List of Probable Suspects: George Nader

eorge Nader (October 19. 1921 - February 4. 2002)
Height: 6'1" (1m 85 cm) Eyes: Blue Weight: 81 kg (180 lbs) Brother: Richard Scott Nader (July 5. 1918 - August 18. 1920) Partner: Mark Lincoln Miller (Nov 22. 1926 - June 9. 2015)
Above right: He joined the Navy and served as a communications officer in the Pacific Theater. Here he is, at 22, in Navy uniform.

Born on October 19. 1921 in Pasadena, Ca., as George Garfield Nader Jr., the son of Alice (née Scott), who was from Kansas, and George G. Nader, who was from Illinois. Born into a life of wealth and privilege, though George’s relationship with his father—who was a broker for Signal Oil—tended to the theoretical. A mistress in Santa Barbara occupied most of Nader, Sr.’s leisure time. And as for George’s overly attentive mother, the elder Nader once told his son: “Ignore her . . . I do.” At seven, George, a small boy, stood beside the piano, clenching his fists. “I hate it!” he shouted defiantly through gritted teeth. “You must practice,” Mrs. Alice Nader told her son firmly. “To learn, you must practice.” One hour of daily practice was the rule. For a good musical foundation, this was not excessive. But to George, it was time that could be better spent swimming, reading, or just looking at trees and dogs. The Nader home—Spanish-style with a red tile roof—was located right in the heart of Los Angeles, but George had no interest in such things. School occupied his time. That is, school and music lessons and Christmas and vacations and going to the beach. His happiest memories are of the family beach home at Playa Del Rey, which is on the ocean just south of Santa Monica. Venice, a nearby town modeled after the Italian city, was once a maze of man-made canals filled with various marine craft. George fondly remembers the water locks: “I used to hang around there for hours.” The librarian at the Venice Public Library knew him well. George, an only child, never felt lonely. “My mother was one of seven, so I had plenty of cousins to play with. We often gathered at my grandparents' big old house on Menlo Street. Christmas was magical. We all went to Grandfather Scott’s, head of the Cudahy Packing Company. The table was laden with beef, ham, and turkey. Grandma spent days baking pastries, pies, cookies, and fruitcakes, refusing any help. We kids ate until we ached.”

Above left to right George Nader at different ages: 3 months; 16 months, at age 3; as 5 year old spending summer at his parents' beach home in Playa del Rey; as St. Johns Military Academy Student, aged 8.

But life wasn't all fun and games for George. He battled a string of childhood illnesses. The hypodermic needles used for diphtheria vaccines were particularly dreaded, leaving a lasting mark on both his memory and body; he still despises them today. These ailments kept George in bed and away from school, but he didn't fall behind in his studies. His mother, a former teacher, tutored him at home. Eventually, Alice and George Nader decided he needed a change, so they sent him to a boys' camp and school in the San Gabriel Mountains near Azusa, California, where about a hundred boys—some sickly, many with asthma—resided. George was just ten years old at the time. After a year at the camp, George came home fully recovered. He was as tan as a Sioux and had gained a dozen pounds. Bursting with energy, his blood pulsing with newly acquired red blood cells, he promptly fell in love. "Her name was Geraldine, and she had long red hair. I was completely infatuated with her." * While in grammar school, his class attended a performance by The Yale Puppeteers at Olvera Street, a Mexican cultural hub in downtown Los Angeles. Later, as a class project, they created their own puppet show. George was captivated. It sparked a deep desire within him to learn more about stagecraft and the world of theater. A native of Los Angeles, he went to Glendale High School. He became interested in acting while in school. In Junior High School, George purchased his first automobile, a 1932 Ford coupe. He had earned the money himself, working as a summer clerk in a grocery store and as a messenger for a photostating firm. That year, his pride received another boost when his father gave him a key to the family front door. The following year, at Glendale High School, George fell in love again. Having fully moved on from the spell of Geraldine, the enthusiastic admirer now became infatuated with Arlene, a stunning blonde. "She was amazing!" he recalled. "Though she was a bit out of my league. Sure, I had a Ford and a few bucks for dates, but Arlene was the kind of girl destined for fancier cars and more sophisticated men." * His true passion, however, lay in the theater—the mechanical theater of stage lights, backstage workings, and painted sets. The Glendale High School auditorium was fully equipped as a proper theater, something George had eagerly anticipated. He promptly enrolled in a stagecraft course. "It was the only thing I truly cared about." George didn't study drama and didn't even hold actors in high regard as a group. Instead, he joined the regular stage crew and focused on stage design and practical stage management. By his senior year, he had risen to the position of full stage manager. During that year, the auditorium hosted a Police Benefit Show, where George had his first opportunity to work with a top-tier movie star named Judy Garland.

Above left: Candid picture George Nader (left) during High School years with friends at the beach. Above right: George Nader (standing second from the left) was 20 when this candid photo was snapped at the Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity house in Occidental College.

Even in high school, he was heard repeating that all actors were "jerks." A statement he often and emphatically pronounced at college. He was on the swimming team and was also president of the Dramatic Club. At Occidental College, George continued his stage work in Thorne Hall, their theatre-auditorium with a splendid stage that was nearly brand-new. They only lacked someone to manage it, so they promptly appointed him as stage manager. The next year, due to a shortage of actors, George had his first experience with drama from the actor's perspective with the Occidental players. He pursued his next role in the comedy Out of the Frying Pan. When he delivered some humorous lines onstage and heard the audience laugh, it marked a turning point. He thought to himself, "This acting thing is pretty straightforward." He appeared in a long list of plays including Guest in the House,” Murder Has Been Arranged and Kind Lady (fall 1942). In the latter Charlotte Clary played the lady and George Nader the villain. In his final college year in 1943, before he was graduated with a B.A. degree in English, he was elected president of the Drama Society.

Above left: Mr. Lieber gives the cast a few directions before a rehearsal for the fall play Kind Lady. Barbara East, Barbara Clark, Fritz Lieber Sr., Mary Jean Copeland, Gene White, George Nader (center, sitting with dark sweater), Charlotte Clary, Betty Leigh Van Werden, Betty Ely, Barbara Kennedy, De De Harvey. Mr. Lieber Sr. was on hand with veteran suggestions. (1942) Above right: George Nader (Actor) College Yearbook 1943

After three months of intensive study and training, George became a Naval officer, or as he puts it, "a ninety-day wonder." He served as a Communications officer in Hawaii and on Johnston Island in the South Pacific. Then, following his discharge in 1946, he spent three additional years honing his theatrical skills at the Pasadena Playhouse.
There, in May 1947, he met Mark Miller (photo right), in a production of Oh, Susanna. Mark was a singer, playing Clem, and George was a student at the Playhouse, dancing and singing in the chorus. During the six-week run, their friendship was cemented and they have not been apart since. "Both of us were brought up to believe you fall in love and stay in love for life," George said. "The relationship had to have meaning and be for the long run." (10)
After he graduated with a degree of Bachelor of Theatre Arts he felt that he was ready for Hollywood. But Hollywood did not seem to be ready for George. Miller had intended to go to New York to study opera but abandoned his plans in order to stay in California and help Nader launch his career. Miller took various jobs, including working as a carhop and a shoe salesman, in order to provide income while Nader established himself as an actor. But finally, a break came. Mrs. Loretta Crain—actress Jeanne Crain’s mother—had seen him acting at the Pasadena Playhouse in Williams’ The Glass Menagerie. Convinced that he had potential, she got Jeanne interested as well. Together, they arranged a screen-test for The Glass Menagerie (20th Century Fox, 1950) with Colleen Townsend. He felt he had done a good job but wasn't signed. His spirit was not broken. In January of 1951, Hudson was introduced to actor George Nader and his partner, Mark Miller. For the next thirty-four years, the three would be virtually inseparable. A seemingly endless parade of lovers, short-term boyfriends, and one-nighters would pass through Rock’s life, but Nader and Miller managed to provide him with something more enduring—a sense of continuity and a kind of surrogate family. When they offered him a small part in Take Care of My Little Girl (20th Century Fox, July 6. 1951), he accepted it. He worked exactly two days at a minimum salary of $125 a day. After a few more minor parts, he met a TV casting director named Ralph Acton, and his career really began to take off. By 1952 Nader was successful enough that Miller began working as his business manager. Nader played bit roles in Hollywood films, played in a TV show pilot opposite Celeste Holm in 1950, his first film was Rustlers on Horseback (Republic, Oct 23. 1950) and his first major film, Monsoon (United Artist, Nov 1952).

Above left: Han glömde henne aldrig (aka The Long Search) photo of Anita Björk and George Nader in a scene of the 1952 movie (Associated British Pathé, Sweden, Nov 28. 1952). Above right: Ursula Thiess & George Nader in Monsoon (United Artist, Nov 1952)
Above left: Claudia Barrett, George Nader, John Mylong star in Phil Tucker's Robot Monster (Astor Pictures, June 10. 1953) (Picture used by permission Deeky Wentworth - El Topo Entertainment). Above right: George Nader and Paulette Goddard in Sins of Jezebel (Lippert Pictures, Sep 4. 1953).

This led to several unbilled roles in a handful of movies that attracted the attention of director Phil Tucker who signed Nader for the lead in the infamous 3D thriller Robot Monster (aka Monsters from the Moon and Monster From Mars) (Astor Pictures, June 10. 1953). Shot in only four days for a mere sixteen thousand dollars, it took in over a million dollars in its first run but also earned the dubious distinction of being named one of the fifty worst movies in history. It has become a cult classic. When Nader starred with Loretta Young on her TV show Letter to Loretta (NBC, Sep 20. 1953 - Feb 26. 1961, min. 8), he was showered with fan mail, and Loretta signed him up for several more shows, - a record on her program.
He played in Four Guns to the Border (Universal, Nov 3. 1954) and became the Golden Globe award winner (1955) for "Most Promising Newcomer." He was often found no match in contention with more famous leading men, such Rock Hudson, Tony Curtis or Jeff Chandler. Nader landed roles in films such as: Carnival Story (RKO Radio Pictures, April 16. 1954), Six Bridges to Cross (Universal, Jan 19. 1955), The Second Greatest Sex (Universal, October 1955), Congo Crossing (Universal, July 1956), Away All Boats (Universal, Aug 16. 1956), Man Afraid (Universal, April 4. 1957), Joe Butterfly (Universal, May 29. 1957), The Female Animal (Universal, Jan 22. 1958), Flood Tide (Universal, Jan 22. 1958), and Nowhere to Go (MGM, Mar 11. 1959).

Above left: Lady Godiva (Universal, Nov 2. 1955) with Maureen O'Sullivan and George Nader. Above right: George Nader holding Virginia Mayo very tight (!) in Congo Crossing (Universal, July 1956).
Above left: The Unguarded Moment (Universal, Oct 3. 1956) George opposite Esther Williams in a movie about a schoolteacher who is terrorized by one of her students. Above right: Esther Williams with her daughter and George Nader on the set of The Unguarded Moment.

According to Mark Miller, even after Nader signed with Universal, there were reasons why his screen career never flourished in the same way that Hudson’s did. "Rock went much further at Universal Studios than George because George refused to play the sexual game. Rock played it to the hilt. Therefore, Rock got all the good parts, the best costars, and the best directors. George got just the opposite—mediocre scripts, and not a single top director. None of the directors gave any direction to him at all. He was known as the one-take actor." Miller also added: "Nader had a loathing of publicity and tended to keep a low profile. He was willing to work hard but not that hard." Nader's screen career was virtually over by the end of the 1950s. Eager to project a heterosexual image the studio used arranged dates for Nader with several actresses. Although Nader and Miller were living together, neither publicly acknowledged his homosexuality. One publicist even went so far as to suggest that to avoid being outed by a scandal-sheet such as Confidential, Nader should marry and then get a divorce a few years later. A female secretary was willing to participate in the scheme. Nader and Miller discussed the possibility, but Nader could not bring himself to take part in such a sham. "Besides", Mark joked, "Where would I sleep?" In early 1957 he spent two months in Japan with Burgess Meredith, Audie Murphy and John Agar filming Joe Butterfly (Universal, May 29. 1957).

Above left: George Nader with his friend Rock Hudson at the Salton Sea, an inland body of water near Palm Springs. (50s) Above right: George Nader in a Universal promotional picture with Julie Adams. They starred together in Four Girls in Town (Universal, Jan 2. 1957)
Above left: Joanna Moore and Nader in Appointment with a Shadow (Universal, sep 1957). Nader plays a reporter whose career is ruined by liquor and redeems himself by breaking with his habit and helping in the arrest of a criminal. Above right: George Nader with his father George Nader Sr. (1957).

In 1958 Nader decided to leave the studio and work freelance. Nader won the role in The Further Adventures of Ellery Queen (NBC, 1958), after a coast-to-coast talent search that included sidewalk surveys of average people to get their views on what the sophisticated detective should look like. He then lived in a ranch-style house in the San Fernando Valley. As for leaving the Ellery Queen show George Nader wanted no part of moving to New York. During the 20 episode grind George worked six days a week with only 36 hours off between episodes. Few stars would have put up with the back-breaking schedule, but George accepted the conditions cheerfully. "I didn't want to give up the show," he said, "And I'm not walking out on it. The program is walking out on me. Nor do I hate New York City, as has been reported. My reason for staying here are simple. I was raised in Southern California, my home and friends are here. I'm sort of a beach bum at heart, and I don't like the idea of getting that far away from the Pacific."

Above: Production still (1958) for an unknown episode of The Further Adventures of Ellery Queen (NBC, 1958), George Nader as Ellery Queen in the center of the picture.

Nader had no complaints about Ellery, even if he wistfully wishes that the series hadn't gone into production so fast last fall. "I've been an Ellery Queen* fan as long as I can remember," he said, "and it was a great mistake on somebody's part to make Ellery a kind of combination of Mike Hammer and whoever else is the rage right now. It's been very irritating to me." 24 hours before NBC announced that Lee Philips would become the new TV Ellery, Nader only knew that Lee was one of a half dozen being considered. "I know they're thinking about Alfred Drake." he said "but I think he comes too high.*" He also named Steve Forrest and Ron Randall among the aspirants.
On TV, Nader starred in two other series: as Dr. Glenn Barton in The Man and The Challenge (NBC, Sep 12. 1959 - June 11. 1960, min. 36) and the lead in Shannon (CBS, Oct 2. 1961 - June 26. 1962, min. 36). He guest starred in Alfred Hitchcock presents (NBC, May 23. 1961 - June 26. 1962, min. 2). Right: TV's Joe Shannon: an investigator of fraud, murder and espionage in the world of corporate America.
But in the mid 1960s, Confidential Magazine, threatened to publish the details of Nader's homosexuality. Supposedly the studio try to cut a deal. His career in Hollywood all but dead, In 1964 he and Miller moved to Hamburg, Germany, where Nader made a dozen films, as he appeared in several German-Italian co-productions as FBI agent Jerry Cotton. The series (8 movies) proved immensely popular and still has a large cult following.

Top left: George Nader as Jerry Cotton. Top middle: G-Man Jerry Cotton (George Nader) in Die Rechnung - eiskalt serviert (Constantin Film, West Germany, Aug 25. 1966). Top right: The seventh Cotton movie Der Tod im Roten Jaguar (Constantin Film, West Germany, Aug 15. 1968). Above: George Nader on the back-cover of the German magazine Bravo of 27 January 1969.

In 1972 the couple returned to the States to divide their time between Palm Springs, CA and Hawaii. He retired in 1974 after sustaining an eye injury in a car accident. He suffered a detached retina and became blind in one eye. He had surgery to repair the retina, but he developed glaucoma. He could not work in films because the strong lights made him lose vision. Miller planned to get a job in real estate to support the couple, but Rock Hudson hired him as his secretary. Nader took up writing and his first (homoerotic) sci-fi novel Chrome (1978) had six printings. In addition Nader was the subject of an extensive biography Jerry Cotton - George Nader and his films published in 1998.

Above left: George Nader bare-chested in Beyond Atlantis (Dimension Pictures, April 25. 1973) Above right: George Nader in 1978, upon the publication of Chrome.

Nader and Miller would provide important support to Hudson, particularly in his final battle against AIDS, from which he died in 1985. Miller said they were called 'The Trio' but they never had sex and it was pure friendship, fueled by stories about each other's conquests. Hudson left most of his estate to Nader and Miller. Only in 1986 after the dead of Rock Hudson, Nader and Miller outed themselves. Miller said being outed wasn't the trio's greatest worry. When Rock died, with all the publicity, George and Miller said, "Well, they've outed us as gay, but not as Republicans." They believed that could hurt their career worse than being gay in Hollywood.

Above: The best friends Rock Hudson (shortly before he became ill) and George Nader (ca .1982).

Nader and Miller recently completed a book called The Perils of Paul, about the gay community in Hollywood, which he did not want to be published until after his death. Mark and George returned to Palm Springs before making a move to the Hawaiian Islands until, as he put it, "the beauty and majesty" of the Coachella Valley called them back to make it their permanent home. They appeared to lead relatively quiet lives in the home they had built together.
Right: In april 2000 Nader was honored with a Jerry Cotton film retrospective in Titisee-Neustadt, Germany. Nader's last public appearance was at the 1st Annual Palm Springs Film Noir Festival in May 2001 where he received a standing ovation following the screening of the British film Nowhere to Go, co-starring Maggie Smith.
George Nader was admitted to Desert Regional Medical Center in September 2001 with a mysterious bacterial infection, two weeks after returning to his Palm Springs home from vacation in Hawaii. When the actor's condition worsened he was transferred to intensive care for observation. However, doctors could not find the source of his infection. He was moved to the Motion Picture & Television Fund Country Home in Woodland Hills one month later where he remained until his death on February 4, 2002 at the age of 80. In 2002, a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs, California, Walk of Stars was dedicated to him. Nader is survived by Miller, his cousin Sally Kubley and his nephew, actor Michael Nader. The actor's body was cremated and his ashes scattered at sea. A cenotaph in his honor (with Mark Miller and Rock Hudson) exists in Cathedral City's Forest Lawn Cemetery.


Notes: * Although George never used sham marriages to conceal his orientation, he did go on the usual dates with fellow actresses. These stories of first loves may also be part of those practices. All dates for movies are for the first US release. All dates for TV programs are original first airdates. All dates for (radio) plays are for the time span the actor was involved. Facts in red still need confirmation.

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Other references (1) IMDb (2) Wikipedia (3) Obituary '"George Nader, Film & Tv Actor Dies" (February 5, 2002) (4) Sound clip on this page is from this movie used by permission The Bad Movie Website. (5) Radiogoldindex (6) OTRRpedia (7) Rotten Tomatoes (8) Nader, George (1921-2002) by Linda Rapp (9) All That Heaven Allows A Biography of Rock Hudson - Mark Griffin (10) Rock Hudson: His Story, Hudson and Davidson (11) "He's George" by Don Allen (Photoplay, 1955) Additional video & audio sources (1) Man and the Challenge (1960) (2) Jerry Cotton Death and Diamonds (1968) short clip from the movie (3) Shannon TV-titles (1961) (4) Single George Nader sings "Jeder Abschied tut Weh" (Feb 1967) (5) Single George Nader sings "Hello, Hello" (6) 1957 Host Ernest Borgnine Presents George Nader and Rock Hudson With Awards Other articles on this actor (1) Well, I Guess I'll See You Nader! (April 22. 2011) (2) Queer Places (3) "Mayberry's ''new doctor'' once shared advice on how to be a popular teen" by MeTV Staff, July 2. 2021 (4) George Nader, Mark Miller, and Rock Hudson, in order of importance by LB Lee, (Nov 5. 2023)

This actor profile is a part of Ellery Queen a website on deduction. The actor above played Ellery Queen in an Ellery Queen TV series. Click Uncle Sam if you think you can help out...! Many of the profiles on this site have been compiled after very careful research of various sources. Please quote and cite ethically!
Page first published before May 20. 2016 Last updated July 16. 2024