Ed Nelson was aiming for a career in the legal profession until he caught the acting bug during his second year of college. In 1952, he headed off to New York City, where he studied direction and production at the School of Radio Technique. He returned to his native New Orleans where he worked as an assistant director at WDSU-TV; he also narrated .
Father of Christopher S. Nelson , who starred in the horror movie Without Warning . Their shared middle name is "Stafford".
In July 2005, he appeared as a guest at the Western Film Fair in Charlotte, North Carolina along with Ty Hardin , Donna Douglas , Richard Anderson , Elena Verdugo , Adrian Brian, Henry Darrow and Jo Morrow.
Interviewed in Tom Weaver s book "Attack of the Monster Movie Makers" (McFarland & Co., 1994).
In the 1950s, he became a member of Roger Corman s unofficial stock company. Like other members of the group, he would do a variety of jobs in addition to acting.
Father-in-law of Asta Hansen.
His father was of English, and some Scottish, descent. His mother was of French ancestry.
He and Barbara Parkins were the only two actors who appeared on the first episode of Peyton Place in 1964 and the final episode in 1969. They were the only stars who received screen credit for every episode (although not necessarily appearing in every episode) during the series entire five-year run.
Despite playing Harry S. Truman in a one-man touring production of "Give Em Hell, Harry," he was a Republican and a good friend of Ronald Reagan.
(August 2005) Returned home to the New Orleans area, with wife Patsy of 54 years and finally graduated in 2000 from Tulane University which he left in 1952. Now teaching in the Media Arts department of Tulanes University College.
