Gene Nelson (born Leander Eugene Berg; March 24, 1920 – September 16, 1996) was an American actor, dancer, screenwriter, and director.

[citation needed] Nelson's longtime professional dance partner during the 1950s was actress JoAnn Dean Killingsworth.

Nelson directed the Elvis Presley films Kissin' Cousins (1964), for which he also wrote the screenplay, and Harum Scarum (1965).

For the Kissin' Cousins screenplay he received a Writers Guild of America award nomination for best written musical.

[citation needed] The production featured a score by Stephen Sondheim, was co-directed by Michael Bennett and Harold Prince, and co-starred Alexis Smith and Dorothy Collins.