FRANK NELSON

1911-1986

Frank Nelson was born on May 6, 1911 (three months before Lucille Ball) in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He started working as a radio announcer at the age of 15. He later appeared on such popular radio shows as “The Great Gildersleeve,” “Burns and Allen,” and “Fibber McGee & Molly”.  Aside from Lucille Ball, Nelson is perhaps most associated with Jack Benny and was a fifteen-year  regular on his radio and television programs.  His trademark was playing clerks and other working stiffs, suddenly turning to Benny with a drawn out “Yeeeeeeeeees?” 

LUCY & FRANK: RADIO DAYS…

October 23, 1948 – “My Favorite Husband: The Quiz Show"

To afford a new dishwasher to help Katie the maid, Liz (Lucille Ball) goes on a Quiz Show hosted by Frank Nelson. Note: This episode was the basis for the episode of “I Love Lucy” with the same title, also starring Nelson as the quiz master. On radio, however, he is known as Smiley Stembottom instead of Freddy Fillmore. 

November 11, 1948 – “My Favorite Husband: Learning To Drive"

As a new driver, Liz (Lucille Ball) has an incident that involves the police (Frank Nelson). 

November 27, 1948 – “My Favorite Husband: Is There A Baby In The House?” 

Liz babysits for a new neighbor. When George’s boss decides to use the baby to make a good impression on a new client (Frank Nelson), it turns out to be the baby’s father! 

December 18, 1948 – “My Favorite Husband: Liz’s New Dress"

Liz (Lucille Ball) pranks a department store clerk (Frank Nelson) to get herself a new dress. 

February 4, 1949 – “My Favorite Husband: Speech For Civic Organization" 

When George brings a new client home for dinner (Frank Nelson), Liz (Lucille Ball) decides to show off her newly-learned vocabulary words. 

February 18, 1949 – “My Favorite Husband: Secretarial School"

Liz (Lucille Ball) is a substitute secretary trying to appease an impatient Chairman of the Board (Frank Nelson). 

February 25, 1949 – “My Favorite Husband: Absent Mindedness"

Liz (Lucille Ball) reports to a policeman (Frank Nelson) that her car has been stolen. 

April 3, 1949 – “The Martin and Lewis Show” 

Dean and Jerry welcome Lucille Ball as their first guest star while Frank Nelson plays their agent. 

June 3, 1949 – “My Favorite Husband: Television”

Liz (Lucille Ball) and George visit a neighbor (Frank Nelson) and accidentally break his television set. Note: This program was used as a basis for “I Love Lucy” episode “The Courtroom”, although Nelson was not involved. 

June 24, 1949 – “My Favorite Husband: Liz Changes Her Mind"

Nelson plays a snooty waiter who loses patience with an indecisive Liz (Lucille Ball). Note: Nelson later played the same role on “I Love Lucy: Lucy Changes Her Mind” although the comedy is now not about the waiter’s snootiness but his  near-nearsightedness, a much more visual source of comedy. 

July 1, 1949 – “My Favorite Husband: Reminiscing” 

Frank Nelson plays a driving instructor assigned to teach Liz (Lucille Ball). 

April 23, 1950 – “Liz Appears on Television” 

Nelson plays a cigar store clerk, and a TV host. 

LUCY & FRANK: TV TIME…

Nelson appeared in 11 episodes of “I Love Lucy”, including three as quiz master Freddy Fillmore, and two as Ralph Ramsey, plus appearance on “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour” – making him the only actor to play two different recurring roles on “I Love Lucy.” 

Sharp-eyed viewers will notice that the quiz master’s first and last names are spelled differently over the course of the three episodes. Freddy v Freddie and Filmore v Fillmore. For the sake of this blog, we will stick with the more commonly seen “Freddy Fillmore”.

His first appearance was in… 

“The Quiz Show” (ILL S1;E5) ~ November 12, 1951

Fillmore is the host of radio’s “Females Are Fabulous” in which Lucy will do anything to win a thousand dollars. 

“Lucy Gets Ricky on the Radio” (ILL S1;E32) ~ May 19, 1952

Fillmore is now hosting “Mr. & Mrs. Quiz,” a program Lucy believes will boost Ricky’s public profile by answering trivia questions. To assure he wins – she steals the answers but is thwarted when Fillmore changes the questions! 

“Ricky’s Hawaiian Vacation” (ILL S3;E22) ~ March 22, 1954

This is Fillmore’s third and final appearance, having finally made the leap from radio to television to host “Be a Good Neighbor.” Lucy is trying to win a trip to Hawaii so she can go along with Ricky on his business trip. 

“Lucy Changes Her Mind” (ILL S2;E21) ~ March 30, 1953

Nelson plays Henry, a nearsighted waiter who ends up calling it quits when Lucy can’t make up her mind!  Note: Nelson repeats the role he did on radio’s “My Favorite Husband: Liz Changes Her Mind” starring Lucille Ball. 

“Ricky’s Movie Offer” (ILL S4;E6) ~ November 8, 1954

Ethel mistakes talent scout Ben Benjamin (Frank Nelson) for an intruder and Lucy conks him on the head with a vase.

Lucy and Ethel then do a ‘Weekend at Bernie’s’ by sitting the unconscious talent scout upright on the sofa like nothing had happened. Ethel combs his hair, and for a few seconds puts the comb under his nose making the lifeless Benjamin looks exactly like Adolf Hitler although less cynical viewers claim it was Oliver Hardy. 

“Ricky and Fred Are TV Fans” 

(ILL S2;E30)  ~ June 22, 1953)

Sergeant Nelson of the NYPD mistakes Lucy and Ethel for Sticky Fingers Sal and Pickpocket Pearl!

“The Million-Dollar Idea” (ILL S3;E13) ~ January 11, 1954

Nelson plays another alliteratively-named TV host, Dickie Davis, who introduces Mary Margaret McMertz to sell Aunt Martha’s Old Fashioned Salad Dressing. To test the salad dressing, McMertz brings on an ‘average housewife selected at random’: Lucy, calling herself Isabella Clump.

“The Great Train Robbery” (ILL S5;E5) ~ October 31, 1955

Nelson played a frazzled Union Pacific Train Conductor who must contend with Lucy’s tendency to pull the emergency break! Nelson first played this character on radio on “The Jack Benny Program.” He was generally teamed with Mel Blanc, who would do the station calls, although Blanc was not used here. 

“Return Home from Europe” (ILL S5;E26) ~ May 14, 1956

When Lucy lands in New York after her mid-air cheese / baby debacle, Frank Nelson plays the US Customs Officer in charge of sorting things out. 

“Lucy Gets Chummy with the Neighbors” (ILL S6;E18)  ~ February 18, 1957

We meet Betty and Ralph Ramsey, the Ricardos’ Westport neighbors. Ralph works at the Burton Warshman and Ramsey Agency and is a member of the Westport Country Club, where he makes his second and final appearance in…

“Country Club Dance” (ILL S6;E25) ~ April 22, 1957

Ralph joins Ricky and Fred in paying a bit too much attention to young Diana Jordan (Barbara Eden), much to the dismay of his wife Betty (Mary Jane Croft).  

“Lucy Takes a Cruise To Havana” (LDCH S1;E1) ~ November 6, 1957

Nelson appears as the Cruise Director of the RMS Caronia in 1940 trying to get private secretaries Lucy McGillicuddy and Susie MacNamara (Ann Sothern) involved in something more than just finding a husband!

Nelson returned to the role of the frazzled Train Conductor for an episode of “The Lucy Show” in 1963. This marks his final appearance on a Lucille Ball sitcom. 

“Jack Benny’s New Look” ~ December 3, 1969

Nelson plays a Camera Store Clerk who (conveniently) demonstrates the sponsor’s product, Kodak Cameras. He does not share the stage with Lucille Ball, who only momentarily appears at the very end of the special as herself. 

“Jack Benny’s 20th Anniversary Special” ~ November 16, 1970

Nelson plays an Airport Ticket Clerk who naturally greets Jack Benny with his trademark “Yeeeeeeeeees?” Lucille Ball does not appear in this sketch. She plays Benny’s maid in another sketch on the program. 

In “The Handcuffs” (ILL S2;E4) Ricky is interviewed and introduced by Veola Vonn. In real-life, Vonn was married to Frank Nelson from 1970 until his death in 1986. 

In “Ethel’s Birthday” (ILL S4;E9) Mary Lansing provided the offstage voice of Cynthia in “Over the Teacups”.  Lansing was Nelson’s first wife, marrying him in 1933 and with whom he had two children.