Alberta Nelson

Short Biography

Alberta Nelson was an American television and film actress of the 1960s. She was born on August 14, 1937. Nelson attended Villa Maria Academy and later graduated from Andrews High School in Willoughby, Ohio, and she performed on Broadway, at the Erie Playhouse, Erie Roadhouse and also in Hollywood. After several dramatic roles on televison in the early 1960s, Nelson made five guest appearances on "The Andy Griffith Show, " four of them as Goober Pyle's girlfriend, Flora Malherbe.Nelson also appeared in seven movies in the 1960s as Eric Von Zipper's girlfriend in the successful American International "Beach Party" series. She is the only person who appeared in all seven Beach Party movies, including "Beach Party, " "Muscle Beach Party" and "How to Stuff a Wild Bikini." Nelson played the leather clad "rat pack" biker chick Puss (sometimes also called Alberta and in one film called Lisa), one of the comic villains who dogged the steps of America's sweethearts, Annette Funicello and Frankie Avalon.After her successful stint as Flora Malherbe, the wholesome girl-next-door on "The Andy Griffith Show, " and her comedic career as biker girl Puss, Nelson starred in 1970's unsavory "The Wild Scene" as Dr. v*rginia Grant, a female psychiatrist. This and a 1970 appearance on "Love, American Style" would be Nelson's last credited television roles although she did some stage productions in Pennsylvania after she left television.Updated May 2, 2006: Alberta Nelson was married to Herbert Gilman for 35 years, She passed away of cancer at age 68 on April 29, 2006 in Pennsylvania.