Orenthal James Simpson is best known for his role as āDetective Nordbergā in the film trilogy āThe Naked Gun.ā
In 1968, he appeared in uncredited parts in TV series āDragnet,ā āIt Takes a Thief,ā āIronside,ā and āThe Name of the Game.ā He began his professional acting career in 1969 with āMedical Center.ā This was followed by the short film āWhy?ā (1971), āCadeās Countyā (1972) and āHereās Lucyā (1973).
In 1974, Simpson featured in āThe Klansman,ā āThe Towering Inferno,ā and TV documentary āO.J. Simpson: Juice on the Loose.ā He was seen in āThe Cassandra Crossing,ā and āKiller Forceā in 1976, and the TV mini-series āRootsā (1977). He was also a part of āCapricorn One,ā and āFirepowerā (1978), and doubled up as actor-executive producer for TVās āGoldie & the Boxerā (two films 1979, 1981), āDetour to Terrorā (1980), and āCocaine and Blue Eyesā (1983).
Simpson appeared in TV series ā1st & Tenā (1985-1991) and āStudent Exchangeā (1987); and comedic film āBack to the Beachā (1987). His role as āDetective Nordbergā in āThe Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squadā (1988), āThe Naked Gun 2Ā½: The Smell of Fearā (1991), and āThe Naked Gun 331/3: The Final Insultā (1994), brought him recognition. In 1993, he featured in āCIA Code-Name: Alexa,ā and āNo Place to Hide.ā Ā
He starred in the TV show āJuicedā (2006) wherein a hidden camera taped the pranks he played on commoners. He appeared as himself in the TV show āJailā (2011), and āWho is America?ā (2018).