Frank Nelson was a multi-talented character actor with an instantly recognizable face and voice. He was a comedic veteran with a signature trimmed mustache and catchphrase ("Eeeeee-yeeeeeeesss?") who entertained audiences for over six decades on film, TV, radio, and in voiceovers.
Born on May 6, 1911, Frank began his career at 15 as an announcer on Denver radio and later moved to Hollywood, where he found work in local radio dramatic shows, often playing the leading man. His first national radio program was "Flywheel, Shyster, and Flywheel" in 1932, starring Groucho Marx and Chico Marx.
Frank's breakthrough came in the 1930s, when he started working on Jack Benny's popular radio show, initially as an announcer and later as a regular cast member, playing various flustered or disdainful customer service types. He also appeared on other notable radio shows, including "The Great Gildersleeve," "Burns and Allen Show," "Fibber McGee and Molly," "The Bing Crosby Show," "The Eddie Cantor Show," "The Bob Hope Show," and "Abbott and Costello."
Frank's film career included appearances in "Down Memory Lane" (1949),"The Milkman" (1950),"You Never Can Tell" (1951),"Bonzo Goes to College" (1952),"Remains to Be Seen" (1953),"It Should Happen to You" (1954),and "Kiss Them for Me" (1957). He also appeared in several short films, including "So You Want to Get Rich Quick" (1949),and the "So You Want to..." comedy series.
Frank was a charter member of AFRA (American Federation of Radio Artists) and served as AFTRA's president from 1954 to 1957, playing a key role in securing decent pension plans for actors. He appeared in numerous sitcoms, including "The Jack Benny Program" (1950-1965),"I Love Lucy" (1951-1957),"Our Miss Brooks" (1952),"The Danny Thomas Show" (1953),and "Sanford and Son" (1972).
Frank's voice work included animation for "Mr. Magoo," "The Flintstones" (1960),"The Jetsons" (1962),"Dinky Dog" (1978),and "Snorks" (1984). He also provided voices for various cartoons, such as "Calvin and the Colonel," "Bozo the Clown," "The Smurfs," and "Garfield and Friends."
Frank was married twice, first to Mary Lansing, with whom he had two children, and then to Veola Vonn, an actress who appeared on "I Love Lucy." He died on September 12, 1986, at the age of 75, after a battle with cancer.
