Home
Movies
TV Shows
Photos
Now Streaming
Movies Streaming Now
TV Shows Streaming Now
In Theaters
Coming Soon
Sign In

Home
Movies
TV Shows
Photos
More
Now Streaming Movies Streaming Now TV Shows Streaming Now In Theaters Coming Soon Celebrities
Sign In

Home
People
Jimmy Nelson

Jimmy Nelson

Actor, Other Crew

Born December 15, 1928 in Chicago, Illinois, USA

Died September 24, 2019

Upload Profile Picture

Movies & Shows

Discover Jimmy Nelson content online

Loading streaming options...

Finding the best places to watch

No streaming options available

Check back later for new content

No matches found for your search

Try different keywords

Content availability varies by region and time. Links open in new window.

Share with a friend

Quick Copy Link

Share on Social Media

Popular

Professional

More Options

Photos Profile Poster Backdrop Stills Logo Event Publicity Product Behind the Scenes Photos Other Photos Unknown Photos Videos Awards

Biography

James Nelson was born December 15, 1928 in Chicago, middle child of James and Winifred Nelson. In 1938 Jimmy's Aunt Margaret gave him his first ventriloquist "dummy" as a birthday gift, something that she had won as a bingo prize, which he named Dummy Dan/Danny Dum. He used that figure, which his father modified for better movement; until he asked Frank Marshall construct a new Danny in 1945. Marshall had a penchant for trying to make the hand carved wooden figures look like the performer that would be using them so the folks could see to them as related. Nelson was very pleased with the figure and gave his figure an Irish name, like Edgar Bergen's "Charlie McCarthy" and his mentor Bob Evan's "Jerry O'Leary" had before him, by adding O'Day. Two years later in 1947 Jimmy married his high school sweetheart Margot Humphries in Buffalo N.Y.

It was at that time that Danny started to need a little T.L.C. so Jimmy returned to Frank Marshall to have a duplicate made. However the figure "Just didn't look like Danny" said Nelson "but I didn't have the heart, or the nerve, at the age of nineteen to tell Frank that I wasn't a hundred percent satisfied." By 1949 the Nelsons were back in Chicago with their two boys. Talent Agent Louis Cohan got Jimmy better bookings than he was able to get in New York and Jimmy Nelson and Danny O'Day were now in the big time! So Jimmy added the new figure to his act, as the highly cultured Humphrey Higsbye and he became the foil to Danny much like Mortimer Snerd was for Charlie McCarthy. Jimmy went on to host Chicago's Hollard's Happy House on WGN-TV. In 1950 Nelson and Danny appeared for the first time on the Ed Sullivan Show and were a great success with the audience as well as with Sullivan.

That same year Nelson had Marshall construct a dog character and named him "Farfel" after an item on a hotel menu, he brought that new figure with him as he joined the troupe on Milton Berle's "Texaco Star Theater." Nineteen-fifty-one saw the Nelson marriage come to an end and Jimmy moved to New York with his three sons on their own until 1956 when he married the pretty girl singer, Betty Norman, who worked as his supporting act.

The year before his nuptials Jimmy, Danny and Farfel began the Nestlé's campaign that made them even more of a house hold name, if that is possible, than they were on the Milton Berle show.

The facts in this short biography are from Jimmy Nelson himself and Kelly Asbury's book "Dummy Days" where you can find more on Jimmy Nelson, Danny O'Day and Farfel, as well as the four other most well known ventriloquists in American history.

Less

More

Jimmy Nelson Photos

Filmography

Actor

30

Type

Year

Jeff Dunham: Birth of a Dummy Poster

Jeff Dunham: Birth of a Dummy TV Special2011Self - Ventriloquist

Dumbstruck Poster

Dumbstruck Documentary2010Self

I'm No Dummy Poster

I'm No Dummy Documentary2009Self

Ghetto Rhapsody Poster

Ghetto Rhapsody Video2001

60 Minutes II Poster

60 Minutes II TV Series1999Self - Ventriloquist

The Vent Event TV Movie1978Self

The Bob Braun Show Poster

The Bob Braun Show TV Series1967Self

The Merv Griffin Show Poster

The Merv Griffin Show TV Series1962Self

The Mike Douglas Show Poster

The Mike Douglas Show TV Series1961Self - Ventriloquist

The Pat Boone-Chevy Showroom Poster

The Pat Boone-Chevy Showroom TV Series1957Self

The Gale Storm Show: Oh! Susanna Poster

The Gale Storm Show: Oh! Susanna TV Series1956Self - Pitchman for Nestlé EverReady Cocoa - Ventriloquist

To Tell the Truth Poster

To Tell the Truth TV Series1956Self

Come Closer TV Series1954Host

Stage Show Poster

Stage Show TV Series1954Self - ventriloquist pitchman for Nestles

Bank on the Stars TV Series1953Self - Host

The Tonight Show Poster

The Tonight Show TV Series1953Self

All Star Summer Revue TV Series1952Self - Ventriloquist

Chance of a Lifetime Poster

Chance of a Lifetime TV Series1952Self

The Jackie Gleason Show Poster

The Jackie Gleason Show TV Series1952Self - Guest Ventriloquist

The Jane Froman Show TV Series1952Self

Down You Go TV Series1951Self - Panelist

Cavalcade of Bands TV Series1950Self - Ventriloquist

Life Begins at Eighty TV Series1950Self

The Arthur Murray Party Poster

The Arthur Murray Party TV Series1950Self - Ventriloquist

The Kate Smith Hour Poster

The Kate Smith Hour TV Series1950Self - Ventriloquist

Your Show of Shows Poster

Your Show of Shows TV Series1950Self - Guest Performer

Cavalcade of Stars Poster

Cavalcade of Stars TV Series1949Self

This Is Show Business Poster

This Is Show Business TV Series1949Self

The Ed Sullivan Show Poster

The Ed Sullivan Show TV Series1948Self

The Milton Berle Show Poster

The Milton Berle Show TV Series1948Self - Texaco Pitchman

Other Crew

1

Jeff Dunham: Birth of a Dummy Poster

Jeff Dunham: Birth of a Dummy TV Special2011

Featured Celebrity Photos

Monica Barbaro Shines at "One Night Only" New York Premiere

Monica Barbaro Shines at "One Night Only" Premiere in New York City

Ella Rubin Arrives at The Today Show in New York City

Marie Reim Attends Premiere of RTL's "Die Verrater" Season Four in Cologne

Hayes Warner Attends The Shards Premiere in Berlin

Larsa Pippen Enjoys a Sunny Day at Miami Beach in Bikini

Kaia Gerber Shines at The Shards Premiere in Berlin

Monica Barbaro Spotted Exploring New York City Streets

Inde Navarrette Shines at Marc Jacobs Spring 2027 Runway Show in New York

Gigi Hadid Enjoys Romantic Dinner Date Amid Paris Marriage Rumors

Monica Barbaro Speaks at 'One Night Only' Event at 92Y in New York

Lottie Moss Shines at the Spider-Man Brand New Day UK Premiere in London

Katy Perry Shares Romantic Moments on Vacation in France July 2026

Rachel Brosnahan Shines at "Disruption" Opening Night on Broadway

Tate McRae Live Performance at Lollapalooza Chicago August 2, 2026

Charlize Theron Speaks at "THE ODYSSEY" Press Conference in Seoul

Rosé Stars in Levi's "Keep It Loose" Campaign August 2026

Rachel Pizzolato Showcases Creative Cosplay at 2026 San Diego Comic-Con International

Adriana Lima Attends The Surf Lodge Concert Series Featuring Empire of the Sun in Montauk

Elle Fanning Shines at THR x Apple TV Leading The Narrative: Women of Apple TV Event in Beverly Hills

McKenna Grace Shines at "Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie" Premiere in Los Angeles

Suki Waterhouse Delivers Live Performance at 2026 Lollapalooza Festival in Chicago's Grant Park

Lucy Hale Shares Breakfast with Friend in Studio City on August 1, 2026

Margarida Corceiro Showcases Missus Spring Summer 2026 Collection

Selena Gomez Filming Only Murders in the Building on Location in London

Joey King Attends Cinespia Screening of Practical Magic 2 in Los Angeles

Jennie Delivers Electrifying Performance at 2026 Lollapalooza Festival in Chicago's Grant Park

Tate McRae Delivers Energetic Performance at 2026 Osheaga Music and Arts Festival in Montreal

Minka Kelly Arrives at Good Morning America in New York City

Zara Larsson Delivers Electrifying Performance at 2026 Lollapalooza Festival in Chicago

Oops!

Sign up for free

Company

About Us
Contact Us
Send feedback

Contribute

Add Movie
Add TV Show
Contribution Guide

Legal

Terms
Privacy

© 2026 Gawby.com

Send feedback to Gawby.com

Describe your issue or suggestion