Mervyn Nelson

'''Mervyn Nelson''' ({{Circa|1915}} – 17 August 1991) was a stage actor, writer, director and producer. At the age of five, he started acting in vaudeville theatre, and then performed in Broadway theatre shows during the 1940s and 1950s, including ''Early to Bed'' in 1943.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Dietz |first1=Dan |title=The Complete Book of 1940s Broadway Musicals |date=2015 |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |location=London |isbn=9781442245280 |chapter=1943-1944 Season}}</ref> His stage performances were well reviewed in ''Billboard''.<ref name="Billboard">{{cite book|title=Billboard|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uhoEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT25|date=2 December 1944|page=25}}</ref><ref name="Billboard2">{{cite book|title=Billboard|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Yh4EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA49|date=6 November 1948|page=49}}</ref>

In 1950, he wrote and produced an all-black revue called ''The Jazz Train'' which told the story of the history of jazz music and featured musical accompaniment from a number of top jazz performers.<ref name="NYT" /><ref name="Chilton2000">{{cite book|author=John Chilton|title=Ride, Red, Ride: The Life of Henry 'Red' Allen|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gogjg5KvUxYC&pg=PA136|date=27 June 2000|publisher=A&C Black|isbn=978-0-8264-4744-9|page=136}}</ref> He also wrote and directed the 1971 cult gay drama movie ''Some of My Best Friends Are...''.<ref name="NYT" />

He died at the age of 76 on 17 August 1991.<ref name="NYT">{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/08/20/obituaries/mervyn-nelson-76-actor-and-director.html|title=Mervyn Nelson, 76, Actor and Director|date=20 August 1991|work=New York Times}}</ref> Mervyn is buried in Locust Valley Cemetery, Locust Valley, New York.

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nelson, Mervyn}} Category:1991 deaths Category:American directors Category:American male stage actors Category:Year of birth uncertain