[1] She is best known for making a series of melodramatic adventure films based on the novels by American writer James Oliver Curwood in which she played the robust heroine known as the ‘girl from God’s country.

[8] While married to Ernie Shipman, Nell engaged in a six year long affair with actor Bert Van Tuyle.

Between 1915 and 1918, she played several leading roles, including her debut in God's Country and the Woman (1915), based on a short story by American writer James Oliver Curwood.

During this time, Nell Shipman sold the rights to her novel, Under the Crescent Moon to Universal Studios (they wanted to make a six-film serial of the book).

One of her stories was adapted for the American film Wings in the Dark (1934), starring Myrna Loy and Cary Grant (1934).

Additionally, she wrote a children's book titled "Kurly Kew and the Tree-Princess: A Story of the Forest People Told For Other-People" (1930).

This company produced Back to God's Country which was based on the short story by Curwood, Wapi The Walrus.

The 73-minute film (at 18 frames per second) was shot in Los Angeles, San Francisco and on location near Lesser Slave Lake, Alberta, Canada by director David M.

Shipman played the leading role as Dolores LeBeau which featured her one of the first full frontal nude scenes.

A promotional advertisement for the film had a line drawing of a nude Nell, shown from the back and frolicking with several animals.

Part of the caption read: "Don't book Back To God's Country unless you want to prove the Nude is NOT Rude.

She focused on the major themes she enjoyed: wild animals, nature, feminist heroes, and filming on location.

She transported her zoo of animals on barges up to Priest Lake, Idaho, where she made several short films at Lion Head Lodge.

[5] Shipman and Van Tuyle edited The Grub Stake through late autumn 1922, while dodging unpaid actors and process servers, including one representing the zoo’s original owner, for missing payments.

However, Shipman and Van Tuyle managed to send a tinted and toned screening print to New York where they recut it.

[10] In an unfortunate series of events Van Tuyle became more and more unstable and locals started killing Shipman's animals.

On top of that Shipman and Van Tuyle got lost in the wild for two days during a violent snow storm in January 1924.