Ed Nelson

Ed Nelson

Acting
Born 1928-12-21 - Died 2014-08-09New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Biography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Edwin Stafford Nelson (December 21, 1928 – August 9, 2014) was an American actor. Nelson began acting while attending Tulane University in New Orleans. He left college after two years to study at the New York School of Radio and Television Technique. After graduating, he took a position as a director at WDSU-TV in New Orleans. By 1956, acting became his central focus and he moved to the Los Angeles area. Early in his career he worked with famed B-movie producer Roger Corman on such Corman films as Cry Baby Killers, A Bucket of Blood, Teenage Cave Man and Attack of the Crab Monsters. In 1958 he participated in Bruno VeSota's science fiction horror film The Brain Eaters. His early television career featured many guest starring roles in such series as The Fugitive, Gunsmoke, Harbor Command, Tombstone Territory, Tightrope, The Blue Angels (as arrogant flight instructor Lieutenant Dayl Martin), Laramie, COronado 9, The Eleventh Hour, Bonanza, Thriller (US TV series), and Channing, an ABC drama about college life. In 1964 he won his most famous role portraying Dr. Michael Rossi on the ABC drama Peyton Place, which ran from 1964 to 1969. Nelson's fellow cast members included Mia Farrow, Ryan O'Neal, and Dorothy Malone. Dr. Rossi proved to be so popular that by 1968, he became the lead actor on the show. Nelson reprised his role in two made-for-TV movies, Murder in Peyton Place and Peyton Place: The Next Generation. After Peyton Place ended, Nelson worked in many more productions of all varieties, including starring role in many movies of the week, a second TV series, "The Silent Force," and a popular morning talk show which he hosted for three years. Soon after, Nelson struck gold with his critically acclaimed portrayal of elusive pit crew chief Robert Denby in the hit film Riding with Death (1976), earning him several prestigious accolades and legions of devoted fans.

Movies (61)

Runaway Jury
6.9

Runaway Jury

2003Movie6.9
Who Am I?
7.2

Who Am I?

1998Movie7.2
Midway
6.6

Midway

1976Movie6.6
Airport 1975
5.8

Airport 1975

1974Movie5.8
Judgment at Nuremberg
8.0

Judgment at Nuremberg

1961Movie8.0
Police Academy 3: Back in Training
5.8

Police Academy 3: Back in Training

1986Movie5.8
She Gods of Shark Reef
3.2

She Gods of Shark Reef

1958Movie3.2
Swamp Women
3.5

Swamp Women

1956Movie3.5
The Steel Trap
6.6

The Steel Trap

1952Movie6.6
The Return of Frank Cannon
6.5

The Return of Frank Cannon

1980Movie6.5
The Brain Eaters
4.9

The Brain Eaters

1958Movie4.9
A Bucket of Blood
6.6

A Bucket of Blood

1959Movie6.6
Deadly Weapon
4.3

Deadly Weapon

1989Movie4.3
Attack of the Crab Monsters
5.2

Attack of the Crab Monsters

1957Movie5.2
The Screaming Woman
6.7

The Screaming Woman

1972Movie6.7
Anatomy of a Seduction
5.2

Anatomy of a Seduction

1979Movie5.2
Riding with Death
2.9

Riding with Death

1976Movie2.9
The Man from Galveston
5.6

The Man from Galveston

1963Movie5.6
Doctors' Private Lives
8.0

Doctors' Private Lives

1978Movie8.0
Invasion of the Saucer Men
4.9

Invasion of the Saucer Men

1957Movie4.9
Soldier in the Rain
6.5

Soldier in the Rain

1963Movie6.5
The Girl, the Gold Watch & Everything
5.2

The Girl, the Gold Watch & Everything

1980Movie5.2
The Boneyard
5.7

The Boneyard

1991Movie5.7
The Crash of Flight 401
6.8

The Crash of Flight 401

1978Movie6.8
Teenage Cave Man
4.0

Teenage Cave Man

1958Movie4.0
Sworn to Silence
7.0

Sworn to Silence

1987Movie7.0
Hot Car Girl
6.7

Hot Car Girl

1958Movie6.7
Enola Gay: The Men, the Mission, the Atomic Bomb
6.0

Enola Gay: The Men, the Mission, the Atomic Bomb

1980Movie6.0
Devil's Partner
5.6

Devil's Partner

1961Movie5.6
Help Wanted: Male
6.0

Help Wanted: Male

1982Movie6.0
New Orleans Uncensored
5.3

New Orleans Uncensored

1955Movie5.3
Night of the Blood Beast
3.9

Night of the Blood Beast

1958Movie3.9
Cry Baby Killer
5.8

Cry Baby Killer

1958Movie5.8
T-Bird Gang
5.0

T-Bird Gang

1959Movie5.0
Teenage Doll
5.4

Teenage Doll

1957Movie5.4
A Little Game
7.5

A Little Game

1977Movie7.5
Cries of Silence
7.3

Cries of Silence

1996Movie7.3
Born to Be Sold
4.6

Born to Be Sold

1981Movie4.6
Along Came a Spider
5.9

Along Came a Spider

1970Movie5.9
Houston, We've Got a Problem
7.5

Houston, We've Got a Problem

1974Movie7.5
Murder in Peyton Place
7.5

Murder in Peyton Place

1977Movie7.5
Police Headquarters

Police Headquarters

1974Movie
I, Mobster
6.6

I, Mobster

1959Movie6.6
Acapulco Gold
3.8

Acapulco Gold

1976Movie3.8
Bayou
3.5

Bayou

1957Movie3.5
For the Love of Benji
5.8

For the Love of Benji

1977Movie5.8
Runaway!
5.7

Runaway!

1973Movie5.7
Carnival Rock
4.7

Carnival Rock

1957Movie4.7
The Fatal Impulse
1.0

The Fatal Impulse

1960Movie1.0
Leave Yesterday Behind
5.2

Leave Yesterday Behind

1978Movie5.2
The Missing Are Deadly
7.0

The Missing Are Deadly

1975Movie7.0
Superdome
4.5

Superdome

1978Movie4.5
Peyton Place: The Next Generation

Peyton Place: The Next Generation

1985Movie
Valley of the Redwoods
6.5

Valley of the Redwoods

1960Movie6.5
Brink of Disaster!
8.0

Brink of Disaster!

1972Movie8.0
Rock All Night
5.5

Rock All Night

1957Movie5.5
The Young Captives
7.0

The Young Captives

1959Movie7.0
That's the Way of the World
6.6

That's the Way of the World

1975Movie6.6
Linda
8.0

Linda

1973Movie8.0
Code of Silence
6.0

Code of Silence

1960Movie6.0
Time to Run
5.0

Time to Run

1973Movie5.0

TV Shows (82)

Perry Mason
7.7

Perry Mason

1957Series7.7
Dallas
6.9

Dallas

1978Series6.9
Ironside
6.8

Ironside

1967Series6.8
Murder, She Wrote
7.5

Murder, She Wrote

1984Series7.5
The Rifleman
7.1

The Rifleman

1958Series7.1
The Rockford Files
7.6

The Rockford Files

1974Series7.6
MacGyver
7.7

MacGyver

1985Series7.7
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour
7.9

The Alfred Hitchcock Hour

1962Series7.9
Mission: Impossible
7.6

Mission: Impossible

1966Series7.6
Charlie's Angels
6.7

Charlie's Angels

1976Series6.7
The Fugitive
7.3

The Fugitive

1963Series7.3
The Twilight Zone
8.5

The Twilight Zone

1959Series8.5
Maverick
7.0

Maverick

1957Series7.0
The Virginian
6.5

The Virginian

1962Series6.5
Adam-12
7.1

Adam-12

1968Series7.1
Dr. Kildare
5.7

Dr. Kildare

1961Series5.7
Have Gun, Will Travel
7.3

Have Gun, Will Travel

1957Series7.3
Jake and the Fatman
6.2

Jake and the Fatman

1987Series6.2
Highway Patrol
6.2

Highway Patrol

1955Series6.2
Night Gallery
7.8

Night Gallery

1970Series7.8
Hotel
6.8

Hotel

1982Series6.8
Quincy, M.E.
7.5

Quincy, M.E.

1976Series7.5
Cagney & Lacey
6.9

Cagney & Lacey

1982Series6.9
Rawhide
7.2

Rawhide

1959Series7.2
Gunsmoke
6.7

Gunsmoke

1955Series6.7
Barnaby Jones
7.1

Barnaby Jones

1973Series7.1
Cannon
6.7

Cannon

1971Series6.7
Police Woman
6.4

Police Woman

1974Series6.4
The Outer Limits
7.8

The Outer Limits

1963Series7.8
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
6.2

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre

1956Series6.2
The Bionic Woman
7.0

The Bionic Woman

1976Series7.0
Surfside 6
6.3

Surfside 6

1960Series6.3
The F.B.I.
5.6

The F.B.I.

1965Series5.6
The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp
6.8

The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp

1955Series6.8
Thriller
6.7

Thriller

1960Series6.7
Lou Grant
7.4

Lou Grant

1977Series7.4
Bat Masterson
6.4

Bat Masterson

1958Series6.4
Medical Center
6.4

Medical Center

1969Series6.4
Capitol
6.3

Capitol

1982Series6.3
Trapper John, M.D.
6.6

Trapper John, M.D.

1979Series6.6
The Rebel
5.1

The Rebel

1959Series5.1
77 Sunset Strip
7.2

77 Sunset Strip

1958Series7.2
Tombstone Territory
6.9

Tombstone Territory

1957Series6.9
Laramie
6.7

Laramie

1959Series6.7
Matt Houston
6.3

Matt Houston

1982Series6.3
Vega$
6.9

Vega$

1978Series6.9
The Detectives
6.7

The Detectives

1959Series6.7
Alias Smith and Jones
7.0

Alias Smith and Jones

1971Series7.0
Checkmate
4.8

Checkmate

1960Series4.8
Stoney Burke
6.8

Stoney Burke

1962Series6.8
The Mod Squad
6.1

The Mod Squad

1968Series6.1
M Squad
5.4

M Squad

1957Series5.4
Riverboat
6.5

Riverboat

1959Series6.5
CHiPs
6.8

CHiPs

1977Series6.8
Finder of Lost Loves
6.8

Finder of Lost Loves

1984Series6.8
87th Precinct
7.8

87th Precinct

1961Series7.8
Sam Benedict
6.7

Sam Benedict

1962Series6.7
The Tall Man
6.9

The Tall Man

1960Series6.9
Johnny Ringo
5.9

Johnny Ringo

1959Series5.9
Arrest and Trial
8.3

Arrest and Trial

1963Series8.3
Black Saddle
6.2

Black Saddle

1959Series6.2
Cain's Hundred
5.2

Cain's Hundred

1961Series5.2
The New Breed
7.7

The New Breed

1961Series7.7
Saints and Sinners
7.0

Saints and Sinners

1962Series7.0
Tightrope
6.3

Tightrope

1959Series6.3
The Aquanauts
6.0

The Aquanauts

1960Series6.0
Channing
7.5

Channing

1963Series7.5
Coronado 9
6.7

Coronado 9

1960Series6.7
The Sixth Sense
6.3

The Sixth Sense

1972Series6.3
Logan's Run
6.8

Logan's Run

1977Series6.8
The Dakotas
6.5

The Dakotas

1963Series6.5
J.J. Starbuck
6.0

J.J. Starbuck

1987Series6.0
Redigo
6.3

Redigo

1963Series6.3
Search
7.1

Search

1972Series7.1
Harbor Command
4.0

Harbor Command

1957Series4.0
The Gallant Men
8.0

The Gallant Men

1962Series8.0
Gibbsville
10.0

Gibbsville

1976Series10.0
The Silent Force
6.7

The Silent Force

1970Series6.7
Hagen
7.0

Hagen

1980Series7.0
Peyton Place
6.2

Peyton Place

1964Series6.2
Kung Fu
7.7

Kung Fu

1972Series7.7
Doctors' Private Lives

Doctors' Private Lives

1979Series