Saturday, March 25, 2017

June Blair: Her Life, Career and Marriage to David Nelson


Margaret June Blair was born in San Francisco, California on October 20, 1933 (Some sources say 1932).  She became a model and an actress. During the 1950s, June appeared in feature films and in minor and guest-starring roles on television shows.  In 1957, she had a small part in an episode of Bachelor Father entitled "Bentley Versus the Girl Scouts"  (Season 1, Episode 2, Air Date: September 29, 1957).  She also played the role of Anita Callahan in a 1959 episode of the adventure series Hawaiian Eye entitled "Three Tickets to Lani" (Season 1, Episode 8, Air Date, November 25, 1959). She was Playboy magazine's" Playmate of the Month for its January 1957 issue.

In 1957, June became engaged to singer/actor Nino Tempo and was the inspiration for his song, "Looney over Juney."  In 1958, she broke off her engagement to Tempo and began dating Lindsay Crosby, Bing Crosby's son.  Below is a 1958 press photo of Lindsay escorting June to the Coral Casino in Santa Barbara, California, where Bing served as a commentator for a fashion show.


In 1959, gossip columnists began linking June to singer Bobby Darin, so much so that she felt compelled to write a public disclaimer.  In an article that appeared in the August 1960 issue of Movie Mirror magazine, June denied having a romance with Bobby.  She stated categorically that they were just good friends.  She also emphasized that they were not engaged and as far as she was concerned, not in love.  According to June, she and Bobby first met at the State Brothers Club on the Hollywood strip in early 1960.  She had gone there with Nino Tempo and Bobby was accompanied by his agent.  It's interesting to note that Darin married actress Sandra Dee on December 1, 1960.

June Blair's Movie Mirror article is online and if you would like to read it in its entirety, click on the link below.


June made guest appearances in 1960 episodes of such TV shows as Sea Hunt, M. Squad and The Chevy Mystery Show.  From 1960 to 1961, she played the role of Julie Greer in several episodes of the Western series Two Faces West.  Then came some big changes in her life.
                                                                                                                             
On  on May 20, 1961, June married David Nelson, son of television stars Ozzie and Harriet,  The nuptials took place at  Forest Lawn Cemetery's Church of the Hills and David's younger brother, Ricky Nelson, was the best man.  The couple had two sons, Daniel Blair Nelson (born August 20, 1962) and James Eric Nelson (born June 8, 1966).

June and David Nelson

After her marriage to David Nelson, June joined the cast of The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. David's real life wife became his television wife and she remained with the series until it was cancelled in 1966 (She took a one-year sabbatical after the birth of her son, Daniel in in 1962).  Her last appearance on the show was in an episode entitled "Dave's Other Office" (Season 14, Episode 24, Air Date: March 12, 1966). Two more episodes of the series were aired (March 19, 1966 and March 26) in which she did not appear.

June Blair did not continue her acting career when The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet finished its run. Since that time, she has lived a very private life, away from the spotlight.  June is now 83 and it is very difficult to find current information about her.  No recent photographs of her appear to be publicly available.  Sons Daniel and James have also been keeping a low profile and there is very little information about them.

END NOTES

* According to the fan magazines of the 1950s, June was raised in foster homes and suffered abuse in them.

* June and David Nelson divorced in 1975.  That same year, on September 3, 1975, David wed Yvonne O'Connor Huston.  He adopted Yvonne's three children from a previous marriage - two sons named John and Eric and a daughter named Teri.  The marriage lasted until David's death.

* David's stepdaughter, Teri Nelson, was married to game show host Chuck Woolery from 1985 until 2004.

* David Nelson became a successful producer.  He died of colon cancer on January 11, 2011 at the age of 74.  A television writer who interviewed David a few years before death has informed me that according to David, June initiated their divorce and that she strongly disliked the limelight.


- Joanne


EDITOR'S UPDATE (December 11, 2022): June Blair died on December 4, 2022 at her home in Sherman Oaks, California.  She was 89 years old at the time of her passing (Some sources say 90)..  She died of natural causes, according to her daughter-in-law, Susan Nelson.

June is survived by her two sons, Daniel Blair Nelson and James Eric Nelson, her daughter-in-law, Susan, and a granddaughter, Paige.


14 comments:

  1. I enjoy watching David and June on Ozzie and Harriet. They were a good looking couple. This family friendly show was very funny and could serve as a template for good tv today.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I still on occasion watch the ozzie and harriet show, I loved to hear Ricky sing and have his album cds. Too bad family life still didnt have some of these values.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Love Ozzie and his show, still watch it at times, todays life could use some of their family values.

    ReplyDelete
  4. My daughters and I lived in Toluca Lake and my daughter Jennifer was a blonde beauty of 14. Jennie used to clean for June and they were also good friends. I spoke by phone to June several times and she was very unassuming. I hope she is doing well. I am soon to be 80.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Interesting. I hope she is doing well too. Cheryl Krkoc

      Delete
  5. June was also known for her paintings. She does very beautiful seascape scenes. Probably the best in the world. One of her paintings that included a ship hung for years in the playboy mansion after she painted it for hugh hefner.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I'd like to know where June is now.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I read on the INTERNET that
    The Adventures of OZZIE and Harriet is seen Monday -Friday
    At 9:30am on RETRO TV.
    My favorite characters on this
    Show are Rick Nelson
    David Nelson as themselves
    Wally Plumstead Skip Young
    And Charlene Salerno as Ginger

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love watching Ozzie and Harriet even till this day and I was extremely curious about each of the family members and the boys wives so I would go online to find out as much as possible on what happened to each one after the show ended in 1966. Good reading about their lives and too bad that Rick and David are gone now. Such a handsome family….each and everyone and Rick especially. Just wished that I can find out June Blair’s address today as I would love to write to her.

      Delete
  8. What I find interesting is how soon David Nelson remarried after his divorce from June. It raises questions like: how long did he know his new wife before they were married? And could he have been having an affair while he was still married to June? Most people don’t remarry that quickly unless they already knew the person, and or was having an affair with that person.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I still watch the show today. I just love how simple, that life was back in those years. Great memories. Todays world just can't compare.

    ReplyDelete