Portia Nelson
Biography
Portia Nelson was an American singer, songwriter, actress and author who began performing in Los Angeles cabarets before moving to New York, where she sang at the Blue Angel from 1950 to 1959. Born in Brigham City, Utah, she first worked in studio offices and adopted the stage name Portia after friends nicknamed her. Encouraged by Jane Russell, she became a vocal coach and recorded albums such as Love Songs for a Late Evening. On screen she often played nuns, including Sister Berthe in The Sound of Music (1965) and Sister Elizabeth in The Trouble with Angels (1966). She appeared in Doctor Dolittle (1967) and The Other (1972), and on television had a recurring role on All My Children. Her book There's a Hole in My Sidewalk became a mainstay of twelve-step programs, and she later adapted it for the stage.
80years old at death
- Born Brigham City
- Died New York
- Star sign: GeminiThe sign runs May 21 to June 20
Movie Career
- Films
- 4
- Career span
- 7 years1965 to 1972
Every film, newest first
- 1972The OtherIMDb rating 6.8
- 1967Doctor DolittleIMDb rating 6.2
- 1966The Trouble with AngelsIMDb rating 7.3
- 1965The Sound of MusicIMDb rating 8.1
Genres
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About the name
Nelson adopted the stage name Portia from a nickname friends gave her because she loved the radio soap opera Portia Faces Life.
A first
In 1954, Nelson was the first to play Miss Minerva Oliver in The Golden Apple, John Latouche's musical version of Homer's Iliad and Odyssey. It opened off-Broadway at the Phoenix Theatre and later moved to Broadway's Alvin Theatre.
A first
Portia Nelson's recorded debut came with Love Songs for a Late Evening, an album released in 1953 by Columbia's Masterworks division, which was normally reserved for classical artists.
Behind the camera
Nelson wrote special musical material for Carol Burnett, Debbie Reynolds, Marlene Dietrich and Julie Andrews, and worked as a vocal coach to actors including Rod Steiger.
A change of course
Nelson coached Rock Hudson vocally when he recorded his first and only album, Rock, Gently: Rock Hudson Sings the Songs of Rod McKuen, in 1970.
Portia Nelson movies on Netflix
Worked with
Portia Nelson shares two films with Norma Varden, and one with each of the others. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Norma Varden's page
Christopher Plummer's page
Julie Andrews's page
Frank Baker's page
Richard Attenborough's page
Mary Wickes's page
All films by Robert Wise
All films by Richard Fleischer
All films by Robert Mulligan
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.