Actor
Portia Nelson
Born 1920-05-27Died 2001-03-06aged 80
Portia Nelson (1920–2001) is best known for The Other, Doctor Dolittle and The Sound of Music.
Portia Nelson (born Betty Mae Nelson; May 27, 1920 – March 6, 2001) was an American popular singer, songwriter, actress and author. She was best known for her appearances in 1950s cabarets, where she sang soprano.
In 1965, she portrayed the cantankerous Sister Berthe in the film version of The Sound of Music; she also had a minor role as Sarah in the musical Doctor Dolittle; on TV's All My Children Nelson played the long-running role of nanny Mrs. Gurney. Her book of poetic musings, There's a Hole in My Sidewalk: The Romance of Self-Discovery, became a mainstay of twelve-step programs.