Gene Nelson


Gene Nelson was an American actor, dancer, screenwriter, and director.
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Biography

Nelson was born Eugene Leander Berg in Seattle, Washington. By 1924, he and his parents moved to Santa Monica. He was inspired to become a dancer during his childhood by watching Fred Astaire in films. After serving in the Army during World War II, during which he also performed in the musical This Is the Army, Nelson landed his first Broadway role in Lend an Ear. His performance earned a Theatre World Award. He also appeared onstage in Good News. Nelson's longtime professional dance partner during the 1950s was actress JoAnn Dean Killingsworth.
Nelson co-starred with Doris Day in [Lullaby of Broadway theatre|Broadway (film)|Lullaby of Broadway] in 1951. He played Will Parker in the film Oklahoma!
In 1959, he appeared in Northwest Passage as a man trying to prove his innocence in a murder case. Nelson appeared on the March 17, 1960 episode of You Bet Your Life, hosted by Groucho Marx. He and Groucho's daughter, Melinda, performed a dance number together.
Nelson directed eight episodes of The Rifleman in the 1961–62 season. He also directed episodes of the original Star Trek, I Dream of Jeannie, Gunsmoke, The Silent Force, and The San Pedro Beach Bums. Nelson directed the Elvis Presley films Kissin' Cousins, for which he also wrote the screenplay, and Harum Scarum. For the Kissin' Cousins screenplay he received a Writers Guild of America award nomination for best written musical. In the late 1980s, he taught in the Theater Arts Department at San Francisco State University.
He starred as Buddy in the 1971 Broadway musical Follies, for which he received a 1972 Tony Award nomination for Featured Actor in a Musical. The production featured a score by Stephen Sondheim, was co-directed by Michael Bennett and Harold Prince, and co-starred Alexis Smith and Dorothy Collins.
In 1990, for contributions to the motion picture industry, Nelson was inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame. His star is located at 7005 Hollywood Boulevard.

Death

Nelson died of cancer, aged 76, in Los Angeles.

Filmography

Actor

Second Fiddle as Minor Role Everything Happens at Night as Skater This Is the Army as Soldier I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now as Tommy YaleGentleman's Agreement as Second Ex-GI in Restaurant The Walls of Jericho as Assistant Prosecutor Apartment for Peggy as Jerry The Daughter of Rosie O'Grady as Doug MartinTea for Two as Tommy TrainorThe West Point Story as Hal CourtlandLullaby of Broadway as Tom FarnhamPainting the Clouds with Sunshine as Ted LansingStarlift as Gene NelsonShe's Working Her Way Through College as Don WestonShe's Back on Broadway as Gordon EvansCrime Wave as Steve LaceyThree Sailors and a Girl as TwitchSo This Is Paris as Al HowardThe Atomic Man as Mike DelaneyOklahoma! as Will ParkerThe Way Out as Greg CarradineLittle New Orleans Girl as Gregory GoldShangri-La as Robert20,000 Eyes as Dan WarrenThe Purple Hills as Gil ShepardThunder Island as Billy PooleFamily Flight as Aircraft Carrier CaptainS.O.B. as Clive Lytell

Director

Life with Archie Hand of Death Hootenanny Hoot Your Cheatin' Heart Kissin' Cousins Archie Harum Scarum I Dream of Jeannie Where's Everett The Cool Ones Wake Me When the War Is Over The Letters
  • ''Dan August: The Jealousy Factor''