June Blair, who had a presence on the classic television series The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, among other acting roles, has died. The news was first announced by Blair's niece, Tracy Nelson, with a post on Facebook. In a subsequent report by THR, Blair's daughter-in-law, Susan Nelson, revealed that the former actress and model died of natural causes at her home in Sherman Oaks, California. She was 90 years old.
"Sweet, gorgeous Aunt June Blair Nelson has passed away. God bless James and Dan, I love you," the original announcement by Tracy reads. "Ps, in case you didn't know, Aunt June was a bombshell. Ozzie's pr machine was pretty quiet about it, but she was an actress, model and Playboy Bunny before she joined the show."
As a model, Blair had graced the cover of Playboy as the Playmate of the Month for the January 1957 issue. For her acting work, she may be best known for appearing on The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet after marrying series star David Nelson in 1961; Blair was subsequently written into the show as the wife of Nelson's character. The pair divorced in 1975 after having two sons, and David passed away after a cancer battle in 2011.
June Blair Joined David Nelson on His TV Series
Blair appeared on The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet from 1961 to 1966, though her role as June Nelson was not the first time she appeared on the hit comedy series. She previously played other characters in 1960 before landing the recurring role. That had also preceded her work in other TV shows, such as Bat Masterson, Hawaiian Eye, The Texan, Tombstone Territory, Sea Hunt, and The Aquanauts. She also appeared in the 1957 crime drama Hell Bound along with other films, including The Fiend Who Walked the West, Lone Texan, Island of Lost Women, Warlock, and A Fever in the Blood.
Noting that she maintained her independence after joining the Nelson family, THR quotes Blair as saying in a 1963 interview, “I’ve always been an independent girl. I was afraid the Nelsons might try to absorb me, as it were, but they haven’t. The way it’s worked out, they’re there if I need them, and they’re not there when I don’t.”
Blair's survivors include her sons as well as her granddaughter, Paige; Susan Nelson said that Blair "loved being a grandmother." Our thoughts are with them, along with the rest of the family and friends at this time. Rest in peace, June Blair Nelson.