Norma Jean Nilsson

Norma Jean Nilsson was born on January 1, 1938 in Hollywood, California, United States. She is an actress, known for The Actress (1953), The Green-Eyed Blonde (1957) and Lux ​​Video Theatre (1950).

Nilsson was the daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Arthur V. Nilsson. Her father was a professor of anatomy at the Los Angeles College of Chiropractic. Acting on radio from the age of three, she had become the highest paid radio child actress in America by 1947. From the mid-50s, she acted in juvenile roles on television. She has an older brother, Arthur Jr. She began performing when she was 3 years old and was active during World War II, entertaining troops at Army camps across the United States.

Nilsson attended Victory Garden School and Bancroft Junior High School. Newspaper columnist Louella Parsons wrote in 1946 that Nilsson had an IQ of 162.

When Nilsson was 4 years old, she won a talent contest on Tune-Out Time on KECA. At 5, she made her "first big-time radio appearance", portraying a dying girl on Free World Theatre. At 8, her picture was featured on the cover of the July 21, 1946, issue of Radio Life magazine.

Nilsson was reading a commercial on an Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy episode when guest Cecil B. DeMille recognized her talent, and she performed on many Lux Radio Theatre episodes. In 1947, Nilsson was the highest paid child actor.

An article published in Radio and Television Mirror in 1951 reported that she was "a charter member of the Five Hundred Club, an organization of children who have appeared on five hundred or more radio broadcasts."

Nilsson played Cookie (the Bumsteads' daughter) in the radio version of Blondie, Kathy (the Andersons' younger daughter) on the radio version of Father Knows Best, Glory Mae (the "little girl who lives next door") on The Jack Carson Show.,and as the lead actress Lois to Raymond Burr's antagonist in the "Murder on Mike" (1957) episode of Suspense.

Nilsson’s other OTR credits include Cavalcade of America, Luke Slaughter of Tombstone, Have Gun, Will Travel, Stars Over Hollywood, The Doctor Fights, This My Best.

She was also heard on Luke Slaughter of Tombstone, Cavalcade of America and the radio version of Have Gun, Will Travel.

Nilsson passed away at age 87.