Nancy Olson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Nancy Olson
Olson in the famous movie Sunset Boulevard (1950)
Born	Nancy Ann Olson (1928-07-14) July 14, 1928 (age 97) Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
Other names	Nancy Livingston
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1948–1984, 1997, 2014
Spouse(s)	Alan Jay Lerner ​ ​ (m. 1950; div. 1957)​ Alan W. Livingston ​ ​ (m. 1962; died 2009)​
Children	3

Nancy Ann Olson (born July 14, 1928) is a retired American actress who became a star during Hollywood's Golden Age. She is best known for her role in the classic film Sunset Boulevard (1950). Her performance was so good that she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Olson starred with the famous actor William Holden in four different movies. She also appeared in popular Disney films like The Absent-Minded Professor (1961) and its sequel, Son of Flubber (1963). After a long and successful career, Olson retired from acting in the 1980s but has made a few special appearances since then.

Early Life and First Steps in Acting

Nancy Olson was born and grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Her father, Henry John Olson, was a doctor, and her mother was Evelyn Bertha Olson. She has a brother named David.

In 1948, when she was 20 years old, Olson signed a contract with Paramount Pictures, a major movie studio. This was the beginning of her journey to becoming a movie star.

A Star on the Big Screen

Olson in the crime movie Union Station (1950)

After playing a few small parts, Olson got her first big role in the 1949 movie Canadian Pacific, starring alongside Randolph Scott.

Breakthrough with 'Sunset Boulevard'

Her career took a giant leap forward when director Billy Wilder chose her for his new film, Sunset Boulevard. In the movie, she played Betty Schaefer, a young script reader. The film was a huge hit, and Olson's performance earned her a nomination for an Academy Award. This is one of the highest honors an actor can receive.

Her on-screen chemistry with co-star William Holden was so popular that they made three more movies together: Union Station, Force of Arms, and Submarine Command.

Working with Disney

Olson in a TV special in 1956.

In the 1960s, Olson starred in several movies for the Walt Disney studio. She played Betsy Carlisle opposite Fred MacMurray in the fun science-fiction comedy The Absent-Minded Professor (1961). The movie was so well-liked that they made a sequel, Son of Flubber (1963), with Olson and MacMurray returning to their roles.

She also appeared in other Disney family films, including:

• Pollyanna (1960), with Hayley Mills
• Smith! (1969), with Glenn Ford
• Snowball Express (1972), with Dean Jones

Later Career and Retirement

Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Olson also appeared in many television shows as a guest star. She acted in popular series like The Big Valley, Gunsmoke, and Barnaby Jones.

Olson retired from full-time acting in the mid-1980s. However, she returned for a small part in Flubber (1997), the remake of The Absent-Minded Professor. Her most recent role was in the 2014 movie Dumbbells.

Personal Life

In 1950, Nancy Olson married Alan Jay Lerner, a famous songwriter who wrote musicals like My Fair Lady. They had two daughters, Liza and Jennifer, before they divorced in 1957.

In 1962, she married Alan W. Livingston, an important executive at Capitol Records. Livingston was known for creating Bozo the Clown and for signing famous musicians like The Beatles and Frank Sinatra. They had a son named Christopher and were married until Livingston's death in 2009.

Selected Filmography

Here are some of Nancy Olson's most well-known movies and television shows.

Film

Television

See also

In Spanish: Nancy Olson para niños