June Blair dead at 90: The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet actress who starred opposite husband Davi

May 2024 ยท 3 minute read

A FAMOUS Playboy model and actress known for her performance in The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet has sadly passed away, her family confirmed.

June Blair, a 50s model who was married to American actor David Nelson, passed away from natural causes in her California home, her daughter-in-law said. She was 90.

"She was an incredible mom, grandmother, friend and devoted animal advocate, caring for all of God's creatures with her whole heart," daughter-in-law Susan Nelson told Fox News Digital yesterday.

"The family thanks her wonderful, devoted fans. She treasured them."

Blair started her career as a model for Playboy, earning the title of Playmate of the Month in January 1957.

The exposure gained from modeling led to her first acting role in the noir film Hell Bound which starred John Russell.

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After securing several key film roles, the actress went on to marry fellow player David Nelson in 1961.

The two were known for their appearances on the family comedy television series The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - one of the longest-running shows that first hit screens in 1952.

Blair had played several different characters in 1960, but she secured a recurring role with her new husband on the show's 10th season.

She was introduced as Mrs June Nelson in an episode aptly titled The Newlyweds Get Settled which aired on October 12, 1961.

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The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet held the title of America's longest-running sitcom until it was usurped by It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

Blair remained on the show until its 14th and final season, only taking a break for one year to take care of her firstborn, The Hollywood Reporter revealed.

The model had two sons with her husband, who they named David and Ricky, before divorcing in 1975. She never remarried.

Blair learned the importance of independence at a young age after she became a ward of the State of California at just three years old when she was abandoned by both parents, according to THR.

She made a way for herself by working as a pinup model, reportedly catching the eyes of famous men like Babby Darin, Dick Sargent, and Bing Crosby's son Lindsay.

"I've always been an independent girl," she said in a 1963 interview.

"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 when I don't."

Blair is survived by her two sons, her daughter-in-law Susan, and her granddaughter Paige Margaret Nelson.

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