{{Short description|American actor (1917–2007)}} {{other people}} {{use mdy dates|date=March 2020}} {{Infobox person | name = Barry Nelson | image = Barry Nelson 1962.jpg | caption = Nelson in 1962 | birth_name = Robert Haakon Nielsen | birth_date = {{Birth date|1917|4|16}} | birth_place = San Francisco, California, U.S. | death_date = {{Death date and age|2007|4|7|1917|4|16}} | death_place = Bucks County, Pennsylvania, U.S. | occupation = Actor | years_active = 1938–1990 | spouse = {{plainlist}} * {{marriage|Teresa Celli|1951|1965|end=div}} * {{marriage|Nansilee Hoy|1992|<!--|2007-04-07-->}} {{endplainlist}} | alma_mater = University of California, Berkeley }} '''Robert Haakon Nielsen'''<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20170113011302/https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VGKK-J2S Haakon R Nielsen California Birth Index]</ref> (April 16, 1917 – April 7, 2007),<ref name="deathnotice">{{cite news| url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/13/AR2007041301701.html| title=Actor Barry Nelson Dies at 89| newspaper=The Washington Post| agency=Associated Press| date=2007-04-13| last=Risling| first=Greg| access-date=2007-04-13}}</ref> known as '''Barry Nelson''', was an American stage, film, and television actor. He is noted as the first actor to portray Ian Fleming's secret agent James Bond, in the 1954 American television adaptation of ''Casino Royale''.<ref name="PM">{{cite journal| url=https://www.popmatters.com/163228-the-non-bonds-james-bonds-bitter-decades-long-battle-with-james-bond-2495815610.html| journal=PopMatters| date=2012-10-05| title=The Non-Bonds: James Bond's Bitter, Decades-Long Battle... with James Bond| first=J.C.| last=Maçek III}}</ref> He is also known for playing Stuart Ullman in Stanley Kubrick's 1980 psychological horror film ''The Shining''. He was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for the Broadway musical ''The Act'' (1977).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Barry Nelson Tony Awards Wins and Nominations |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/tonyawardspersoninfo.php?nomname=Barry%20Nelson |access-date=2025-10-16 |website=www.broadwayworld.com}}</ref>
==Early life== Nelson was born in San Francisco, the son of Norwegian immigrants, Betsy (née Christophersen) and Trygve Nielsen.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20151222114953/https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XCX8-K3X Robert Neilsen United States Census, 1930]</ref> His year of birth has been subject to some debate, but is listed as 1917 on both his 1943 Army Air Forces enlistment record and his 1993 voter registration records.<ref>National Archives and Records Administration. U.S. World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946</ref><ref>Los Angeles County Voter Registration Record, Venice, California, 1993</ref> He attended high school in Oakland, California, having lead roles in school plays,<ref name=tvg>{{cite magazine |date=October 30, 1954 |pages=13-15 |title=He Couldn't Afford Broadway |magazine=TV Guide |url=https://archive.org/details/tvguide-philadelphia-1954-10-30/page/13/mode/1up |accessdate=February 3, 2026 }}</ref> and graduated from UC Berkeley in 1941, where he performed as an actor in student theatre productions.<ref>1937 UC Berkeley Yearbook</ref> While there he earned part of his tuition expenses by acting on radio programs in San Francisco.<ref name="tvg" />
==Career== With MGM, Nelson made his screen debut in the role as Paul Clark in ''Shadow of the Thin Man'' (1941) starring William Powell and Myrna Loy, with Donna Reed.<ref name="newstribune">{{cite news |url=http://www.thenewstribune.com/358/story/38811.html |title=First Bond starred on Broadway with Bacall, Minnelli, Bel Geddes |newspaper=The News Tribune |location=Tacoma, Washington |agency=Los Angeles Times| date=2007-04-14| last=McLellan |first=Dennis |access-date=2007-04-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070517105400/http://www.thenewstribune.com/358/story/38811.html |archive-date=2007-05-17}}</ref> He followed that with his role as Lew Rankin in the film noir ''Johnny Eager'' (1942) starring Robert Taylor and Lana Turner.<ref name="metro">{{cite news| url=http://metro.co.uk/2007/04/14/first-james-bond-star-dies-aged-89-289907/| title=First James Bond star dies aged 89| newspaper=Metro| date=2007-04-14| location=London| access-date=2007-04-14}}</ref>
During his service in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II, Nelson debuted on the Broadway stage in Moss Hart's play ''Winged Victory'' (1943) in the role of Bobby Grills. His next Broadway appearance was as Peter Sloan, playwright, in Hart's ''Light Up the Sky'' (1948).<ref name="broadway">{{cite web| url=http://www.ibdb.com/person.asp?id=15762| title=Barry Nelson| website=Internet Broadway Database| access-date=2007-04-14| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070418170559/http://www.ibdb.com/person.asp?ID=15762| archive-date=18 April 2007 | url-status=live}}</ref> He appeared on Broadway with Barbara Bel Geddes in the original Broadway production of ''The Moon Is Blue''. During the play's run, he also starred in a CBS half-hour drama called ''The Hunter'', premiering in July 1952. He played Bart Adams, a wealthy young American whose business activities involved him in a series of adventures. He also appeared with Lauren Bacall in the Abe Burrows comedy ''Cactus Flower'' in 1965<ref name="deathnotice" /> and with Dorothy Loudon in ''The Fig Leaves Are Falling'' in 1969. Nelson performed another Broadway role, that of Gus Hammer in ''The Rat Race'' (1949).<ref name="broadway" />
He was the first actor to play James Bond on screen in a 1954 adaptation of Ian Fleming's novel ''Casino Royale'' on the television anthology series ''Climax!'' (preceding Sean Connery's interpretation in ''Dr. No'' by eight years).<ref name="metro"/> Reportedly this was considered a pilot for a possible James Bond television series, though it is not known if Nelson intended to continue playing the character. Nelson played James Bond as an American agent whom some in the program call "Jimmy". In 2004, Nelson said, "At that time, no one had ever heard of James Bond...I was scratching my head wondering how to play it. I hadn't read the book or anything like that because it wasn't well-known."<ref name="mi6uk" /> Bond did not become well known in the U.S. until President John F. Kennedy listed ''From Russia, with Love'' among his 10 favorite books in a March 17, 1961, ''Life'' article.<ref>{{cite magazine| last=Sidey| first=Hugh| title=The President's Voracious Reading Habits| magazine=Life| date=17 March 1961| volume=50| issue=11| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vUUEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA5| access-date=5 October 2011| issn=0024-3019}}</ref>
The program also featured Peter Lorre as Le Chiffre, the primary villain. Nelson later noted the opportunity to work with Lorre was the reason he took the role.<ref name="newstribune" /> Originally broadcast live, the production was believed lost until a kinescope emerged in the 1980s. It was released to home video and is currently available on DVD as a bonus feature with the 1967 film adaptation of the novel.<ref name="mi6uk">{{cite web| url=http://www.mi6-hq.com/sections/articles/obituary_nelson.php3?t=&s=bonds&id=01525| title=Barry Nelson (1920-2007)| website=Mi6-HQ.com| access-date=2007-04-14| date=2007-04-13}} Nelson 2004 quote from Cinema Retro interview cited here.</ref>
During the 1959 television series, Nelson starred in 39 episodes of ''Hudson's Bay'', playing Johnathon Banner.<ref>[http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-da761 Wisconsin Center for Film]</ref>
Nelson appeared as Grant Decker in "Threat of Evil", a 1960 episode of ''The DuPont Show with June Allyson''. His additional television credits include guest appearances on ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'', ''Ben Casey'', ''The Twilight Zone'' (episode "Stopover in a Quiet Town"), ''Dr. Kildare'', and in later years playing a hobo on an episode of ''The Ropers''. He appeared regularly on television in the 1960s, having been one of the ''What's My Line?'' mystery guests and later serving as a guest panelist on that popular CBS quiz show. Nelson was also a semi-regular panelist on the daytime and nighttime versions of ''To Tell the Truth'' for three years of its run from 1962 to 1965, as well as a guest panelist a few times in 1967.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://ttttontheweb.com/ttttdaytime.html|title = To Tell the Truth: 1962-65 Daytime Panel Guide}}</ref> Nelson appeared second-most-frequently on the daytime show in the three years he was a semi-regular. He was one of the various hosts of the NBC Radio program ''Monitor'' during the mid-1960s.<ref>[http://monitorbeacon.net/nbc-monitor/the-sounds-of-nbc-monitor/sounds-of-monitor-1966/ Sounds of NBC ''Monitor''–1966 – The ''Monitor'' Tribute Pages.] Retrieved January 1, 2024.</ref> Nelson appeared in both the stage and screen versions of ''Mary, Mary''.<ref name="newstribune" /><ref name="broadway" />
He directed the 1968 play ''The Only Game in Town'', as well as starring as Joe. In 1978, he was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his role as Dan Connors in the Broadway musical ''The Act'' (1977) with Liza Minnelli.<ref name="newstribune" /> Nelson had a notable role as Stuart Ullman, the manager of the Overlook Hotel, in the Stanley Kubrick horror film ''The Shining'' (1980). His final appearance on Broadway was as Julian Marsh in ''42nd Street'' (1986).<ref name="broadway" />
"He was a very naturalistic, believable actor," said his agent, Francis Delduca. "He was good at both comedy and the serious stuff."<ref name="deathnotice"/>
==Personal life== Nelson was married twice – first to actress Teresa Celli, from whom he was divorced in 1965 and later to Nansilee ("Nansi") Hoy, to whom he was married until his death.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/14/obituaries/14nelson.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share| title=Barry Nelson, Broadway and Film Actor, Dies at 86| date=April 14, 2007| newspaper=The New York Times| access-date=2019-01-01}}</ref>
Nelson and his second wife divided their time between homes in New York and France.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://commanderbond.net/article/4235| title=Barry Nelson (1920-2007)| website=CommanderBond.net| access-date=2007-04-14| last=Zydel| first=Devin| date=2007-04-13| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070518163039/http://commanderbond.net/article/4235| archive-date=18 May 2007| url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Death== Nelson died on April 7, 2007, while traveling in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, nine days before his 90th birthday.<ref name="deathnotice"/>
==Filmography== {{unreferenced section|date=March 2020}}
===Film=== {| class="wikitable" ! Year !! Title !! Role !! Notes |- | 1938 || ''Comet Over Broadway'' || Garage Mechanic <ref>{{Cite web |last=MovixHub |title=Comet Over Broadway |url=http://movixhub.com/series/143755-comet-over-broadway |access-date=2025-10-16 |website=MovixHub}}</ref>|| uncredited |- | rowspan=2| 1941 || ''Shadow of the Thin Man'' || Paul Clark <ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.classicmoviehub.com/film/shadow-of-the-thin-man-1941/ |title=Shadow of the Thin Man (1941) : Classic Movie Hub (CMH) |access-date=2025-10-16 |via=www.classicmoviehub.com}}</ref>|| |- | ''Johnny Eager'' || Lew Rankin || |- | rowspan=5| 1942 || ''A Yank on the Burma Road''|| Joe Tracey || |- | ''Dr. Kildare's Victory'' || Samuel Z. Cutter || |- | ''Rio Rita'' || Harry Gantley || |- | ''The Affairs of Martha'' || Danny O'Brien || |- | ''Eyes in the Night'' || Mr. Busch || |- | rowspan=3| 1943 || ''The Human Comedy'' || Norman Dana (aka "Fat") || |- | ''Bataan'' || F.X. Matowski || |- | ''A Guy Named Joe'' || Dick Rumney || |- | 1944 || ''Winged Victory'' || Robert Edward "Bobby" Crills || |- | rowspan=2| 1947 || ''The Beginning or the End'' || Colonel Paul Tibbetts Jr. || |- | ''Undercover Maisie'' || Lieutenant Paul Scott || |- | rowspan=2| 1948 || ''Tenth Avenue Angel'' || Al Parker || |- | ''Command Decision'' || Cumquat B-Baker crewman || voice, uncredited |- | 1951 || ''The Man with My Face'' || Charles "Chick" Graham / Albert "Bert" Rand || |- | 1956 || ''The First Traveling Saleslady'' || Charles Masters || |- | 1963 || ''Mary, Mary'' || Bob McKellaway || |- | 1967 || ''The Borgia Stick'' || Hal Carter || TV movie |- | 1969 || ''Seven in Darkness'' || Alex Swain || TV movie |- | 1970 || ''Airport'' || Captain Anson Harris || |- | 1971 || ''My Wives Jane'' || Nat Franklin || TV movie |- | rowspan=2| 1972 || ''Pete 'n' Tillie'' || Burt || |- | ''Climb an Angry Mountain'' || Lieutenant Frank Bryant || TV movie |- | 1974 || ''Fools, Females and Fun'' || Dr. David Markham || TV movie |- | rowspan=2| 1980 || ''The Shining'' || Stuart Ullman || |- | ''Island Claws'' || Dr. McNeal || |- | 1982 || ''Poltergeist'' || Actor on television || uncredited final film role |- |}
===Television=== * ''Suspense'' – Episodes: "The Guy from Nowhere", "A Pocketful of Murder", "The Gentleman from America", "My Old Man's Badge" (1950); "Dead Fall", "Tough Cop" (1951) * ''The Hunter'' – Bart Adams (1952) * ''My Favorite Husband'' – George Cooper (1953–1955) * ''Climax!'' – James Bond – Episode: "Casino Royale" (1954); Dick Milton – Episode: "The Push-Button Giant" (1958) * ''Hudson's Bay'' – Jonathan Banner (1959) * ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' (1959) (Season 4 Episode 27: "The Waxwork") – Raymond Houston * ''The Twilight Zone'' (1964) (Episode: "Stopover in a Quiet Town") Bob Frazier * ''The Alfred Hitchcock Hour'' (1964) (Season 2 Episode 20: "Anyone for Murder?") – Dr. James Parkerson * ''The Alfred Hitchcock Hour'' (1964) (Season 3 Episode 8: "Misadventure") – Colin * ''Thriller'' (1974) (Episode: "Ring Once for Death") - Hugo Fane * ''Washington: Behind Closed Doors'' (1977) - Bob Bailey * ''The Ropers'' (1979) (Episode: "The Skeleton") - Uncle Bill * ''Taxi'' (1981) (Episode: "Mr. Personalities") - Dr. Jeffries * ''Magnum, PI'' (1982) (Episode: "Double Jeopardy") - Knox * ''Murder, She Wrote'' (1989) (Episode: "Mourning Among the Wisterias") – Eugene McClenden
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb name|625167}} * {{TCMDb name}} * {{IBDB name|99586}} (as Pvt. Barry Nelson) * {{IBDB name|15762}} (as Barry Nelson) * {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20080829144407/http://www.mi6.co.uk/sections/articles/obituary_nelson.php3 Barry Nelson obituary at MI6.co.uk]}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Nelson, Barry}} Category:1917 births Category:2007 deaths Category:20th-century American male actors Category:American male film actors Category:American male stage actors Category:American male television actors Category:American people of Norwegian descent Category:Male actors from San Francisco Category:Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer contract players Category:Military personnel from San Francisco Category:United States Army Air Forces personnel of World War II Category:University of California, Berkeley alumni