Kristin Nelson | |
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Kris and Rick Nelson, 1964.
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Born |
Sharon Kristin Harmon June 25, 1945 |
Nationality | American |
Other names | Kristin Nelson Tinker |
Occupation | Actress, painter, author |
Spouse(s) |
Ricky Nelson (1963–1982) Mark Tinker (1988–2000) |
Children |
Tracy Nelson (daughter) Matthew Nelson (son) Gunnar Nelson (son) Sam Nelson (son) |
Parent(s) |
Tom Harmon (1919–1990) Elyse Knox (1917–2012) |
Relatives |
Mark Harmon (brother) Kelly Harmon (sister) |
Sharon Kristin Nelson (née Harmon; June 25, 1945) is an American primitive painter, actress and author, once married to the actor and musician Ricky Nelson.
The daughter of the American football star Tom Harmon and the actress Elyse Knox, she is the older sister of model-actress Kelly Harmon and actor Mark Harmon. She married Nelson in 1963 and joined their family television show. The couple had four children, but their extravagant lifestyle forced Nelson to tour for long periods, placing great pressure on the marriage. A long-fought divorce was finally granted before Rick Nelson's death in an air-crash in 1985.
In 1988, she married Mark Tinker, who encouraged her to paint. Her brightly colored primitives found favor with Jacqueline Kennedy and Mia Farrow, among other celebrities, and they form the basis of her coffee-table autobiography Out of My Mind.
Following her marriage to Nelson in 1963, Harmon joined the Nelson family television show The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet as a regular cast member, first appearing in the episode, "Rick's Wedding Ring".
In 1965, she co-starred with Nelson in the romantic comedy, Love and Kisses, in which they demonstrate the troubles of a young couple of school age who get married—an "inspired casting", according to one critic.
Subsequently, she played Officer Jim Reed's wife Jean on Adam-12, guest-starred on other series and appeared in a few theatrical films, including The Resurrection of Broncho Billy, which won an Academy Award for best live action short film.
She retired from acting in 1982 following Liar's Moon.
In 1988, she met the director-producer Mark Tinker, who asked her what she wanted to do with her life. She told him, "I want to paint."
She made her living as an artist, receiving a career boost when Jacqueline Kennedy purchased one of her paintings. She became a favorite of several Hollywood collectors including Mia Farrow, Tyne Daly and Dwight Yoakam. Her work, which is "widely acclaimed," is in the primitive genre, and has been likened to that of Grandma Moses.