesterday as a result of complications from pneumonia last November 28 in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.

His agent John S. Kelly confirmed the star's passing in a statement which also paid tribute to his lengthy career.

Kelly said: "We are saddened by the passing of beloved actor Leslie Nielsen, probably best remembered as Lt. Frank Drebin in The Naked Gun series of pictures, but who enjoyed a more than 60-year career in motion pictures and television."

His nephew Doug told radio station CJOB the actor was a "very caring" man who he would miss "greatly"

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

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

Canadian-born Leslie appeared in a number of big movies before his break into comedy, including sci-fi epic Forbidden Planet and The Poseidon Adventure in 1972.

He was married four times and is survived by his last wife Barbaree Earl and two children from his second marriage to Alisande Ullman, Maura and Thea.

ANGELINA JOLIE and BRAD PITT celebrated son Pax's seventh birthday on a river boat cruise in Paris.

The couple took the youngster and three of his siblings—Maddox, 9, Zahara, 5, and four-year-old Shiloh—on the French city's River Seine on the evening of November 28 in a chartered boat named Josephine.

Birthday boy Pax was treated to a special cake while the boat was decorated with balloons.

Despite the cold weather Pax, Maddox, Zahara, and Shiloh all seemed to have a great time although there was no sign of their two-year-old twin siblings Knox and Vivienne.

As well as celebrating Pax's birthday, earlier in the day Brad and Angelina had taken Zahara and Shiloh Christmas shopping in the French capital.