Barry Nelson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Barry Nelson
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Nelson in 1962
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| Born |
Robert Haakon Nielsen
April 16, 1917 San Francisco, California, U.S
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| Died | April 7, 2007 (aged 89) |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1938–1990 |
| Spouse(s) |
Teresa Celli
(div. 1951)Nansilee Hoy
(m. 1951) |
Barry Nelson was an American actor. He was born Robert Haakon Nielsen on April 16, 1917. He is well-known for being the first actor to play the famous secret agent James Bond on screen! This happened in a TV show in 1954, years before the popular James Bond movies began. Barry Nelson passed away on April 7, 2007.
Contents
Early Life
Barry Nelson was born in San Francisco, California. His parents, Betsy and Trygve Nielsen, had moved to the U.S. from Norway. He finished college at the University of California, Berkeley, in 1941. During his time there, he loved acting in plays put on by students.
Acting Career
Barry Nelson started his movie career with MGM studios. His first movie was Shadow of the Thin Man in 1941. He also appeared in Johnny Eager in 1942.
On Stage and Screen
During World War II, Barry Nelson served in the United States Army Air Forces. While serving, he also began acting on Broadway, which is famous for its live theater shows in New York City. His first Broadway play was Winged Victory in 1943. He later acted in other Broadway plays, including The Moon Is Blue and Cactus Flower.
Playing James Bond
Barry Nelson made history as the first actor to play James Bond on screen. This happened in a TV show called Climax! in 1954. The episode was an adaptation of Ian Fleming's book Casino Royale. This was eight years before Sean Connery became famous as Bond in the movie Dr. No.
At the time, very few people knew about James Bond. Barry Nelson even played Bond as an American agent! He once said he didn't know much about the character because the books weren't famous yet. James Bond only became well-known in the U.S. after President John F. Kennedy said he liked the book From Russia, with Love in 1961.
The TV show also featured Peter Lorre as the villain, Le Chiffre. Nelson said he took the role mainly to work with Lorre. The original live show was thought to be lost for many years. But a recording was found in the 1980s. You can now find it as a bonus feature on the DVD of the 1967 movie version of the book.
Other TV and Film Roles
In 1959, Barry Nelson starred in 39 episodes of the TV series Hudson's Bay. He also made guest appearances on many other popular TV shows. These included Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Ben Casey, and The Twilight Zone. He was also a guest on quiz shows like What's My Line? and To Tell the Truth.
In 1978, he was nominated for a Tony Award for his role in the Broadway musical The Act. One of his most famous movie roles was as Stuart Ullman in the horror film The Shining (1980). His last Broadway performance was in 42nd Street in 1986.
His agent, Francis Delduca, said that Barry Nelson was a very natural and believable actor. He was good at both funny and serious roles.
Personal Life
Barry Nelson was married twice. His first marriage was to actress Teresa Celli. They divorced in 1951. He then married Nansilee ("Nansi") Hoy, and they stayed together until his death.
Barry and Nansilee Nelson lived in both New York and France. He passed away on April 7, 2007, in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. He was almost 90 years old.
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1938 | Comet Over Broadway | Garage Mechanic |
| 1941 | Shadow of the Thin Man | Paul Clark |
| Johnny Eager | Lew Rankin | |
| 1942 | A Yank on the Burma Road | Joe Tracey |
| Dr. Kildare's Victory | Samuel Z. Cutter | |
| Rio Rita | Harry Gantley | |
| The Affairs of Martha | Danny O'Brien | |
| Eyes in the Night | Mr. Busch | |
| 1943 | The Human Comedy | Norman Dana (aka "Fat") |
| Bataan | F.X. Matowski | |
| A Guy Named Joe | Dick Rumney | |
| 1944 | Winged Victory | Robert Edward "Bobby" Crills |
| 1947 | The Beginning or the End | Colonel Paul Tibbetts Jr. |
| Undercover Maisie | Lieutenant Paul Scott | |
| 1948 | Tenth Avenue Angel | Al Parker |
| Command Decision | Cumquat B-Baker crewman | |
| 1951 | The Man with My Face | Charles "Chick" Graham / Albert "Bert" Rand |
| 1956 | The First Traveling Saleslady | Charles Masters |
| 1963 | Mary, Mary | Bob McKellaway |
| 1967 | The Borgia Stick | Hal Carter |
| 1969 | Seven in Darkness | Alex Swain |
| 1970 | Airport | Captain Anson Harris |
| 1971 | My Wives Jane | Nat Franklin |
| 1972 | Pete 'n' Tillie | Burt |
| Climb an Angry Mountain | Lieutenant Frank Bryant | |
| 1974 | Fools, Females and Fun | Dr. David Markham |
| 1980 | The Shining | Stuart Ullman |
| Island Claws | Dr. McNeal | |
| 1982 | Poltergeist | Actor on television |
Television
- Suspense – Episodes: "The Guy from Nowhere", "A Pocketful of Murder", "The Gentleman from America", "My Old Man's Badge" (1950); "Dead Fall", "Tough Cop" (1951)
- The Hunter – Bart Adams (1952)
- My Favorite Husband – George Cooper (1953–1955)
- Climax! – James Bond – Episode: "Casino Royale" (1954); Dick Milton – Episode: "The Push-Button Giant" (1958)
- Hudson's Bay – Jonathan Banner (1959)
- Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1959) (Season 4 Episode 27: "The Waxwork") – Raymond Houston
- The Twilight Zone (1964) (Episode: "Stopover in a Quiet Town") Bob Frazier
- The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (1964) (Season 2 Episode 20: "Anyone for Murder?") – Dr. James Parkerson
- The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (1964) (Season 3 Episode 8: "Misadventure") – Colin
- Thriller (1974) (Episode: "Ring Once for Death") - Hugo Fane
- The Ropers (1979) (Episode: "The Skeleton") - Uncle Bill
- Taxi (1981) (Episode: "Mr. Personalities") - Dr. Jeffries
- Magnum, PI (1982) (Episode: "Double Jeopardy") - Knox
- Murder, She Wrote (1989) (Episode: "Mourning Among the Wisterias") – Eugene McClenden
See also
In Spanish: Barry Nelson para niños
