Lori Nelson

Dixie Kay Nelson (August 15, 1933 – August 23, 2020), known professionally as Lori Nelson, was an American actress and model mostly active in the 1950s and early 1960s. She had roles in the TV series How to Marry a Millionaire and the films Revenge of the Creature, All I Desire, and I Died a Thousand Times. Her father was superintendent of the American Metal Mine Company in Tererro, New Mexico. She was the great-grandniece of John J. Pershing. She began her career at the age of two, appearing in local theater productions. When she was four years old, her family moved to Encino, California. At the age of five, she won the title of "Little Miss America".

At age seven, Nelson contracted rheumatic fever which left her bedridden for four years. After she recovered, she returned to pageants and won the title of Miss Encino at age 17. After graduating from Canoga Park High School, Nelson worked as a model.

Career In 1950, she was signed to a seven-year contract with Universal-International after a studio scout saw her performing in a little theater production. She made her film debut in the 1952 Western Bend of the River. Later that year, she appeared as "Rosie Kettle" in the comedy film Ma and Pa Kettle at the Fair, followed by a supporting role in Francis Goes to West Point. In 1955, Nelson guest starred in two episodes of It's a Great Life, and reprised her role as "Rosie Kettle" in Ma and Pa Kettle at Waikiki. That same year, she co-starred in the Creature From the Black Lagoon sequel Revenge of the Creature and Underwater! with Jane Russell and Richard Egan. The series also starred Barbara Eden and Merry Anders. Nelson opted to leave the series after the first season, and her character was written out. While Hunter was dating Nelson, he was secretly involved with figure skater Ronald Robertson. Nelson and Hunter eventually stopped dating but remained friendly. Hunter later cast Nelson in two guest-starring roles on his sitcom The Tab Hunter Show.

Marriages and children On December 10, 1960, Nelson married composer and singing group leader Johnny Mann in Los Angeles. The couple had two daughters, then divorced in April 1973. In April 1983, Nelson married police officer Joseph J. Reiner.

Filmography + Film Year Title Role Notes 1952 Bend of the River Marjie Baile 1952 Ma and Pa Kettle at the Fair Rosie Kettle 1952 Francis Goes to West Point Barbara Atwood 1953 All I Desire Lily Murdoch 1953 The All American Sharon Wallace 1953 Walking My Baby Back Home Claire Millard 1953 Tumbleweed Laura Alternative title: Three Were Renegades 1954 Destry Martha Phillips 1954 Underwater! Gloria Alternative title: The Big Rainbow 1955 Revenge of the Creature Helen Dobson 1955 Ma and Pa Kettle at Waikiki Rosie Kettle 1955 Sincerely Yours Sarah Cosgrove 1955 I Died a Thousand Times Velma 1955 Day the World Ended Louise Maddison 1956 Mohawk Cynthia Stanhope 1956 Pardners Carol Kingsley 1956 Hot Rod Girl Lisa Vernon 1957 Untamed Youth Jane Lowe 1957 Outlaw's Son Lila Costain Alternative titles: Gambling ManHis Father's Son 1991 Black Gaucho Alternative title: Gaúcho Negro 1998 Mom, Can I Keep Her? Stephanie Direct-to-video release 2005 The Naked Monster Dr. Helen Dobson

+ Television Year Title Role Notes 1955 It's a Great Life Vera Thompson 2 episodes 1955–56 Climax! Mary 2 episodes 1957 The 20th Century Fox Hour Cathy Devlin Episode: "Threat to a Happy Ending" 1957 The Pied Piper of Hamelin Mara TV movie 1957–58 How to Marry a Millionaire Greta Hanson 39 episodes 1959 Wanted: Dead or Alive White Antelope aka Doris Albright Episode: "Bounty for a Bride" 1959 The Texan Elizabeth Episode: "The Man Hater" 1959 Wagon Train Charity Steele Episode: "The Steele Family Story" 1959 The Millionaire Lorraine Daggett Episode: "Millionaire Lorraine Daggett" 1959 General Electric Theater Sylvia Episode: "Night Club" 1959 Sugarfoot Ellen Conway Episode: "The Gaucho" 1959 Tales of Wells Fargo Susan Episode: "Relay Station" 1960 Lock-Up Honey Evans Episode: "The Seventh Hour" 1960–61 The Tab Hunter Show Various roles 2 episodes 1961 Dante Cynthia Rogers Episode: "Dial D for Dante" 1961 Laramie Grace Episode: "Trigger Point" 1961 Bachelor Father Spring Loring Episode: "Drop That Calorie" 1961 Whispering Smith Mrs. Venetia Molloy Episode: "Double Edge" 1961 Armstrong Circle Theatre Mrs. Median 2 episodes 1971 Family Affair Dr. Joan Blanton Episode: "Goodbye, Mrs. Beasley" 1994 Secret Sins of the Father Mrs. Lieber TV movie Sources: