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Barry NelsonActor, first performer of the role of James Bond
Date of Birth: 16.04.1917
Country:  USA |
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Barry Nelson Biography
Barry Nelson was an actor and the first performer to portray James Bond. He had a prolific and active career on stage during the 1960s and 1970s. In 1978, Nelson received a nomination for the prestigious Tony Award for Best Actor for his role in the play 'The Act', alongside Liza Minnelli.
Early Life and Career
Barry Nelson was born in 1920 in San Francisco to a family with Norwegian roots. He graduated from the University of California, Berkeley in 1941 and soon after signed a contract with MGM. His acting debut came in the film 'Shadow of the Thin Man' in 1941, although his role was not a leading one. However, in 1942, Nelson landed the lead role as Joe Tracy in George B. Seitz's war drama 'A Yank on the Burma Road'. Around the same time, he began to have successful performances on Broadway.
During World War II, Nelson served in the military, but he continued to act even while in the army. After returning from the war, he resumed his acting career. Nelson had numerous stage performances throughout the 1960s and 1970s. He received a Tony Award nomination for Best Actor in 1978 for his role in 'The Act', which also starred Liza Minnelli.
The First James Bond
Perhaps the most significant success in film awaited Nelson in 1954 when he appeared in the first-ever adaptation of the character James Bond in the television production of 'Casino Royale'. He became the first "Agent 007," preceding Sean Connery by eight years, who later portrayed the legendary super-spy in the first official Bond film. Strictly speaking, Barry Nelson's portrayal of Bond was not considered "official." He could be referred to as "James Bond #0" or even "not quite Bond" as his character was named "Lucky Jimmy". Nevertheless, history still recognizes Nelson as the first performer of one of the most iconic film characters of all time. Interestingly, the actor himself recalled struggling to figure out how to play this yet unknown Bond after getting the role. Barry Nelson is also notable for being the first and only American to play Bond.
Other Notable Roles
In addition to his portrayal of Bond, Barry Nelson appeared in several other well-known films. He starred in the film adaptation of Arthur Hailey's best-selling novel 'Airport' in 1970 and played a significant role in Stanley Kubrick's iconic film adaptation of Stephen King's 'The Shining' in 1980. In 'The Shining', Nelson portrayed the manager of the devilish hotel where Jack Nicholson's character resides. It was considered one of Nelson's best roles, characterized as a typical American manager – slightly cynical, somewhat aristocratic, polite, and always ready to betray others. Overall, Nelson made notable acting contributions in over sixty films and television productions. He appeared in popular TV series such as 'Suspense', 'The Twilight Zone', 'Dr. Kildare', 'Love, American Style', 'Ghost Story', 'Battlestar Galactica', and many more. Nelson's final role was in the television series 'Monsters' in 1990.
Later Life
After retiring from Hollywood and Broadway, Barry Nelson began to travel, engage in charity work, and started writing his memoirs. Unfortunately, he never completed them. Nelson was married twice. His first marriage was in 1951 to Teresa Celli, which ended in divorce. His second wife, Nansilee ('Nansi') Hoy, remained with him until his death. The Nelsons split their time between the United States and France.
