She had roles in the TV series How to Marry a Millionaire and the films Revenge of the Creature, All I Desire, and I Died a Thousand Times.

[5] During her childhood, she toured veterans' hospitals entertaining patients,[2] acted in productions of little theaters, and modeled for photographers.

[11][12] Her supporting roles in films included the low-budget sci-fi story Day the World Ended (1955), directed by Roger Corman, and a big-budget Paramount Pictures comedy-Western, Pardners, starring Martin and Lewis in one of their final films together.

Nelson had top billing in the street-racing film Hot Rod Girl, also starring Chuck Connors, and the following year she co-starred opposite Mamie Van Doren as law-breakers sentenced to work on a "punishment" farm in Untamed Youth.

[11][12] In November 1957, Nelson co-starred with Van Johnson in the TV movie The Pied Piper of Hamelin,[4]: 20  which aired as a Thanksgiving Day special.

Based on the 1953 film of the same name, Nelson starred as Greta Hanson, a brainy psychology major who works as an usher on a television game show.

[1] After leaving the series, Nelson continued with guest roles on Wagon Train, Tales of Wells Fargo, The Tab Hunter Show, Bachelor Father, and Armstrong Circle Theatre.

[14][15] While Hunter was dating Nelson, he was secretly involved with figure skater Ronald Robertson.

[17] On December 10, 1960, Nelson married composer and singing group leader Johnny Mann in Los Angeles.