Marilyn Hanold-Neilson

A SHORT BIOGRAPHY OF MARILYN NEILSON

Born in New York City, the beaches and the City were the holiday playground for my three sisters, two brothers, and me. I loved swimming and was a lifeguard. At the age of 15, I tried out for the Aquashow in New York.

After graduation, I worked for short time as a legal secretary for a patent attorney, then briefly as a photographer's model. Soon after , I was asked by showman George White to be the narrator for his new show "The George White Scandalettes" in Las Vegas. There were many stars as part of this review and it was stimulating to be a teenager and see the sparkling new world of Las Vegas in its hey day. I was thrilled to find myself as a headliner at 19 years of age!

Las Vegas was an amazing place of glamour in those years. Women in gorgeous gowns and furs and handsome men in tuxedos stepping into long black limosines was an every night scene on the strip. Not so today.

The show then went to the famed "Ciro's" nightclub in Hollywood and did very well; until George White lost all the money for our salaries and travel return. We were stranded in Hollywood! However, it turned out to be my stepping stone into the world of movies and television.

Fortunately, I landed a job as a showgirl at the famed "Moulin Rouge" nightclub on Hollywood Boulevard. I was soon featured there, often with the best performers appearing on stage, and in newspapers and advertising cards at the tables. It was a wonderful era of glamour and excitement.

So many memorable stars played there such as Johnny Ray, Rock Hudson, Sammy Davis Jr., Liberace, Helen Traubel, Red Skelton, and dozens of others. Backstage I found Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley (I had a date with him)
In the movie "Garment Jungle", we started with three girls and eventually two were cut and I remained.

I was launched! After that I won a role in the movie "The Birds and the Bees" with George Gobel and Mitzi Gaynor. Parade Magazine did a center spread on me as "The Girl Who Was Sewn Into Her Dress". Edith Head, an Academy Award designer, had created the gown in champagne lace.

My next movie role was in "Solid Gold Cadillac" at Paramount studios. It was exciting to drive onto the lot and see famous stars walking along or lunch in the Commissary alongside celebrities.

So many memorable personalities played there such as Johnny Ray, Rock Hudson, Sammy Davis Jr., Liberace, Helen Traubel, Red Skelton and dozens of others. Backstage I found Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley (I had a date with him). In the movie "Garment Jungle", we started with three girls and eventually two were cut and I remained.

I was launched! After that I won a role in the movie "The Birds and the Bees" with George Gobel and Mitzi Gaynor. Parade Magazine did a center spread on me as "The Girl Who Was Sewn Into Her Dress". Edith Head, an Academy Award winning designer, had created the gown in champagne lace. My next movie role was in "Solid Gold Cadillac" at Paramount Studios.

It was exciting to drive onto the lot and see famous stars walking along or lunch in the commissary alongside celebrities. Soon after, George Gobel asked me to be his sidekick in the show at the Riviera in Las Vegas. I was known as "Charlie" his Guitar-Carrier-Outer. Johnny Mann was also part of our "three musketeer's" group and we had the most wonderful times and memories from Los Angeles to Las Vegas to Chicago.

I remember one night when we arrived at the show of the famous Louis Primer (Keeley Smith) and Louis said: "Ho, ho, ho, she's tall and that ain't all". We were the toast of the strip and sat in company with the great comedians of the day such as Milton Berle, Jackie Carter, Henny Youngman, and so many others

My new agent, Meyer Mishkin, had me involved with many auditions. As you have seen in the above pictures, I appeared in many television series and productions.

Missing my family, I returned to New York and began again there. The many TV shows and stars I worked with were wonderful rememberences. A role in "Ninotchka", David Suskind's production for TV, and Bob Hope, Perry Como, Dean Martin, Mahalia Jackson, and the countless others in performance company or just backstage, inteactions with them were great memories! I loved living in New York again and had an interesting array of boyfriends.

Upon meeting my husband-to-be, I knew immediately he was the one for me. Our fairy tale wedding at the Beverly Hills Hotel and subsequent honeymoon in Europe, was all like a dream. Our happiness seemed complete with the arrival of our three beautiful daughters. Family life was such a wonderful time and I cherish those great years. Our beautiful house was a centerpiece for many activities for the arts and friends.

After my husband Rulon's passing, it took me some time to regain my footing. After a while, I had great opportunities of travel around the world and occasions of speaking and presenting for various groups and meetings. I also played the lead in "Nine" in Salt Lake City and had my picture on the back of every bus. Life is a great experience, filled with joys and sorrows, happiness and sadness, love and loss, highs and lows. Our mission here is to love, support and serve one another.

Marilyn Hanold-Neilson (2010)