Biography
Nelson was born on August 12, 1916 in New York City; attended public school there; became an actor, director, producer, and playwright; worked as an actor, 1933-41; directed for NBC-TV, 1948-49, and for CBS-TV, 1949-52; president of Rainbow Productions in Los Angeles beginning in 1959; wrote the play Mail call (winner of the 1943 John Golden prize and National Theatre awards); also won National Theatre awards for Angels weep and The wind is ninety ; won 1956 Emmy award for direction of Requiem for a heavyweight, and in 1964 the Golden Globes Humanitarian award for directing Lilies of the field ; also wrote screenplays for The man in the funny suit, The flight of the doves, and The wrath of God ; other films directed or produced by Nelson include Father Goose, Counterpoint, and Charley ; he died on December 21, 1987 in Santa Monica, California.
From the guide to the Ralph Nelson Papers, 1940-1983, (University of California, Los Angeles. Library. Department of Special Collections.)
