Born in the small South Dakota city of Mitchell, Carlson earned both a BFA and an MA from the University of South Dakota,[1] which he attended in the 1950s and began his acting career performing in several stage plays in both the U.S and England. His performances include A Walk in the Woods in 1991 at the Gateway Theatre and Glengarry Glen Ross, Jekyll & Hyde (musical), Hamlet, Joggers, All My Sons, and Death and the Maiden. He immigrated to Canada in the late 1960s and began acting in many films and TV shows in the early '70s. His most memorable film roles were in the horror classic Black Christmas and Deranged, both in 1974. Carlson appeared in four movies from director David Cronenberg, including Videodrome and The Dead Zone. His TV appearances include The X-Files, The Series, 21 Jump Street and Road to Avonlea.[2]
Carlson was married to actress Patricia Hamilton, and they had one child together, actor Ben Carlson. He had another son, Edmund Carlson, with his second wife, Joan Warren, in 1988.[3] He died of cancer in Toronto, Ontario.[4]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|
| 1972 | Norman Corwin Presents | 1 episode - Letters from an Only Child |
| 1973 | The Neptune Factor | Brigs, Triton Radioman | other title - The Neptune Disaster |
| The Hard Part Begins | Mechanic | (credited as Les Carlson) |
| 1974 | Deedee | Television film (credited as Les Carlson) |
| Deranged | Tom Sims | other title - Deranged: Confessions of a Necrophile |
| Black Christmas | Graham | other titles - Silent Night, Evil Night,
Stranger in the House |
| 1975 | King of Kensington | 1 episode - Where's Cathy? |
| 1976 | Shoot | Jim | (credited as Les Carlson) |
| 1977 | I Wasn't Scared | Master Warrant Officer George Lewinsky | (credited as Les Carlson) |
| Raku Fire | (credited as Les Carlson) |
| Love at First Sight | Stu | (credited as Les Carlson) |
| Deadly Harvest | The Minister | (credited as Les Carlson) |
| Custard Pie | Aldo Ludwit | (credited as Les Carlson) (unknown episodes) |
| Who Has Seen the Wind | Joe Pivotte | (credited as Les Carlson) |
| The New Avengers | Douglas Collings | 1 episode - Emily |
| 1978 | High-Ballin' | Bud | (credited as Les Carlson) |
| 1979 | Lost and Found | Jean-Paul |
| 1980 | Circle of Two | Doctor at the Hospital | (credited as Les Carlson) |
| Nothing Personal | Marshal #2 |
| 1981 | Mr. Patman | Mr. Abernathy | other title - Crossover (credited as Les Carlson) |
| Improper Channels | (credited as Les Carlson) |
| The Canadian Caper | Laingen | Television film (credited as Les Carlson) |
| 1982 | Shocktrauma | Elton Bates | Television Film (credited as Les Carlson) |
| 1983 | The Littlest Hobo | 2 episodes - Forget Me Not, Trucker (1982–1983) |
| Videodrome | Barry Convex | (credited as Les Carlson) |
| The Dead Zone | Brenner | (credited as Les Carlson) |
| A Christmas Story | Tree Man | (credited as Les Carlson) |
| 1984 | That's My Baby | Max | (credited as Les Carlson) |
| 1986 | The Fly | Dr. Brent Cheevers |
| The Laurenceville Stories | Conover | TV mini-series |
| Unnatural Causes | Bob | Television film (credited as Les Carlson) |
| 1987 | American Playhouse | Conover | 1 episode - The Prodigious Hickey |
| Smart Street | Marty | (credited as Les Carlson) |
| Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel | Mr. Marty Charles Lawson | Television film (credited as Les Carlson) |
| Rolling Vengeance | Misty's Father | (credited as Les Carlson) |
| 1988 | War of the Worlds | Detective #1 | 1 episode - The Walls of Jericho |
| The Twilight Zone | Jim Hilsen | 1 episode - The Hunters (credited as Les Carlson) |
| 1989 | Looking for Miracles | Principal | Television film (credited as Les Carlson) |
| Sing | Suit | (credited as Les Carlson) |
| The Series | Arkwright | 1 episode - The Prisoner |
| Street Legal | Squire/Michael | 2 episodes - Romeo and Carol, See No Evil (1987–1989) |
| 1990 | Scales of Justice | Larry Proke | 1 episode - Regina vs Horvath (credited as Les Carlson) |
| Mom P.I. | 1 episode - Looking for a Living |
| Neon Rider | Brent Paxton | 1 episode - All's Fair |
| MacGyver | Sparky
Doctor | 2 episodes - Ma Dalton, Passages (credited as Les Carlson) |
| 21 Jump Street | Professor Gray | 1 episode - Diplomats for Sale |
| Chaindance | Willy | other title - Common Bonds |
| 1991 | Road to Avonlea | Mr Lawson | 7 episodes - The Story Girl Earns Her Name, The Quarantine at Alexander Abraham's, The Materializing of Duncan McTavish, Aunt Abigail's Beau, Malcolm and the Baby, Sara's Homecoming, Dreamer of Dreams (1990–1991) (credited as Les Carlson) |
| The Girl from Mars | Mr. Sharbut | Television film |
| K2 | Dexter | |
| 1992 | Impolite | Billy |
| The Series | Sam Thompson | 2 episodes - Free Fall, Deadly Medicine |
| To Grandmother's House We Go | Doorman | Television film |
| The Exxon Valdez Disaster | Theo Polasek | Television film |
| 1993 | Morning Glory | Howard Pride | Television film |
| A Stranger in the Mirror | Harry Durkin | Television film |
| No Child of Mine | Television film |
| 1994 | The X-Files | Dr. Spitz
Dr.Troisky | 2 episodes - "Born Again", "Little Green Men" |
| 1995 | Young Again | Mr. Dillon | (credited as Les Carlson) |
| The Song Spinner | Lorie | Television film |
| 1996 | Moonshine Highway | Pappy | Television film (credited as Les Carlson) |
| Side Effects | Dr. Herschel Eisen | 1 episode - You Can Run |
| Beyond the Call | Dan | Television film (credited as Les Carlson) |
| 1997 | Chronicles of the Paranormal | Dr. Dale Hoff | 1 episode - Donor |
| 1999 | The Wishing Tree | Professor |
| 2000 | Camera | The Actor | Short film |
| Silver Man | Mule |
| The Spreading Ground | Magyar | (credited as Les Carlson) |
| Catch a Falling Star | Man at Station | Television film |
| The Harlan County War | Udell | Television film |
| The Last Debate | Pat Tubbs | Television film |
| 2001 | Haven | Old Man | TV mini-series |
| Bailey's Mistake | Stableman | Television film |
| Short6 | The Actor |
| Stolen Miracle | Mr. Neelandson | Television film (credited as Les Carlson) |
| 2002 | Odyssey 5 | Ruckner | 1 episode - Astronaut Dreams |
| Tribulation Force | Witness Eli | other title - Left Behind II: Tribulation Force (credited as Les Carlson) |
| 2003 | The Berenstain Bears | Gramps | 1 episode - Trouble with Grown-ups/Too Much TV (credited as Lesley Carlson) |
| 2004 | Anonymous Rex | Television film (credited as Les Carlson) |
| Snow | Chester | Television film (credited as Les Carlson) |
| 2005 | Looking for Angelina | Justice Britton | (credited as Les Carlson) |
| F.B.Eye | Mr. Weaver | 1 episode - Who Wants to Be a Millionaire |
| SARS in Toronto | Television film (credited as Les Carlson) |
| 2007 | Your Beautiful Cul de Sac Home | Harry Peale |
| 2010 | At Risk | George Finlay | Television film (credited as Les Carlson) |
| Haven | Vaughn Carpenter | 1 episode - "As You Were" |
1. ^{{cite web| url=http://usd.edu| title= University of South Dakota| publisher=usd.edu| date=| accessdate=August 27, 2010}}
2. ^{{cite web | url=http://www.filmreference.com/film/76/Leslie-Carlson.html| title=Leslie Carlson Biography| publisher=filmreference.com| date=| accessdate=August 28, 2010}}
3. ^[https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/leading-man-leslie-carlson-left-his-heart-with-the-theatre/article19150488/ Obituary: Leading man Leslie Carlson left his heart with the theatre] The Globe and Mail, 12 June 2014
4. ^"Leslie Merle CARLSON Obituary" (paid notice in the May 9 to May 10 issue of Toronto Star)