Ed Nelson
Acting
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.
TV Shows(83)
Jake and the Fatman
D.A. Marcus Packard
1987
J.J. Starbuck
1987
MacGyver
Arthur Bandel
1985
Murder, She Wrote
Raymond 'Ray' Bascomb
1984
Finder of Lost Loves
Bill Garnett
1984
Matt Houston
1982
Hotel
1982
Capitol
1982
Cagney & Lacey
Sgt. Steingrove
1982
Hagen
1980
Trapper John, M.D.
1979
Doctors' Private Lives
1979
Vega$
1978
Dallas
Jeb Amos
1978
Lou Grant
1977
Logan's Run
Dr. Rowan
1977
CHiPs
1977
Gibbsville
1976
Quincy, M.E.
1976
Charlie's Angels
George Starrett
1976
The Bionic Woman
1976
Police Woman
1974
The Rockford Files
Edgar 'Bud' Clement
1974
Barnaby Jones
Larry Kinner
1973
Kung Fu
Sheriff Walter Raha
1972
The Streets of San Francisco
1972
Search
1972
The Sixth Sense
1972
Cannon
1971
Alias Smith and Jones
1971
Night Gallery
Tom Burke (segment “Little Girl Lost”)
1970
The Silent Force
1970
Medical Center
Hank
1969
The Mod Squad
1968
Adam-12
Abe Strayhorn
1968
Ironside
1967
Mission: Impossible
Van Cleve
1966
The F.B.I.
Walter Swenson
1965
Peyton Place
Michael Rossi
1964
Redigo
1963
Channing
Deke Allison
1963
The Fugitive
Paul Clements
1963
The Outer Limits
Col. Luke Stone
1963
Arrest and Trial
1963
The Dakotas
1963
The Gallant Men
1962
Stoney Burke
1962
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour
Alex Trevor
1962
The Virginian
Ralph Slocum
1962
Saints and Sinners
Ray
1962
Sam Benedict
Neil Bracket
1962
The New Breed
Jefty Bright
1961
Dr. Kildare
Dr. Keith Judge
1961
87th Precinct
1961
Cain's Hundred
Peter Stull
1961
Surfside 6
1960
Checkmate
Gil Stoneham
1960
The Aquanauts
Chris Garland
1960
Thriller
Brundage
1960
The Tall Man
1960
Coronado 9
1960
The Detectives
1959
The Rebel
Chad
1959
Johnny Ringo
Kirk
1959
The Twilight Zone
Philip Redfield
1959
Laramie
Sable
1959
Riverboat
Jim Tyler
1959
Tightrope
1959
Black Saddle
Lee Coogan
1959
Rawhide
Lt. Cory Clemens
1959
77 Sunset Strip
1958
Bat Masterson
Jedrow
1958
The Rifleman
1958
Tombstone Territory
Cowboy
1957
Harbor Command
1957
Maverick
1957
Perry Mason
Ward Nichols
1957
M Squad
Lenny Maston
1957
Have Gun, Will Travel
1957
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
Nelson
1956
Highway Patrol
1955
Gunsmoke
Lee Prentice
1955
The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp
1955
Movies(61)
Runaway Jury
George Dressler
2003
Who Am I?
General Sharman
1998
Cries of Silence
Dr. August Claiborne
1996
The Boneyard
Jersey Callum
1991
Deadly Weapon
General Stone
1989
Sworn to Silence
Victor Handler
1987
Police Academy 3: Back in Training
Governor Neilson
1986
Peyton Place: The Next Generation
Dr. Michael Rossi
1985
Help Wanted: Male
George Dobbs
1982
Born to Be Sold
Carl Strickland
1981
Enola Gay: The Men, the Mission, the Atomic Bomb
President Harry S. Truman
1980
The Return of Frank Cannon
Mike Danvers
1980
The Girl, the Gold Watch & Everything
Joseph Locordolos
1980
Anatomy of a Seduction
Mark Kane
1979
The Crash of Flight 401
Philip Mulwray
1978
Leave Yesterday Behind
Mr. Clarkson
1978
Doctors' Private Lives
Dr. Mike Wise
1978
Superdome
George Beldridge
1978
Murder in Peyton Place
Dr. Michael Rossi
1977
A Little Game
Paul Hamilton
1977
For the Love of Benji
Chandler Dietrich
1977
Midway
Admiral Harry Pearson
1976
Acapulco Gold
Ray Hollister
1976
Riding with Death
Robert Denby
1976
That's the Way of the World
Carlton James
1975
The Missing Are Deadly
1975
Airport 1975
Major John Alexander
1974
Police Headquarters
Lt. Calvin Zenger
1974
Houston, We've Got a Problem
Gene Kranz, Flight Director
1974
Linda
Paul Reston
1973
Runaway!
Nick Staffo
1973
Time to Run
Warren Cole
1973
The Screaming Woman
Carl Nesbitt
1972
Brink of Disaster!
Dr. Harden
1972
Along Came a Spider
Dr. Martin Becker
1970
The Man from Galveston
Cole Marteen
1963
Soldier in the Rain
James Priest
1963
Judgment at Nuremberg
Captain at Nightclub Announcing Call-up of Officers (uncredited)
1961
Devil's Partner
Nick Richards / Pete Jensen
1961
The Fatal Impulse
Brundage
1960
Code of Silence
1960
Valley of the Redwoods
Dino Michaelis
1960
A Bucket of Blood
Art Lacroix
1959
T-Bird Gang
Alex Hendricks
1959
The Young Captives
Norm Britt
1959
I, Mobster
Sid - Henchman (uncredited)
1959
The Brain Eaters
Dr. Paul Kettering
1958
Hot Car Girl
Cop #2
1958
Cry Baby Killer
Rick Connor
1958
Night of the Blood Beast
Dave Randall
1958
She Gods of Shark Reef
Guard (uncredited)
1958
Teenage Cave Man
Blonde Tribe Member
1958
Teenage Doll
Police Officer 'Dutch' / Blind Man
1957
Carnival Rock
Cannon
1957
Invasion of the Saucer Men
Tom
1957
Bayou
Etienne (as Edwin Nelson)
1957
Rock All Night
Pete
1957
Attack of the Crab Monsters
Ensign Quinlan
1957
Swamp Women
Police Sergeant
1956
New Orleans Uncensored
Charlie
1955
The Steel Trap
Man in Ticket Line at Airport (uncredited)
1952