A LETTER ABOUT JIMMY NELSON FROM CAROL GREEN

JIMMY NELSON
Ventriloquist Jimmy Nelson catapulted into the limelight in 1952 when he and his faithful companions, Danny O’Day and Farfel appeared weekly on Milton Berle’s “Texaco Star Theatre.” Danny is the wise-cracking kid with the soprano voice and Farfel is the floppy-eared hound dog that waxes philosophical. In 1955 Nelson became the television spokesman for Nestle’s Chocolate for ten years. Nelson now lives in Cape Coral, Florida, with wife, Betty. Their six-strong tribe of offspring are grown and scattered throughout the U.S.A. Far from being out of the public eye, Nelson still maintains a break-neck schedule. Several years ago, Society First Federal Savings Bank of Fort Myers, Florida, recruited Jimmy to do a series of television ad spots with Farfel and Danny. The campaign was a success, and he served as Assistant Vice Presidentt of Marketing/Public Relations. He recently retired from that position; however, he continues to carry a heavy personal appearance schedule. In 1988 Jimmy Nelson was inducted into the Ventriloquist Hall of Fam and joined other Hall of Famers Edgar Bergen, Paul Winchell, Shari Lewis, and Senor Wences. All of his figures were custom-made for him by Frank Marshall. Jimmy says, “I’m very proud to have known the man and to have his figures.” In July, 1998, at the International Ventriloquist Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada, Jimmy Nelson was awarded the "Lifetime Achievement Award" by his peers, an honor given only twice in the convention's history.