Lori Nelson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids 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:
Nationality	American
Occupation	Actress, model
Years active	1952–2005
Spouse(s)	Johnny Mann ​ ​ (m. 1960; div. 1973)​ Joseph J. Reiner ​ (m. 1983)​
Children	2

Lori Nelson (born Dixie Kay Nelson; August 15, 1933 – August 23, 2020) was an American actress and model. She was most active in movies and TV shows during the 1950s and early 1960s. You might know her from the TV series How to Marry a Millionaire. She also appeared in films like Revenge of the Creature, All I Desire, and I Died a Thousand Times.

Early Life and Childhood

Lori Nelson was born Dixie Kay Nelson in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Her father worked for a mining company. She was also the great-grandniece of a famous general, John J. Pershing.

Lori started acting very young, at just two years old, in local theater plays. When she was four, her family moved to Encino, California. At age five, she won a special award called "Little Miss America." As a child, she visited hospitals to entertain patients. She also acted in small plays and modeled for photographers.

When Lori was seven, she became very sick with rheumatic fever. This illness kept her in bed for four years. After she got better, she returned to pageants. At 17, she won the title of Miss Encino. After finishing high school, Lori worked as a model.

Becoming a Star

In 1950, a talent scout saw Lori acting in a play. She was then signed to a seven-year contract with Universal-International. This was a big step in her career!

Her first movie was a Western called Bend of the River in 1952. Later that year, she played Rosie Kettle in the comedy film Ma and Pa Kettle at the Fair. She also had a role in Francis Goes to West Point.

In 1955, Lori appeared in two episodes of the TV show It's a Great Life. She also played Rosie Kettle again in Ma and Pa Kettle at Waikiki. That same year, she starred in Revenge of the Creature. This was a sequel to the famous monster movie Creature From the Black Lagoon. She also appeared in Underwater! with Jane Russell.

Lori had many other supporting roles in movies. These included the science fiction film Day the World Ended (1955). She also appeared in the comedy-Western Pardners, starring the famous duo Martin and Lewis. She had a notable role in I Died a Thousand Times (1955) and Destry (1954).

She was a main character in the adventure story Mohawk. Lori also had the top role in the street-racing film Hot Rod Girl. The next year, she co-starred with Mamie Van Doren in Untamed Youth.

In 1957, Lori starred with Van Johnson in the TV movie The Pied Piper of Hamelin. It was a special show for Thanksgiving Day. Also in 1957, she got a main role in the TV show How to Marry a Millionaire. This show was based on a 1953 movie. Lori played Greta Hanson, a smart psychology student. She decided to leave the show after the first season.

After leaving the show, Lori continued to appear as a guest star on many TV series. These included Wagon Train, Tales of Wells Fargo, and Bachelor Father. She took a break from acting for 10 years starting in 1961. She returned in 1971 with a guest role in Family Affair. Lori acted only sometimes after that. Her last role was in the 2005 science fiction horror film The Naked Monster. In this movie, she played her character from Revenge of the Creature again.

Personal Life

Relationships and Family

In the early 1950s, Lori Nelson dated actor Tab Hunter. They remained good friends even after they stopped dating. Tab Hunter later asked Lori to appear in two episodes of his TV show, The Tab Hunter Show.

On December 10, 1960, Lori married composer and singer Johnny Mann. They had two daughters together. They divorced in April 1973. In April 1983, Lori married Joseph J. Reiner, who was a police officer.

Later Years and Death

Lori Nelson passed away on August 23, 2020, at her home in Porter Ranch, Los Angeles. She was 87 years old. She had been living with Alzheimer's disease for several years before she died.

Filmography

Sources:

See also

In Spanish: Lori Nelson para niños