Who was June Blair? Acting roles explored as ‘The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet’ star dies at 90

American model and actress June Blair, best known for starring in The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet opposite husband David Nelson, passed away at the age of 90.

The news was given to The Hollywood Reporter by Blair's daughter-in-law Susan Nelson, who said that the actress died on December 5 due to natural causes at her Sherman Oaks residence.

Born on October 30, 1932, Margaret June Blair was a native of San Francisco, California. Her parents abandoned her at a tender age, her father at eight months, and her mother at three. The State of California raised Blair as a ward, who was part of eight different families.

Blair was married to David Nelson, with whom she had two kids, Daniel Blair Nelson and Jamie Eric Nelson.

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June Blair was a model before delving into acting

Before appearing on the silver screen, June Blair was a model and made her acting debut on CBS’ Our Miss Brooks in 1956 as Miss Lonelyhearts columnist, which later paved the way for an opportunity to work with the entertainment giant, 20th Century Fox.

She posed for Playboy's Playmate of the Month in January 1957. Shortly after, she starred in Hell Bound alongside John Russell as a woman who gets wound up in drug peddling.

In 1959, June Blair appeared in two films, The Rabbit Trap and Island of Lost Women. In the former, she played the character of a sensitive secretary, while in the latter, she portrayed one of the three daughters of nuclear scientist Alan Napier, alongside Diane Jergens and Venetia Stevenson.

After appearing on the series Two Faces West, June Blair got engaged to David Nelson in April 1961. A month later, they tied the knot at Church of the Hills in Los Angeles, California.

Her most prominent role was in the 1960s sitcom The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, where she had already played other characters. She was abruptly introduced as Mrs. June Nelson, the wife of David Nelson, on the third episode of season 10, bamboozling viewers. Blair starred in 28 episodes of the show and was in it until its final season aired in 1966.

Apart from starring in Hell Bound, some of her other credits from 1957 include Top Secret Affair, Conflict, This Could Be the Night, Man of a Thousand Faces, Bachelor Father, and My Man Godfrey.

In an interview in 1963, June Blair stated,

“I’ve always been an independent girl.”

Some of her other acting credits include The Best of Everything, Lone Texan, Hawaiian Eye, Tombstone Territory, M Squad, The Chevy Mystery Show, The Aquanauts, A Fever in the Blood, Bat Masterson, etc.

Blair dated several people, including Lindsay Crosby, Bobby Darin, and Dick Sargent. She was also once engaged to musician Nino Temple.

Blair and Nelson got divorced in June 1975 after which the model-turned-actress never married.