The Frank Nelson Archive

Frank Nelson was a popular actor in old time radio and the early days of television. He appeared regularly on "The Jack Benny Program" over a span of 38 years, magically appearing as any clerk or floorwalker Mr. Benny encountered. He's also recognizable for his work on "I Love Lucy", where he played several characters, as well as appearances on "Sanford and Son". He was instrumental in forming and guiding AFTRA, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. Along with links to some of his performances, this site provides an archive of memorabilia collected by Frank Nelson.

Screen and Radio Credits

Frank Nelson was one of the premier actors of radio. In the 1980s, he compiled this list of his radio and TV appearances (the first appearance on each program). The list is part of a larger summary of his career that appears in the biographical section of this site.

1934
Feb. 7Burns & Allen
April 8Hall of Fame
May 6Chase & Sanborn
June 1Jack Benny (38 years)
Oct. 3Log Cabin
1935
Feb. 13Mary Pickford Show
Feb. 26Bing Crosby Show
March 8Hollywood Hotel (Leading Man for Motion Picture Stars)
June 4Red Trails
June 29Shell Chateau (Announced show for two years)
1936
March 1Leslie Howard
March 13First Nighter
June 1Lux Radio Theatre (Announcer for two years)
Oct. 1Joe E. Brown Show (Featured Performer during run of show)
1937
Jan. 4Amos 'N Andy
Jan. 12The Al Jolson Show
Jan. 24Walter Winchell
Feb. 16Jack Oakie College
Feb. 17Frank Morgan Show
March 16Alka-Nox
April 25Eddie Cantor Show
June 5Grace Moore Show
Aug. 5Showboat
Sept. 29One Man's Family
Nov. 14Silver Theatre
1938
Jan.16Tyrone Power Show
April 1Lum 'N Abner
April 30 I opened the new CBS studios on Sunset Blvd., as I started every show starting a 6 AM and finishing at midnite. Charlie Vanda of CBS hired me for the day for $50.00. I later told him that had AFRA been in existence, it would have cost him a couple of thousand. To which he replied - "Hell, if AFRA had been in, I wouldn't have hired you!"
July 3Passing Parade
Sept. 29Good News of 1938
Oct. 5Texaco Star Theatre
Nov. 17The MGM Show
1939
Jan. 10The Hedda Hopper Show
Jan. 30Those We Love
Jan. 31Fibber McGee & Molly
June 7Kay Kyser's Kollege
June 13Big Town
July 24Blondie (I was Herb Woodley, the next-door neighbor 6 yrs.)
Sept. 7Good News of 1939
Nov. 6Sherlock Holmes
Nov. 10Sunkist Show
Dec. 23Arch Oboler Show
Dec. 30Gene Autry's Melody Ranch
1940
July 21Signal Carnival
Oct. 18I Want a Divorce
Oct. 24Rudy Vallee Show
1941
March 24Point Sublime
April 24Tommy Riggs Show
Sept. 123-Ring Time (39 weeks with Milton Berle)
Sept. 14Great Gildersleeve
Oct. 12Flagg and Quirt Show
Dec. 17The Dizzy Duncans (Starred in show)
Dec. 30Horace Heidt Show
1942
Feb. 2Orson Welles Show
March 29The Screen Guild Show
1943
Feb. 18The Bob Burns Show
Feb. 28The Ransom Sherman Show
June 30Date With Judy
July 22Roma Wine Show
Sept. 7Judy Canova Show
Sept. 30The Maxwell House Show
1944
Jan. 4Red Skelton Show
Jan. 13Sealtest Show (Featured Performer over 2 years)
Jan. 23Life of Riley
Feb. 23Frank Sinatra Show
Feb. 26Corliss Archer
March 3People Are Funny
April 12Dr. Christian
June 8Dinah Shore Show
July 18The Philip Morris Show
Sept. 14The Joan Davis Show
Sept. 17Toasties Time
Oct. 1Hall of Fame
Oct. 29Ozzie and Harriet
1945
Jan. 6The Danny Kaye Show
April 25The Billie Burke Show
May 20The Eddie Bracken Show
May 30The Jack Carson Show
June 20The Saint
July 19Maisie
Sept. 23The Fannie Brice Show
Oct. 25Abbott & Costello
Nov. 30Durante-Moore Show
1946
Jan. 6The Baby Snooks Show (worked weekly thru entire series)
March 15The Ginny Simms Show
May 3Duffy's Tavern
June 7The Alan Young Show
June 8The Jack Kirkwood Show
Oct. 3The Dick Haymes Show
Oct. 8Bob Hope Show
Oct. 13The Phil Harris Show
Nov. 19My Friend Irma
1947
May 12The Victor Borge Show
May 28The Dennis Day Show
Oct. 19Meet Me At Parky's (Featured Performer thruout Series)
Nov. 26The Jack Paar Show
1948
Jan. 30The Danny Thomas Show
Feb. 4The Tony Martin Show
Feb. 11The Jimmy Durante Show
March 24Beulah
June 17Hallmark Theatre
June 26Steve Allen Show
Sept. 27Our Miss Brooks
Oct. 16My Favorite Husband
1949
Jan. 30Life With Luigi
April 5Martin & Lewis
1950
Jan. 27Screen Directors Playhouse
June 15Sara's Caper
1951
March 28Dr. Christian
1952
Feb. 3Donald O'Connor Show (TV)
Feb. 27Eb & Zeb (TV)
March 9Jack Benny (TV)
April 11I Love Lucy (TV)
May 21Edgar Bergen Show
Oct. 17Corliss Archer
1953
April 5Life With Luigi (TV)
June 16My Little Margie
June 27Saturday Nite Revue (TV)
1954
Jan. 11The Ray Milland Show
Jan. 30The Roy Rogers Show
March 9Suspense
1955
July 28Make Room for Daddy (TV)
1956
Feb. 1Private Secretary (TV)
June 28Climax (TV)
1957
Oct. 14Sally (TV)
1958
Feb. 13Shower of Stars (TV)
Feb. 19The Betty White Show (TV)
Nov. 19The Real McCoys (TV)
1959
Feb. 26I Married Joan (TV)
1960
April 8The Flintstones (TV)
July 28Dennis the Menace (TV)
Sept. 22Oh, Those Bells (TV)
1961
Feb. 15Angel (TV)
Dec. 12Pete & Gladys (TV)
1964
Jan. 2The Phil Silvers Show
Aug. 27The Addams Family (TV)
1966
Dec. 13Petticoat Junction (TV)

The following credits were obtained from TV and film reference sources:

Films

Down Memory Lane (1949)
The Milkman (1950)
You Never Can Tell (1951)
Bonzo Goes to College (1952)
Remains to be Seen (1953)
So You Want to Know Your Relatives (1954)
It Should Happen to You (1954)
Kiss Them for Me (1957)
The Malibu Bikini Shop (1984)

Television

The Jack Benny Show
.....Regular performer

The Hank McCune Show
.....Regular performer

The Betty White Show (1958)
.....Regular performer

I Love Lucy
....."Lucy Gets Ricky on the Radio"
....."The Great Train Robbery"
....."Ricky and Fred are TV Fans"
....."Lucy Changes Her Mind"
....."The Quiz Show"
....."The Million Dollar Idea"
....."Ricky's Hawaiian Vacation"
....."Ricky's Movie Offer"
....."Return Home From Europe"
....."Lucy Gets Chummy with the Neighbors"
....."Country Club Dance"

Frank also did voice work in a number of animated projects.
Another TV guest appearance was the 1982 Tim Curry episode of Saturday Night Live.

More credits can be found at Frank Nelson's IMDB page

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