About Frances Nelson
Lived 1892 – 1975 (aged 82–83). Frances Nelson was an American film actor.
Advertisement depicting Nelson and E.K. Lincoln in The Almighty Dollar Frances Maude Nelson (November 7, 1892, in St. Paul, Minnesota – January 1975 in The Bronx, New York) was an American silent film actress.
Frances Maude Nelson was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, in . When she "was still a wee wisp of a girl" her family moved to Boston. She was educated there until her parents died. Her changed circumstances led her to act on stage, which she had not previously considered as a career.
A review of the film The Stolen Voice (1915) said, "Frances Nelson is very engaging in the role of the shopgirl who becomes an actress".
In 1918 Nelson was awarded $16,500 as the result of a lawsuit against Superpicture Distributing Corporation (SDC). Her $500-per-week contract required her to maintain a weight no greater than 110 pounds; SDC released her, saying that her weight reached 123 pounds. She was clothed when she was weighed at the time of her dismissal. Nelson's suit said that SDC's accusation was a pretense, with the real reason for her release being the company's failure to have a film in which she could appear. The court decided in her favor after employees of a Turkish bath where she was a regular customer testified that on the day of her discharge "she weighed 110 in the altogether".
Selected filmography The Country Girl (1915) directed by Clem Easton, also starring George Bailey, Jim O'Neill. Love's Crucible (1916) Human Driftwood (1916) The Decoy (1916) The Almighty Dollar (1916) One of Many (1917) The Beautiful Lie (1917) The Power of Decision (1917)
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Important facts
People in Frances Nelson's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Frances Nelson's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Frances Nelson?
American silent film actress
When was Frances Nelson born?
Frances Nelson was born on 7 November 1892 in Saint Paul.
When did Frances Nelson die?
Frances Nelson died in 1975 in The Bronx.
What was Frances Nelson's occupation?
Frances Nelson was a film actor.
What nationality was Frances Nelson?
Frances Nelson was American.
Sources & further reading
· DBpedia: Frances Nelson (actress)
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Frances Nelson. https://biography.guide/frances-nelson/
MLA: "Frances Nelson." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/frances-nelson/.
Chicago: "Frances Nelson." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/frances-nelson/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-21 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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