It’s been over thirty years since character actress Nellie Burt passed away in 1986 from unknown causes. Best known for unique performances on television shows like Bewitched and Gunsmoke, Burt was from the old school of acting and had a unique presence on screen. This is her story.
A Closer Look
Nellie Burt was born Helen Presley Burt on January 4, 1900, in Aberdeen, Washington. The daughter of actor William P. Burt, she was an 8th-generation theatrical performer whose roots trace back to the Clifford Family in England.
A diminutive yet notable and acclaimed performer, Burt made her stage debut in 1921 and performed in several live theatre productions.
On TV in the 1950s and 1960s, Burt played odd, eccentric seniors many times with a slightly sinister yet somehow likable twist.
Beyond Bewitched and Gunsmoke, she appeared on medical shows like Ben Casey, sci-fi-geared programs such as The Outer Limits and The Invaders, and police crime dramas including The FBI, The Rookies and Longstreet, and other series like The Fugitive, Love, American Style, and more.