Felix Nelson

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Felix Nelson
Born
Felix Bradford Nelson

(1913-08-13)August 13, 1913
Franklin, Texas, U.S.
DiedFebruary 17, 1998(1998-02-17) (aged 70)
Riverside, California, U.S.
Other namesFelix B. Nelson,[1] Felix P. Nelson[2]
Occupation(s)Actor, dancer
Years active1937–1986

Felix Bradford Nelson[3] (August 13, 1913[4] – February 17, 1998[5]) was an American stage, film, radio and television actor, best known for his work in Gordon Parks' The Learning Tree and Ruth Woodman's "Land of the Free" (Death Valley Days' acclaimed Season 1 finale.)[6][7] Nelson also appeared as Jim from Huckleberry Finn on both radio and television, and, alongside Sammy Davis Jr. and a mostly African American cast, in Aaron Spelling's groundbreaking 10th Cavalry-themed TV western, Mission.

Early life and career[edit]

A native of Franklin, Texas,[4] the older of two sons born to John Nelson and Dove Biggers,[3][8] Nelson ran away from home at the age of 13, joining the J. R. Roberton Circus as a dancer, performing the Charleston and Black Bottom. From 1937 through 1940 and again from 1945 through 1948, he appeared with the Laguna Beach Festival of the Arts,[4] portraying painter Elihu Vedder's "African Sentinel."[9][10] In the interim, he served with the United States Army for 3½ years during World War II, in China, India, and Burma, and was awarded the Purple Heart in 1945.[4]

In 1949, Nelson became the first African American graduate of CBS's radio drama school.[11] The following year, he appeared as Jim—alongside Dean Stockwell's Huck and Jerry Farber's Tom—on NBC University Theater, in Ernest Kinoy's adaptation of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.[12] He also appeared that year on TV in Your Show Time's adaptation of Bret Harte's short story, "Colonel Starbottle for the Plaintiff,"[13][14] and onstage in a revival of the Broadway musical Carmen Jones, staged at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles.[15]

Personal life and Death[edit]

On June 3, 1948, the California Eagle reported that Nelson was residing in Laurel Canyon with his "pretty blue eyed wife." As of 1950, however, his United States Census form lists him as single (albeit "room[ing]" with a female head of household),[16] and a 1953 profile in the Los Angeles Sentinel refers to him as "a bachelor."[4]

On February 17, 1998, Nelson died of undisclosed causes. His remains are interred at Riverside National Cemetery.[17] His gravestone, while citing Nelson's service in World War II, makes no mention of surviving relatives.[18]

Works[edit]

Radio[edit]

Approximate date(s) Program
(or LP)		 Role Notes
April 17, 1949 NBC University Theater
Ep. "Huckleberry Finn"		 Jim Ernest Kinoy's one-hour adaptation of Twain's novel, starring Dean Stockwell
and Jerry Farber, as Finn and Tom Sawyer, respectively.[12]
January 22, 1950 NBC University Theater
Ep. "At Heaven's Gate"		 An old man Clarice A. Ross's adaptation of Robert Penn Warren's like-named novel,
featuring Vivi Janiss as Sue and Stephen Chase as Gov. Milam.[19]
July 23, 1950 NBC University Theater
Ep. "Huckleberry Finn"		 Jim Reprising 4/17/49 production, with Henry Blair taking over as Huck Finn.[20][21]
August 20, 1950 NBC University Theater
Ep. A High Wind in Jamaica		 The cook Jane Speed's adaptation of Richard Hughes' novel[22][23]
April 25, 1951 NBC Short Story
Ep. "I'm a Fool" and "I Want to Know Why"		 NA William Hodapp's adaptation of stories by Sherwood Anderson.[22]
July 13, 1951 NBC Short Story
Ep. "They Are All Afraid"		 NA Canadian dramatist Len Peterson's award-winning 1943 radio play.[22][24][25]
December 28, 1951 NBC Short Story
Ep. "The Trader's Wife"		 NA Adaptation of Jean Kenyon Mackenzie's novel.[26][27]
May 2, 1952 NBC Short Story
ep. "Biscuit Eater"		 NA Earl Hamner's adaptation of James Street's novel.[28]

Film and television[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
1937 Flying Down to Rio Dancer (uncredited) [4]
1949 Your Show Time (TV)
ep. "Colonel Starbottle for the Plaintiff"		 NA [13][14]
1953 Jamaica Run NA [4]
1953 Death Valley Days (TV)
Ep. "Land of the Free"		 Zack [29]
1953 Sangaree Billy [30]
1953 A Lion Is in the Streets Black cotton grower who corroborates Hank's suspicions just prior to pivotal short-weighting/shooting scene [4]
1953 Ramar of the Jungle (TV)
Ep. "Idol Voodoo"		 Chief Umpala [31]
1954 Playhouse of Stars
Ep. "The Jungle Trap"		 George Frank Burt script, dir. Jus Addiss[32]
1954 Ramar of the Jungle (TV)
Ep. "Striped Fury"		 Chief Gonowa [33]
1955 Cavalcade of America (TV)
Ep. A Chain of Hearts		 Chef [34]
1956 Screen Directors Playhouse (TV)
Ep. "The Dream"		 Negro [35]
1956 General Electric Theater (TV)
Ep. "The Jungle Trap"		 George [36]
1956 Soldiers of Fortune (TV)
Ep. "Boomerang"		 Chief
1959 General Electric Theater (TV)
Ep. "Caesar and Cleopatra"		 NA [37]
1959 Zane Grey Theater (TV)
Ep. "Mission"		 Trooper Potts [38]
1960 Shirley Temple's Storybook (TV)
Ep. "Tom and Huck"		 George [39]
1969 The Learning Tree Jack Winger [2]
1969 The Bill Cosby Show (TV)
Ep. "Let X Equal a Lousy Weekend"		 Mr. Paskins [40]
1970 The Ballad of Cable Hogue William [41]
1980 The White Shadow (TV)
Ep. "Links"		 Lawrence [42]
1983 The Winds of War (TV)
Ep. 4 ("Defiance")		 FDR Valet [43][44]
1983 The Best of Times (TV pilot) Wheeler [45]
1983 Hardcastle and McCormick (TV)
Ep. "Once Again With Vigorish"		 Judge William Robinson
1984 Hill Street Blues (TV)
Ep. "Nichols from Heaven"		 Man [46]
1984 Rituals (TV) Carl Washington [47]
1986 Blue City Caretaker [48]
1986 Stewardess School Judge [49]
1986 Soul Man Mr. Walker [50]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Academy Players Directory, Volume 140, Part 2. Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. 1937. pp. 42, 61.
  2. ^ a b "On Shore Screens: 'The Learning Tree'". Asbury Park Press.
  3. ^ a b "Texas Births and Christenings, 1840-1981", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:4LX5-ZJ3Z : 14 February 2020), Felix Bradford Nelson, 1913.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Lamarre, Hazel L. (May 28, 1953). "All the World's a Stage: Artist of the Week". Los Angeles Sentinel. p. B-2.
  5. ^ "Find a Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVVS-2VZ2 : 26 January 2024), Felix B Nelson, ; Burial, Riverside, Riverside, California, United States of America, Riverside National Cemetery; citing record ID 1028773, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.
  6. ^ "Two Slaves Join Gold Rush in 'Land of Free'". Kansas City Call. May 22, 1953. p. 9.
  7. ^ "Negro Actors Star in New Television Film". Jet. June 4, 1963. p. 63.
  8. ^ "Texas Births and Christenings, 1840-1981", FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:4LG6-B82M : 14 February 2020), Dovie Biggers in entry for Johnnie Dovie Nelson, 1915.
  9. ^ "Art Studies Prepared for Laguna Festival". Daily Times-Advocate. July 9, 1948. p. 6.
  10. ^ "FELIX NELSON as Vedder's 'African Sentinel'". Los Angeles Daily News. August 8, 1947. p. 27.
  11. ^ Brown, Jessie Mae (March 4, 1948). "Whats' Doing in the Social Set". California Eagle. p. 10.
  12. ^ a b Palmer, Zuma (April 16, 1949). "Radio-Television; Oldest U.S. Sunrise Service Among Many Broadcast Tomorrow (The following are all Sunday programs)". Hollywood Citizen-News. p. 20.
  13. ^ a b Smith, Barbara (June 24, 1949). "'Old West' Show Tonight". The Atlanta Journal. p. 24.
  14. ^ a b "Sam Looks Awful, But He's Hilarious". The Daily Oklahoman. February 4, 1951. p. 16.
  15. ^ "Music Show Due Tonight". Los Angeles Times. September 5, 1949. Pt. II, p. 2.
  16. ^ "United States 1950 Census", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6XGH-9H9L : Wed Mar 20 06:07:01 UTC 2024), Entry for Dorothy E Benjamin and Felix B Nelson, April 19, 1950.
  17. ^ "Felix B. Nelson". cem.va.gov.
  18. ^ "Felix B. Nelson". Find a Grave.
  19. ^ Palmer, Zuma (January 21, 1950). "Radio-Television; Sunday Programs". Hollywood Citizen-News. p. 18.
  20. ^ "Today's Programs: 'Huckleberry Finn' in the NBC Theater". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Jul 23, 1950. p. 4G.
  21. ^ "Felix Nelson". otrr.org
  22. ^ a b c "Felix Nelson: Programs/Episodes". Old Time Radio Researchers.
  23. ^ Morrison, Dennis (March 31, 2023). "A HIGH WIND IN JAMAICA - NBC UNIVERSITY RADIO THEATER!!!!!", at 0:54 and 58:49.
  24. ^ "Today's Radio Highlights". Wisconsin State Journal. July 13, 1951. Sec. 2, p. 4.
  25. ^ "Soldier's Short Story Is Heard as First in Victory Loan Series". The Montreal Gazette. October 6, 1944. p. 6.
  26. ^ "Today's Features on Radio and TV". Minneapolis Star Tribune. December 28, 1941. p. 23.
  27. ^ "Negro Actors Featured in NBC Dramatization". Alabama Tribune. January 4, 1952. p. 2.
  28. ^ "Episode Search: Biscuit Eater". Old Time Radio Researchers.
  29. ^ "Gold Rushers". Arizona Republic.
  30. ^ MacArthur, Harry (June 20, 1953). "'Sangaree' Is a 3-D Film With Abundant Story". Washington Evening Star. p. 7.
  31. ^ Classic TV Channel (May 5, 2020). "Ramar of the Jungle - Season 2 - Episode 7 - Idol Voo-Doo | Jon Hall, Ray Montgomery, Nick Stewart". YouTube.
  32. ^ "Ronald Reagan to Star Friday Night in the Jungle Trap". The Oshkosh Northwestern. February 13, 1954. p. 5.
  33. ^ Classic Movies, Cartoons, and TV (November 12, 2022). "Ramar of the Jungle - Striped Fury". YouTube.
  34. ^ Classic TV Channel (May 30, 2021). "Cavalcade of America | Season 4 | Episode 6 | Chain of Hearts | Charles Bronson | Joyce McCluskey". YouTube.
  35. ^ Colorization (October 11, 2023). "Screen Directors Playhouse s1e26 The Dream, Colorized, George Sanders, Sal Mineo, John Banner, 1956". YouTube.
  36. ^ "Ronald Reagan Stars on 'The Jungle Trap'". The Coshocton Democrat. September 15, 1956. p. 5.
  37. ^ "Shaw's Play Adapted for TV". The News and Observer. April 12, 1959. Sec. III, p. 49.
  38. ^ Tube (November 18, 1959). "Tele Followups: Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre". Variety. p. 56. ProQuest 1014824276. Naughty little television comes clean in this precedental episode out of Four Star's 'Zane Grey' stable. By breaking the racial barrier that has, up to now, existed in video's somewhat rigged version of the early American west, it takes some of the sting out of the gaping wound left by the pay-for-play quiz whizzes. 'Mission' accomplished. [...] Davis, who probably hasn't even scratched the surface of his talents yet, gives a convincing performance throughout. James Edwards has some telling moments as a sergeant of great conviction. As other troopers on the squad, Felix Nelson, Roy Glenn, Ernie Anderson, Bobby Johnson and Hari Rhodes come through admirably. All these men deserve bigger and better parts.
  39. ^ "'Tom and Huck' Drama". The Times Herald. October 8, 1960. p. 16.
  40. ^ Dave's Faves (June 24, 2023). "S1 E06 Let X Equal a Lousy Weekend". YouTube.
  41. ^ Parish, James Robert (1988). The Great Western Pictures II. Scarecrow Press, 1988. p. 21. ISBN 9780810821064>
  42. ^ Old Soul (April 3, 2021). "The White Shadow S2 (Episodes 13-16)". YouTube.
  43. ^ Stalingrad Heritage (July 5, 2015). "The Winds of War IV (Episode 4) Defiance sa prevodom". YouTube.
  44. ^ Mitchell, Charles P. (2002). The Hitler Filmography: Worldwide Feature Film and Television Miniseries Portrayals, 1940 Through 2000. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company. p. 243. ISBN 978-0-7864-4585-1.
  45. ^ Terrace, Vincent (1997). Experimental Television, Test Films, Pilots, and Trial Series, 1925 Through 1995: Seven Decades of Small Screen Almosts. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company. p. 48. ISBN 9780786401789.
  46. ^ "Hill Street Blues: Nichols from Heaven". digiguide.tv. Retrieved April 1, 2024.
  47. ^ Jones, Slick (May 3, 2021). "RITUALS: SEPTEMBER 10, 1984-SEPTEMBER 6, 1985 SYNDICATED". Soap Opera Network. Retrieved April 1, 2024.
  48. ^ Mulay, Janes J; Curran, Daniel; Wallenfeldt, Jeffrey H. (1988). Spies and Sleuths : Mystery, Spy, and Suspense Films on Videocassette. Evanston, IL: CineBooks. p. 14. ISBN 9780933997189.
  49. ^ C. Monk records (Home Channel). "Stewardess School (1986)". YouTube. November 21, 2021.
  50. ^ Floyd, Nigel (February 1987). "Feature Films: Soul Man". Monthly Film Bulletin. p. 60. ProQuest 1305840056. Ron Reagan (Frank), M.C. Gainey (Man in Cell), Felix Nelson (Mr. Walker), Betty Cole (Mrs. Walker)

Further reading[edit]

External links[edit]

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