Gene Nelson (born Leander Eugene Berg; March 24, 1920 – September 16, 1996) was an American actor, dancer, screenwriter, and director.

Biography

Born Leander Eugene Berg in

Astoria, Oregon Astoria is a port city and the seat of Clatsop County, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1811, Astoria is the oldest city in the state and was the first permanent American settlement west of the Rocky Mountains. The county is the northwest corne ...

, he and his family moved to Seattle when he was one year old. 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 World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

, during which he also performed in the musical '' This Is the Army'', Nelson landed his first Broadway role in ''

Lend an Ear ''Lend an Ear'' is a musical revue with a book, music, and lyrics by Charles Gaynor and additional sketches by Joseph Stein and Will Glickman.Gaynor, CharleLend an Ear:An Intimate Musical Revuegoogle books), Samuel French, Inc., 1948, Producti ...

''. His performance earned a

Theatre World Award The Theatre World Award is an American honor presented annually to actors and actresses in recognition of an outstanding New York City stage debut performance, either on Broadway or Off-Broadway. It was first awarded for the 1945–1946 theatre se ...

. 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 Doris Day (born Doris Mary Kappelhoff; April 3, 1922 – May 13, 2019) was an American actress, singer, and activist. She began her career as a big band singer in 1939, achieving commercial success in 1945 with two No. 1 recordings, " Sent ...

in '' Lullaby of Broadway'' in 1951. He played Will Parker in the film '' Oklahoma!'' In 1959, he appeared in ''

Northwest Passage The Northwest Passage (NWP) is the sea route between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans through the Arctic Ocean, along the northern coast of North America via waterways through the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. The eastern route along the ...

'' as a young 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 Julius Henry "Groucho" Marx (; October 2, 1890 – August 19, 1977) was an American comedian, actor, writer, stage, film, radio, singer, television star and vaudeville performer. He is generally considered to have been a master of quick wit an ...

. He and Groucho's daughter,

Melinda Melinda is a feminine given name. Etymology The modern name ''Melinda'' is a combination of "Mel" with the suffix "-inda". "Mel" can be derived from names such as Melanie meaning "dark, black" in Greek, or from Melissa (μέλισσα) meaning ...

, performed a dance number together. Nelson directed eight episodes of ''

The Rifleman ''The Rifleman'' is an American Western television program starring Chuck Connors as rancher Lucas McCain and Johnny Crawford as his son Mark McCain. It was set in the 1880s in the fictional town of North Fork, New Mexico Territory. The sho ...

'' in the 1961–62 season. He also directed episodes of the original ''

Star Trek ''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the eponymous 1960s television series and quickly became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon. The franchise has expanded into vari ...

'', ''

I Dream of Jeannie ''I Dream of Jeannie'' is an American fantasy sitcom television series, created by Sidney Sheldon that starred Barbara Eden as a sultry, 2,000-year-old genie and Larry Hagman, as an astronaut with whom she falls in love and eventually mar ...

'' (the first season), ''

Gunsmoke ''Gunsmoke'' is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. It centers on Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1870s, during the settlement of the American West. The central chara ...

'' (and starred in many others including “Saludos” (1959) & “Say Uncle" The_Silent_Force'',_and_''The_San_Pedro_Beach_Bums.html" ;"title="The Silent Force (TV series)">The Silent Force'', and ''The San Pedro Beach Bums">The Silent Force (TV series)">The Silent Force'', and ''The San Pedro Beach Bums''. Nelson directed the Elvis Presley films '' Kissin' Cousins'' (1964), for which he also wrote the screenplay, and '' Harum Scarum'' (1965). 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 San Francisco State University (commonly referred to as San Francisco State, SF State and SFSU) is a public research university in San Francisco. As part of the 23-campus California State University system, the university offers 118 different ...

. He starred as Buddy in the 1971 Broadway musical '' Follies'', for which he received a 1972

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual c ...

nomination for Featured Actor in a Musical. The production featured a score by

Stephen Sondheim Stephen Joshua Sondheim (; March 22, 1930November 26, 2021) was an American composer and lyricist. One of the most important figures in twentieth-century musical theater, Sondheim is credited for having "reinvented the American musical" with sho ...

, was co-directed by Michael Bennett and

Harold Prince Harold Smith Prince (born Harold Smith; January 30, 1928 – July 31, 2019), commonly known as Hal Prince, was an American theatre director and producer known for his work in musical theatre. One of the foremost figures in 20th century America ...

, and co-starred

Alexis Smith Margaret Alexis Fitzsimmons-Smith (June 8, 1921 – June 9, 1993) was a Canadian-born American actress and singer. She appeared in several major Hollywood films in the 1940s and had a notable career on Broadway in the 1970s, winning a Tony Awar ...

and Dorothy Collins. In 1990, for contributions to the motion picture industry, Nelson was inducted into the

Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a historic landmark which consists of more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, Calif ...

. His star is located at 7005 Hollywood Boulevard.

Death

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

Filmography

Actor

* '' Second Fiddle'' (1939) as Minor Role (uncredited) * '' Everything Happens at Night'' (1939) as Skater (uncredited) * '' This Is the Army'' (1943) as Soldier (uncredited) * ''

I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now "I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now" is a popular song. The music was written by Harold Orlob, the lyrics by Will M. Hough and Frank R. Adams. Orlob worked for Joseph E. Howard generating songs for Howard's productions and Howard presented the son ...

'' (1947) as Tommy Yale * '' Gentleman's Agreement'' (1947) as Second Ex-GI in Restaurant (uncredited) * '' The Walls of Jericho'' (1948) as Assistant Prosecutor (uncredited) * ''

Apartment for Peggy ''Apartment for Peggy'' is a 1948 American comedy-drama film directed by George Seaton and starring Jeanne Crain, William Holden, and Edmund Gwenn. The plot is about a depressed professor whose spirits are lifted when he rents part of his home to ...

'' (1948) as Jerry (uncredited) * ''

The Daughter of Rosie O'Grady ''The Daughter of Rosie O'Grady'' is a 1950 American musical film directed by David Butler. It stars June Haver and Gordon MacRae. The story is mostly about the lives of musical performers in New York in the closing years of the 19th century. M ...

'' (1950) as Doug Martin * '' Tea for Two'' (1950) as Tommy Trainor * '' The West Point Story'' (1950) as Hal Courtland * '' Lullaby of Broadway'' (1951) as Tom Farnham * '' Painting the Clouds with Sunshine'' (1951) as Ted Lansing * '' Starlift'' (1951) as Gene Nelson * '' She's Working Her Way Through College'' (1952) as Don Weston * '' She's Back on Broadway'' (1953) as Gordon Evans * '' Crime Wave'' (1953) as Steve Lacey * '' Three Sailors and a Girl'' (1954) as Twitch * '' So This Is Paris'' (1954) as Al Howard * ''

The Atomic Man ''Timeslip'' (known as ''The Atomic Man'' in the United States) is a 1955 British black-and-white science fiction film directed by Ken Hughes and starring Gene Nelson and Faith Domergue. Produced by Alec C. Snowden, it is based on a script by ...

'' (1955) as Mike Delaney * '' Oklahoma!'' (1955) as Will Parker * '' The Way Out'' (1956) as Greg Carradine * ''Little New Orleans Girl'' (1956) as Gregory Gold * ''Shangri-La'' (1960, TV movie) as Robert * ''

20,000 Eyes ''20,000 Eyes'' is a 1961 American drama film directed by Jack Leewood, written by Jack W. Thomas, and starring Gene Nelson, Merry Anders, James Brown, John Banner, Judith Rawlins and Robert Shayne. The film was released on June 14, 1961, b ...

'' (1961) as Dan Warren * '' The Purple Hills'' (1961) as Gil Shepard * '' Thunder Island'' (1963) as Billy Poole * ''

Family Flight ''Family Flight'' is an American television movie that originally aired on ABC on October 25, 1972. The film stars Rod Taylor and centers on a family whose plane crash-lands in the Baja California peninsula. The film was one of the first times T ...

'' (1972, TV Movie) as Aircraft Carrier Captain * '' S.O.B.'' (1981) as Clive Lytell

Director

* ''Life with Archie'' (1962, TV Movie) * '' Hand of Death'' (1962) * ''

Hootenanny Hoot ''Hootenanny Hoot'' is a 1963 folk music musical film directed by Gene Nelson. It stars Peter Breck and Ruta Lee. Plot A TV director, having split up with his producer-wife, decides to telecast a traveling hootenanny show. Cast *Peter Breck as ...

'' (1963) * ''

Your Cheatin' Heart "Your Cheatin' Heart" is a song written and recorded by country music singer-songwriter Hank Williams in 1952. It is regarded as one of country's most important standards. Williams was inspired to write the song while driving with his fiancée ...

'' (1964) * '' Kissin' Cousins'' (1964) * ''Archie'' (1964, TV Movie) * '' Harum Scarum'' (1965) * ''

(1965, Season 1) * ''Where's Everett'' (1966, TV Movie) * ''

The Cool Ones ''The Cool Ones'' (aka ''Cool, Baby Cool'') is a 1967 film starring Roddy McDowall and directed by Gene Nelson. The 1960s novelty singer known as Mrs. Miller performs in a cameo role, and the film features performances by the bands the Leaves an ...

'' (1967) * '' Wake Me When the War Is Over'' (1969, TV Movie) * '' The Letters'' (1973, TV Movie) * ''Dan August: The Jealousy Factor'' (1980, TV Movie)

Awards and nominations

References

External links

*
Gene Nelson at Apacheland Movie Ranch
' * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Nelson, Gene 1920 births 1996 deaths American male dancers American male film actors American male musical theatre actors American male television actors American male screenwriters American television directors Male actors from Seattle Deaths from cancer in California New Star of the Year (Actor) Golden Globe winners 20th-century American male actors Male actors from Washington (state) People from Astoria, Oregon Male actors from Oregon Film directors from Washington (state) Film directors from Oregon Dancers from Washington (state) Dancers from Oregon Screenwriters from Washington (state) Screenwriters from Oregon 20th-century American dancers 20th-century American male writers 20th-century American writers 20th-century American screenwriters 20th-century American male singers 20th-century American singers