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Ed Nelson

Ed Nelson was an American actor, best known for his role as Dr. Michael Rossi in Peyton Place, with a career spanning over five decades in film, television, and stage.

1. Early Life and Background

Edwin Stafford Nelson's formative years were shaped by his education in military institutes and his early exposure to broadcasting before he fully committed to acting.

1.1. Early Life and Education

Nelson was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, on December 21, 1928. He was raised in North Carolina, where he attended Edwards Military Institute and Camp Lejeune High School. During his time at Camp Lejeune High School, he was an active athlete, playing both football and basketball. He began cultivating his acting skills while attending Tulane University in New Orleans. After two years, he left Tulane to further his studies at the New York School of Radio and Television Technique.

1.2. Military Service and Early Broadcasting

Following his studies, Nelson served in the United States Navy as a radioman aboard the light cruiser USS Dayton. After his military service, he took a position as a director at WDSU-TV in New Orleans, marking his initial foray into the broadcasting industry. By 1956, acting became his primary focus, leading him to relocate to the Los Angeles area to pursue his professional career.

2. Career

Ed Nelson's career was extensive and varied, starting with low-budget films and evolving into a prominent television presence, alongside his work in theater and other media.

2.1. Early Film Career

Early in his career, Nelson established himself in Hollywood by working on various film projects, particularly gaining recognition through his collaborations with producer Roger Corman.

2.1.1. Roger Corman Productions

Nelson frequently collaborated with B-movie producer Roger Corman, often performing both acting and stunt work. His debut film was Corman's 1956 production, Swamp Women, where he played a police sergeant. He went on to appear in several other Corman films, including Attack of the Crab Monsters (1957), Rock All Night (1957), Carnival Rock (1957), Night of the Blood Beast (1958), The Cry Baby Killer (1958), Teenage Cave Man (1958), and A Bucket of Blood (1959). In 1958, he acted in and produced the science fiction/horror film The Brain Eaters, with Roger Corman serving as the executive producer.

2.1.2. Other Early Film Roles

Beyond his work with Corman, Nelson took on other film roles in the early stages of his career. In 1958, he was cast as the lead in Devil's Partner, though the movie was not released until 1962. He also appeared in the 1960 thriller Valley of the Redwoods and the 1963 comedy-drama Soldier in the Rain, which starred Steve McQueen and Jackie Gleason. Other early film appearances included The Steel Trap (1952), New Orleans Uncensored (1955), Invasion of the Saucer Men (1957), Bayou (1957), Teenage Doll (1957), Street of Darkness (1958), She Gods of Shark Reef (1958), Hot Rod Gang (1958), Hot Car Girl (1958), I Mobster (1959), The Young Captives (1959), T-Bird Gang (1959), Code of Silence (1960), Elmer Gantry (1960), and Judgment at Nuremberg (1961).

2.2. Television Career

Nelson's television career was extensive, marked by numerous guest appearances across various genres and his signature role in a long-running drama series.

2.2.1. Guest Appearances on Television Series

Nelson made a multitude of guest appearances on popular television series throughout the 1950s, 60s, 70s, and 80s. In 1962, he played the talented but arrogant Dr. Wade Parsons in the episode "Doctor on Horseback" of the western series The Tall Man. He also appeared in other westerns such as Maverick (1959, 1962), Wagon Train (1961, 1962, 1963), Black Saddle (1959), Have Gun - Will Travel (1957, 1959, 1960, 1961), The Rebel (five times), Johnny Ringo (1960), Gunsmoke (1955, 1959-1964), Rawhide (1959, 1961, 1962), Tombstone Territory (1957-1960), Bat Masterson (1959, 1961), Laramie (1960, 1961, 1963), Bonanza (1962), Stoney Burke (1962), The Dakotas, The Rifleman (1960, 1961), and Redigo.

His roles extended to drama and adventure series, including Combat! (1964), The Fugitive (1963, 1964), The Twilight Zone (1963), Flight, The Silent Service (1957, 1958), The Untouchables (1961, 1962, 1963), The Outer Limits (1963), Harbor Command (1957), Tightrope, Coronado 9 (1960), The Eleventh Hour (1963), Thriller, and Channing. He also guest-starred on Mission: Impossible (1973), Highway Patrol (1957, 1959), and the military sitcom/drama Hennesey. Nelson made two guest appearances on Perry Mason (1957, 1961, 1964), both times as the defendant. In 1961, he played Ward Nichols in "The Case of the Left-Handed Liar," and in 1964, he played Dirk Blake in "The Case of the Missing Button." He also played rival mystery writer Tom Keller opposite James Mason on "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour" (1962, 1963) and portrayed an assistant district attorney on Adam-12 in 1974.

2.2.2. Peyton Place

In 1964, Ed Nelson secured his most iconic role as Dr. Michael Rossi in the drama series Peyton Place. He remained with the series for its entire run, from 1964 to 1969, appearing in 514 episodes. Nelson later reprised his role as Dr. Rossi in two television movies: Murder in Peyton Place and Peyton Place: The Next Generation.

2.2.3. Later Television Roles

After Peyton Place, Nelson continued to work extensively in television. He reunited with his former Peyton Place co-star Percy Rodriguez in the television series The Silent Force, which aired for 15 episodes between 1970 and 1971. He had guest-starring roles on many popular dramas of the 1970s and 1980s, including Marcus Welby, M.D. (1971), Cannon (1971), O'Hara, U.S. Treasury (1972), Night Gallery (1972), Banacek (1972), Alias Smith and Jones (1972), Mod Squad (1973), The Streets of San Francisco (1973), Kung Fu (1973), The F.B.I. (1965, 1971, 1973, in three different roles), Ironside (1974), Police Woman (1974), Medical Center (three roles), The Bionic Woman (1976), Gibbsville (1976), McMillan and Wife (1977), Dallas (1978), The Rockford Files (1977, 1979, two roles), Barnaby Jones (1973, 1974, 1979, two roles), Charlie's Angels (1980), Lou Grant (1980), Trapper John, M.D. (1981), Vega$ (1978, 1981, two roles), CHiPs (1981), Quincy M.E. (1981), Matt Houston, The Fall Guy (1983), Dynasty (1987), Cagney & Lacey (1988), MacGyver (1989), Jake and the Fatman (two roles), and Murder, She Wrote (1985, 1987, 1990, 1992, 1995, five roles).

Nelson also appeared in numerous television movies, including Along Came a Spider (1970), The Screaming Woman (1972), Time to Run (1973), Runaway! (1973), Houston, We've Got a Problem (1974), The Missing Are Deadly (1975), Superdome (1978), Doctors' Private Lives (1978), Crash (1978), Anatomy of a Seduction (1979), The Girl, the Gold Watch & Everything (1980), The Return of Frank Cannon (1980), Enola Gay: The Men, the Mission, the Atomic Bomb (1980), Born to Be Sold (1981), Help Wanted: Male (1982), and The Shaft of Love (1983). During the 1980s, Nelson took on the role of patriarchal Senator Mark Denning in the daytime serial Capitol. He hosted the morning talk show The Ed Nelson Show for three years. In late 1986, Nelson decided to leave Capitol after expressing dissatisfaction with the writers' decision to portray his character as a traitor; his last appearance on the show aired in early January 1987.

2.3. Stage and Other Ventures

Beyond his prolific film and television career, Ed Nelson also made significant contributions to stage acting and shared his knowledge through teaching.

2.3.1. Stage Performances

Nelson spent several years portraying U.S. President Harry S. Truman on stage. He joined the National Tour of Give 'Em Hell, Harry, taking over the role from James Whitmore.

2.3.2. Hosting and Teaching

In addition to his acting roles, Nelson hosted The Ed Nelson Show, a morning talk show, for three years. In his later career, he became an acting and screenwriting instructor, teaching at two local universities in New Orleans until 2005.

3. Personal Life and Civic Engagement

Outside of his acting career, Ed Nelson was actively involved in professional organizations and made efforts to contribute to public service through political aspirations.

3.1. Union and Guild Activities

While living in Los Angeles, Nelson was a dedicated and active member of the Screen Actors Guild, where he was elected to the union board for many years. He was also a long-standing member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

3.2. Political Aspirations

In the early 1970s, Nelson ran for city council and later for Mayor in San Dimas, California. However, his political endeavors were impacted by a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) ruling. The FCC stated that his political opponents must be granted equal airtime if he appeared in television programs, which complicated his campaigns.

4. Later Years

The final decades of Ed Nelson's life saw him return to academic pursuits, enter semi-retirement, and relocate due to significant environmental events.

4.1. Educational Pursuits and Retirement

In 1999, Nelson returned to Tulane University to complete the remaining credits for his undergraduate degree. He successfully finished his degree the following year, at the age of 71. Following this achievement, he and his wife, Patsy, entered a period of semi-retirement, enjoying time visiting their six children and 14 grandchildren. His son, Christopher S. Nelson, also became an actor.

4.2. Post-Hurricane Katrina Relocation

In 2005, Hurricane Katrina severely impacted the New Orleans area, prompting Nelson to move his family far north to Sterlington, Louisiana. At the time of his death, he had relocated to Greensboro, North Carolina, where he had been receiving hospice care.

5. Death

Ed Nelson died on August 9, 2014, in Greensboro, North Carolina, at the age of 85. His cause of death was congestive heart failure.

6. Filmography

Ed Nelson had an extensive career in both film and television, with numerous credited roles across various genres.

6.1. Film

  • The Steel Trap (1952) as Man in Ticket Line at Airport
  • New Orleans Uncensored (1955) as Charlie
  • Swamp Women (1956) as Police Sergeant
  • Attack of the Crab Monsters (1957) as Ensign Quinlan
  • Rock All Night (1957) as Pete
  • Invasion of the Saucer Men (1957) as Tom
  • Bayou (1957) as Etienne
  • Hell on Devil's Island (1957) as Guard No. 2
  • Teenage Doll (1957) as Police Officer 'Dutch' / Blind Man
  • Carnival Rock (1957) as Cannon
  • Street of Darkness (1958) as Slavo
  • Teenage Caveman (1958) as Blond Tribe Member
  • She Gods of Shark Reef (1958) as Guard
  • Devil's Partner (filmed in 1958, released in 1961) as Nick Richards / Pete Jensen
  • Night of the Blood Beast (1958) as Dave Randall
  • The Cry Baby Killer (1958) as Rick Connor
  • Hot Car Girl (1958) as Second Cop at Soda Bar
  • The Brain Eaters (1958) as Dr. Paul Kettering
  • I Mobster (1959) as Sid - Henchman
  • The Young Captives (1959) as Norm Britt
  • T-Bird Gang (1959) as Alex Hendricks
  • A Bucket of Blood (1959) as Art Lacroix
  • Valley of the Redwoods (1960) as Dino Michaelis
  • Code of Silence (1960) as Paul Lane
  • Elmer Gantry (1960) as Man on Phone at Sister Sharon Headquarters
  • Judgment at Nuremberg (1961) as Captain at Nightclub Announcing Call-up of Officers
  • Soldier in the Rain (1963) as MP Sergeant James Priest
  • The Man from Galveston (1963) as Cole Marteen
  • Along Came a Spider (1970) as Dr. Martin Becker (TV movie)
  • The Screaming Woman (1972) as Carl Nesbitt (TV movie)
  • Time to Run (1973) (TV movie)
  • Runaway! (1973) (TV movie)
  • Houston, We've Got a Problem (1974) (TV movie)
  • Airport 1975 (1974) as Major John Alexander
  • The Missing Are Deadly (1975) (TV movie)
  • That's the Way of the World (1975) as Carlton James
  • Acapulco Gold (1976) as Ray Hollister
  • Midway (1976) as Admiral Harry Pearson
  • Riding with Death (1976) (TV movie)
  • For the Love of Benji (1977) as Chandler Dietrich
  • Superdome (1978) (TV movie)
  • Doctors' Private Lives (1978) (TV movie)
  • Crash (1978) (TV movie)
  • Anatomy of a Seduction (1979) (TV movie)
  • The Girl, the Gold Watch & Everything (1980) (TV movie)
  • The Return of Frank Cannon (1980) (TV movie)
  • Enola Gay: The Men, the Mission, the Atomic Bomb (1980) (TV movie)
  • Born to Be Sold (1981) (TV movie)
  • Help Wanted: Male (1982) (TV movie)
  • The Shaft of Love (1983) (TV movie)
  • Peyton Place: The Next Generation (1985) (TV movie)
  • Police Academy 3: Back in Training (1986) as Governor Neilson
  • Sworn to Silence (1987) (TV movie)
  • Brenda Starr (1989) as President Harry S. Truman
  • Deadly Weapon (1989) as General Stone
  • The Animator (1989)
  • The Boneyard (1991) as Jersey Callum
  • Cries of Silence (1996) as Dr. August Claiborne
  • Who Am I? (1998) as General Sherman
  • Tony Bravo in Scenes from a Forgotten Cinema (2000) as Ghost of Mary's Dad
  • Runaway Jury (2003) as George Dressler
  • The Offspring (2009)

6.2. Television

  • Highway Patrol (1957) as Monty in "Wounded"
  • Harbor Command (1957)
  • The Silent Service (1957, 1958)
  • M Squad (1958, 1960)
  • Tombstone Territory (1957-1960)
  • The Lawless Years (1959)
  • The Walter Winchell File (1959)
  • Black Saddle (1959)
  • Have Gun - Will Travel (1957, 1959, 1960, 1961) as Will Gage, Ed Stacy, Pierre Deverell, Carl - Gambler, Rack
  • Bat Masterson (1959, 1961) as Outlaw Browder
  • Rawhide (1959, 1961, 1962) as Lieutenant Cory Clemens
  • Maverick (1959, 1962)
  • Gunsmoke (1955, 1959-1964) as Perce McCall, Tom King
  • Johnny Ringo (1960)
  • Coronado 9 (1960)
  • The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp (1960)
  • The Rifleman (1960, 1961) as Stacey Beldon, Ben Travis, Ben Vargas
  • Laramie (1960, 1961, 1963)
  • Shotgun Slade (1961)
  • The Aquanauts (1961)
  • Surfside 6 (1961)
  • Tales of Wells Fargo (1961)
  • Checkmate (1961, 1962)
  • The Untouchables (1961, 1962, 1963)
  • Wagon Train (1961, 1962, 1963)
  • Perry Mason (1957, 1961, 1964) as Ward Nichols, Dirk Blake
  • 87th Precinct (1962)
  • Cain's Hundred (1962)
  • The Law and Mr. Jones (1962)
  • Hawaiian Eye (1962)
  • The Tall Man (1962)
  • Bonanza (1962) as Garth
  • The New Breed (1962)
  • Death Valley Days (1962) as Frank Girard
  • Wide Country (1962)
  • Stoney Burke (1962)
  • The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (1962, 1963) as Tom Keller, Alex Trevor
  • Saints and Sinners (1963)
  • The Virginian (1963)
  • Twilight Zone (1963)
  • The Gallant Men (1963)
  • The Eleventh Hour (1963)
  • 77 Sunset Strip (1963)
  • Dr. Kildare (1963)
  • The Outer Limits (1963)
  • The Fugitive (1963, 1964)
  • Combat! (1964) as Burgess
  • Peyton Place (1964-1969) as Dr. Michael Rossi
  • The Silent Force (1970-1971)
  • Marcus Welby, M.D. (1971)
  • Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law (1971, 1972)
  • The F.B.I. (1965, 1971, 1973)
  • O'Hara, U.S. Treasury (1972)
  • Night Gallery (1972)
  • Banacek (1972)
  • Alias Smith and Jones (1972)
  • Mod Squad (1973)
  • Mission: Impossible (1973)
  • The Streets of San Francisco (1973)
  • Kung Fu (1973)
  • Dr. Simon Locke (1973, 1975)
  • Adam-12 (1974)
  • Ironside (1974)
  • Police Woman (1974)
  • Barnaby Jones (1973, 1974, 1979)
  • Get Christie Love! (1975)
  • The Bionic Woman (1976)
  • Gemini Man (1976)
  • Gibbsville (1976)
  • McMillan & Wife (1977)
  • Logan's Run (1977)
  • The Rockford Files (1977, 1979) as Edgar 'Bud' Clement
  • Dallas (1978)
  • David Cassidy - Man Undercover (1978)
  • Vega$ (1978, 1981)
  • Salvage 1 (1979)
  • Charlie's Angels (1980)
  • Lou Grant (1980)
  • Trapper John, M.D. (1981)
  • CHiPs (1981)
  • Quincy M.E. (1981)
  • Matt Houston (1982)
  • The Fall Guy (1983)
  • Murder, She Wrote (1985, 1987, 1990, 1992, 1995)
  • Dynasty (1987)
  • Cagney & Lacey (1988)
  • J.J. Starbuck (1988)
  • MacGyver (1989)
  • Jake and the Fatman (1989)