R.I.P.

I am sorry to report the passing of 60s starlet Alberta Nelson (pictured at left with Harvey Lembeck in Bikini Beach ) on April 29, 2006. Alberta was a very talented comedienne who was best known for playing a biker chick as part of Eric Von Zipper's inept motorcyle gang Ratz and Mice in all the Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello movies beginning with Beach Party (1963) and ending with The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini (1966). She also had funny bits in Muscle Beach Party (1964) as one of Don Rickles' fitness nuts and a malfunctioning robot in Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine (1965). When the beach party came to an end, Alberta made a few appearances on The Andy Griffith Show as Flora, a waitress and love interest for Goober.

I was on the hunt to interview Alberta Nelson for my new book and knew she lived in Erie, Pennsylvania but unfortunately I was never able to locate her.