Lori Nelson
Nelson in 1952
Born	Dixie Kay Nelson (1933-08-15)August 15, 1933 Santa Fe, New Mexico, U.S.
Died	August 23, 2020(2020-08-23) (aged 87) Los Angeles, California, U.S:
Occupations	Actress, model
Years active	1952–2005
Spouses	Johnny Mann ​ ​ (m. 1960; div. 1973)​ Joseph J. Reiner ​ (m. 1983)​
Children	2

Dixie Kay Nelson (August 15, 1933 – August 23, 2020), known professionally asLori Nelson, was an American actress and model mostly active in the 1950s and early 1960s. She had roles in the TV seriesHow to Marry a Millionaire and the filmsRevenge of the Creature,All I Desire, andI Died a Thousand Times.^[1]

Born Dixie Kay Nelson in Santa Fe, New Mexico,^[2] Nelson was the only child of Mr. and Mrs. R. A. Nelson.^[3] Her father was superintendent of the American Metal Mine Company inTererro, New Mexico.^[4] She was the great-grandniece ofJohn J. Pershing. She began her career at the age of two, appearing in local theater productions.^[2] When she was four years old, her family moved toEncino, California. At the age of five, she won the title of "Little Miss America".^[5] During her childhood, she toured veterans' hospitals entertaining patients,^[2] acted in productions of little theaters, and modeled for photographers.^[6][7]

At age seven, Nelson contractedrheumatic fever which left her bedridden for four years. After she recovered, she returned to pageants and won the title of Miss Encino at age 17.^[8][9] After graduating fromCanoga Park High School, Nelson worked as a model.^[10]

In 1950, she was signed to a seven-year contract withUniversal-International^[11] after a studio scout saw her performing in a little theater production.^[5]She made her film debut in the 1952WesternBend of the River. Later that year, she appeared as "Rosie Kettle" in the comedy filmMa and Pa Kettle at the Fair, followed by a supporting role inFrancis Goes to West Point. In 1955, Nelson guest starred in two episodes ofIt's a Great Life, and reprised her role as "Rosie Kettle" inMa and Pa Kettle at Waikiki. That same year, she co-starred in theCreature From the Black Lagoon sequelRevenge of the Creature andUnderwater! withJane Russell andRichard Egan.^[12][13]

Her supporting roles in films included the low-budget sci-fi storyDay the World Ended (1955), directed byRoger Corman, and a big-budgetParamount Pictures comedy-Western,Pardners, starringMartin and Lewis in one of their final films together. Nelson had a featured role inI Died a Thousand Times, a 1955 remake ofHigh Sierra, as well as in 1954'sDestry, a remake ofDestry Rides Again.^[12][13]

She was one of the leads in an 18th-century adventure storyMohawk. Nelson had top billing in the street-racing filmHot Rod Girl, also starringChuck Connors, and the following year she co-starred oppositeMamie Van Doren as law-breakers sentenced to work on a "punishment" farm inUntamed Youth.^[12][13]

In November 1957, Nelson co-starred withVan Johnson in the TV movieThe Pied Piper of Hamelin,^[4]: 20 which aired as a Thanksgiving Day special. Also in 1957, she was cast in one of the three lead roles in the syndicated sitcomHow to Marry a Millionaire. Based on the1953 film of the same name, Nelson starred as Greta Hanson, a brainy psychology major who works as an usher on a television game show.^[14] The series also starredBarbara Eden andMerry Anders. Nelson opted to leave the series after the first season, and her character was written out.^[1]

After leaving the series, Nelson continued with guest roles onWagon Train,Tales of Wells Fargo,The Tab Hunter Show,Bachelor Father, andArmstrong Circle Theatre. She took a 10-year break from acting in 1961 and returned with a guest role inFamily Affair in 1971. Dramatically Nelson worked sporadically thereafter. She made only three on-screen appearances in the 1990s, including a role in the direct-to-video releaseMom, Can I Keep Her? (1998). Her last role was in the 2005 low-budget science fiction horror filmThe Naked Monster, in which she reprised her role fromRevenge of the Creature.^[12][13]

In the early 1950s, Nelson dated actorTab Hunter. The relationship was fodder for gossip columnists at the time, and there was speculation that the two would marry. In his 2005 autobiographyTab Hunter Confidential: The Making of a Movie Star, Hunter admitted he considered marrying Nelson but was struggling to come to terms with his true sexuality.^[15][16] While Hunter was dating Nelson, he was secretly involved with figure skaterRonald Robertson.^[17] Nelson and Hunter eventually stopped dating but remained friendly. Hunter later cast Nelson in two guest-starring roles on his sitcomThe Tab Hunter Show.^[18]

On December 10, 1960, Nelson married composer and singing group leaderJohnny Mann in Los Angeles. The couple had two daughters, then divorced in April 1973. In April 1983, Nelson married police officer Joseph J. Reiner.^[11]

Nelson died on August 23, 2020, at her home inPorter Ranch, Los Angeles at the age of 87. She suffered fromAlzheimer's disease for several years before her death.^[1]

Sources:^[12][13]

• Hunter, Tab (2005).Tab Hunter Confidential: The Making of a Movie Star. with Eddie Muller. Algonquin Books.ISBN 1-56512-466-9.

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• Lori Nelson atIMDb
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• 1933 births
• 2020 deaths
• 20th-century American actresses
• 21st-century American actresses
• Actresses from Los Angeles
• Actresses from New Mexico
• American child actresses
• American female models
• American film actresses
• American stage actresses
• American television actresses
• American people of English descent
• American people of German descent
• People from Encino, Los Angeles
• Actresses from Santa Fe, New Mexico

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