Harriman Nelson
Encyclopedia
Admiral Harriman Nelson was a fictional character first played by Walter Pidgeon
in the 1961 science fiction
film, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea
, and later played by Richard Basehart
in the 1964-1968 ABC
television series of the same title
. Both the film and the series were set in the near-future of the 1970s and 1980s, with the series generally using dates between 1973 and 1984. Since this era was depicted from the vantage point of a decade earlier, their version of the decade obviously differs considerably from the one that actually took place.
indicated that he was a four-star admiral
: he wore four stars on the collar of his shirt and four stripes on the sleeves of his jacket (three half-inch stripes above a two-inch stripe, if they complied with U.S. Navy Uniform Regulations). In the television series, Nelson wore conflicting rank markings in most of the episodes of the first season: the stripes on the sleeves of his jacket were the same as in the film, but he wore the three stars of a Vice Admiral
on his shirt collar. "The Last Battle" (season one, episode 17) was the first episode (in the order the episodes were broadcast) in which he wore four stars. He went back to three stars in the next two episodes (in the order they were broadcast), and then wore four stars for the rest of the season.
's novelization of the film Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Nelson is described as being part of a family involved in banking and philanthropy. His one known ancestor was an 18th century New England captain, who was of Irish ancestry, of a slave ship. Nelson has an extremely close relationship with Commander Lee Crane, which is alternately describes as "Father/son" or "Brotherly." The two trust each other implicitly, except when the script says differently.
It is perhaps only coincidental that his surname is the same of the great British naval hero of the Battle of Trafalgar - Admiral Horatio Nelson, and that his first name also begins with an H; or perhaps Irwin Allen thought the reference appropriate as the real Nelson is perhaps the most famous naval character in history. Maybe he is supposed to be a descendant of the 1800s seafarer?
, the world's first nuclear powered submarine, at some point in the late 1950s, and that Lee Crane first met the Admiral when he served on that ship's crew. It is also known that he has served as an instructor at the United States Naval Academy
on occasion, teaching marine biology
and chemistry
(see "Doomdsay," season one episode 19). He also spent a sabbatical teaching marine biology at at least one co-educational university (see "The Ghost of Moby Dick"). He has some background in Counterintelligence (Office of Naval Intelligence
, or ONI), and evidently speaks fluent Russian as he is occasionally seen on assignment under cover in the Soviet Union. His credentials as a scientist and explorer are above repute, and although he is mentioned as being "Always controversial," he is held in generally high regard by the scientific and military communities, despite his mercurial temper, and is popular in the media, probably because of said temper.
Nelson retired from the active-duty Navy at some point prior to the beginning of the series (and the film), and formed the Nelson Institute of Marine Research, which is headquartered in Santa Barbara
, California
. In this capacity, he designed and built the 400+ foot Seaview
(USOS Seaview in the film, and later designated as SSRN Seaview in the TV series), which is the world's only privately-owned-and-operated Nuclear Submarine
. Theodore Sturgeon
wrote a novelization of the film Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, in which Seaview's bow windows are described as "... oversized hull plates which happen to be transparent." They are incredibly strong because they are made of "X-tempered herculite", a top secret process developed by Nelson. In the film, he stated his hope that the bow windows would afford "sights never before seen by Man, and by seeing, solve some of the mysteries of the deep." Marine research is intended to be the primary mission of USOS Seaview (for United States Oceanographic Survey, and in the motion picture, under the authority of the Bureau of Marine Exploration). However, she is listed as a Naval Reserve vessel, and is automatically drafted into active service as the US Navy deems necessary. As such, her crew is composed entirely of retired or reserve naval personnel.
Nelson has always felt it was his duty to be strictly apolitical, and refused to ever voice an opinion publicly on a political matter. In the second season, however, he was forced to take a different stance when he discovered that a leading candidate for Secretary of Defense was actually an enemy agent. Despite his apoliticism, Nelson is extremely close friends with fictional US President Henry Talbot MacNeil, and was counted as one of the president's poker buddies.
Nelson's religious beliefs are a subject of some debate. He is obviously a rational - if moody - intellect, and clearly believes in evolution; however, he has also memorized lengthy passages of the Bible, which he recites on occasion, and he seemed condescending towards a visiting Soviet dignitary's vocal atheism on at least one occasion. That said, despite his several paranormal experiences, Nelson appears, on balance, to be Deistic or else guardedly irreligious.
A closer look at the "text" - i.e. the actual episodes - suggests a decidedly Christian bent to the Admiral's complex personality. As noted above, Nelson frequently quotes Scripture, "Cradle of the Deep (1965)", "Jonah & the Whale (1965)". More examples tend to indicate the Admiral's familiarity with Scripture went beyond that of simply a well-read man. In "The Cyborg (1966)," he flashes a clearly disgusted look at a mad genius who had quoted Genesis 1:27 to glorify his own creative work (that being a race of synthetic "humanoids.") In both "Jonah & the Whale" and "The Terrible Toys (1967)," he suggests prayer to a Soviet scientist and Crane (respectively) on occasions of dire peril. In two burials at sea - one for a "People's Republic" officer in "The Exile" (1965) and another for ghostly U-Boat Captain Krueger in "The Phantom Strikes" (1966) - Nelson and his friend Captain Lee Crane refer to "the Resurrection" and their belief "those who call on the name of the Lord shall be saved." It is certainly true, however, that Nelson's religious/Christian denomination - if he had one - was never mentioned in the television series.
Walter Pidgeon
Walter Davis Pidgeon was a Canadian actor, who starred in many motion pictures, including Mrs...
in the 1961 science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
film, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea is an American science fiction film, produced and directed by Irwin Allen, released by 20th Century Fox in 1961. The story was written by Irwin Allen and Charles Bennett. Walter Pidgeon starred as Admiral Harriman Nelson, with Robert Sterling as Captain Lee Crane...
, and later played by Richard Basehart
Richard Basehart
John Richard Basehart was an American actor. He starred in the 1960s television science fiction drama Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, in the role of Admiral Harriman Nelson.-Career:...
in the 1964-1968 ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
television series of the same title
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (TV series)
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea is a 1960s American science fiction television series based on the 1961 film of the same name. Both were created by Irwin Allen, which enabled the movie's sets, costumes, props, special effects models, and sometimes footage, to be used in the production of the...
. Both the film and the series were set in the near-future of the 1970s and 1980s, with the series generally using dates between 1973 and 1984. Since this era was depicted from the vantage point of a decade earlier, their version of the decade obviously differs considerably from the one that actually took place.
Military rank
In the film, both of the rank markings on Nelson's uniformUniform
A uniform is a set of standard clothing worn by members of an organization while participating in that organization's activity. Modern uniforms are worn by armed forces and paramilitary organizations such as police, emergency services, security guards, in some workplaces and schools and by inmates...
indicated that he was a four-star admiral
Admiral (United States)
In the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard and the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, admiral is a four-star flag officer rank, with the pay grade of O-10. Admiral ranks above vice admiral and below Fleet Admiral in the Navy; the Coast Guard and the Public Health...
: he wore four stars on the collar of his shirt and four stripes on the sleeves of his jacket (three half-inch stripes above a two-inch stripe, if they complied with U.S. Navy Uniform Regulations). In the television series, Nelson wore conflicting rank markings in most of the episodes of the first season: the stripes on the sleeves of his jacket were the same as in the film, but he wore the three stars of a Vice Admiral
Vice admiral (United States)
In the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard, the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps, and the United States Maritime Service, vice admiral is a three-star flag officer, with the pay grade of...
on his shirt collar. "The Last Battle" (season one, episode 17) was the first episode (in the order the episodes were broadcast) in which he wore four stars. He went back to three stars in the next two episodes (in the order they were broadcast), and then wore four stars for the rest of the season.
Background
Nelson, as depicted in the original movie, was a career naval officer, about age 65 or so. He was strong willed, forceful, and not used to being questioned about his decisions. The TV iteration of Nelson was a bit younger - about 50 - and considerably more energetic, as more generally befits the protagonist in an action/adventure series. The younger version of Nelson preferred cigarettes to cigars, and chain smoked for the first several years of the series. In both versions, Nelson is one of the world's most brilliant scientific minds. He's cited as being "One of the world's foremost marine biologists" in both versions, and also apparently holds high degrees in Nuclear Physics as well. The TV series added that he was also one of the brightest minds in computer engineering alive at that time. He also won the Nobel prize in Biology for 1976 (as explained in the episode, "Cyborg").Personal life
In the series, Nelson is a life-long bachelor (see "The Ghost of Moby Dick", season one, episode 14). His only living blood relative, a sister who was 'kidnapped' (although later it is found out that the person was actually an intelligence agent impersonating his sister) and held hostage in an attempt to get Nelson to release top-secret information. His place of birth is unknown, however his accent implies that either he or perhaps his parents were New Englanders. In author Theodore SturgeonTheodore Sturgeon
Theodore Sturgeon was an American science fiction author.His most famous novel is More Than Human .-Biography:...
's novelization of the film Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Nelson is described as being part of a family involved in banking and philanthropy. His one known ancestor was an 18th century New England captain, who was of Irish ancestry, of a slave ship. Nelson has an extremely close relationship with Commander Lee Crane, which is alternately describes as "Father/son" or "Brotherly." The two trust each other implicitly, except when the script says differently.
It is perhaps only coincidental that his surname is the same of the great British naval hero of the Battle of Trafalgar - Admiral Horatio Nelson, and that his first name also begins with an H; or perhaps Irwin Allen thought the reference appropriate as the real Nelson is perhaps the most famous naval character in history. Maybe he is supposed to be a descendant of the 1800s seafarer?
Character history
Nelson's naval record is never expressly stated; however it is known that he has extensive naval combat experience, both in submarines and in the surface fleet, and he's an extremely experienced aviator as well. It is known that he commanded USS Nautilus (SSN-571)USS Nautilus (SSN-571)
USS Nautilus is the world's first operational nuclear-powered submarine. She was the first vessel to complete a submerged transit beneath the North Pole on August 3, 1958...
, the world's first nuclear powered submarine, at some point in the late 1950s, and that Lee Crane first met the Admiral when he served on that ship's crew. It is also known that he has served as an instructor at the United States Naval Academy
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
on occasion, teaching marine biology
Marine biology
Marine biology is the scientific study of organisms in the ocean or other marine or brackish bodies of water. Given that in biology many phyla, families and genera have some species that live in the sea and others that live on land, marine biology classifies species based on the environment rather...
and chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
(see "Doomdsay," season one episode 19). He also spent a sabbatical teaching marine biology at at least one co-educational university (see "The Ghost of Moby Dick"). He has some background in Counterintelligence (Office of Naval Intelligence
Office of Naval Intelligence
The Office of Naval Intelligence was established in the United States Navy in 1882. ONI was established to "seek out and report" on the advancements in other nations' navies. Its headquarters are at the National Maritime Intelligence Center in Suitland, Maryland...
, or ONI), and evidently speaks fluent Russian as he is occasionally seen on assignment under cover in the Soviet Union. His credentials as a scientist and explorer are above repute, and although he is mentioned as being "Always controversial," he is held in generally high regard by the scientific and military communities, despite his mercurial temper, and is popular in the media, probably because of said temper.
Nelson retired from the active-duty Navy at some point prior to the beginning of the series (and the film), and formed the Nelson Institute of Marine Research, which is headquartered in Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara is the county seat of Santa Barbara County, California, United States. Situated on an east-west trending section of coastline, the longest such section on the West Coast of the United States, the city lies between the steeply-rising Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. In this capacity, he designed and built the 400+ foot Seaview
USOS Seaview
Seaview, a fictitious privately owned nuclear submarine, was the setting for the 1961 motion picture Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, starring Walter Pidgeon, and later for the 1964 – 1968 ABC television series of the same title....
(USOS Seaview in the film, and later designated as SSRN Seaview in the TV series), which is the world's only privately-owned-and-operated Nuclear Submarine
Nuclear submarine
A nuclear submarine is a submarine powered by a nuclear reactor . The performance advantages of nuclear submarines over "conventional" submarines are considerable: nuclear propulsion, being completely independent of air, frees the submarine from the need to surface frequently, as is necessary for...
. Theodore Sturgeon
Theodore Sturgeon
Theodore Sturgeon was an American science fiction author.His most famous novel is More Than Human .-Biography:...
wrote a novelization of the film Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, in which Seaview's bow windows are described as "... oversized hull plates which happen to be transparent." They are incredibly strong because they are made of "X-tempered herculite", a top secret process developed by Nelson. In the film, he stated his hope that the bow windows would afford "sights never before seen by Man, and by seeing, solve some of the mysteries of the deep." Marine research is intended to be the primary mission of USOS Seaview (for United States Oceanographic Survey, and in the motion picture, under the authority of the Bureau of Marine Exploration). However, she is listed as a Naval Reserve vessel, and is automatically drafted into active service as the US Navy deems necessary. As such, her crew is composed entirely of retired or reserve naval personnel.
Nelson has always felt it was his duty to be strictly apolitical, and refused to ever voice an opinion publicly on a political matter. In the second season, however, he was forced to take a different stance when he discovered that a leading candidate for Secretary of Defense was actually an enemy agent. Despite his apoliticism, Nelson is extremely close friends with fictional US President Henry Talbot MacNeil, and was counted as one of the president's poker buddies.
Nelson's religious beliefs are a subject of some debate. He is obviously a rational - if moody - intellect, and clearly believes in evolution; however, he has also memorized lengthy passages of the Bible, which he recites on occasion, and he seemed condescending towards a visiting Soviet dignitary's vocal atheism on at least one occasion. That said, despite his several paranormal experiences, Nelson appears, on balance, to be Deistic or else guardedly irreligious.
A closer look at the "text" - i.e. the actual episodes - suggests a decidedly Christian bent to the Admiral's complex personality. As noted above, Nelson frequently quotes Scripture, "Cradle of the Deep (1965)", "Jonah & the Whale (1965)". More examples tend to indicate the Admiral's familiarity with Scripture went beyond that of simply a well-read man. In "The Cyborg (1966)," he flashes a clearly disgusted look at a mad genius who had quoted Genesis 1:27 to glorify his own creative work (that being a race of synthetic "humanoids.") In both "Jonah & the Whale" and "The Terrible Toys (1967)," he suggests prayer to a Soviet scientist and Crane (respectively) on occasions of dire peril. In two burials at sea - one for a "People's Republic" officer in "The Exile" (1965) and another for ghostly U-Boat Captain Krueger in "The Phantom Strikes" (1966) - Nelson and his friend Captain Lee Crane refer to "the Resurrection" and their belief "those who call on the name of the Lord shall be saved." It is certainly true, however, that Nelson's religious/Christian denomination - if he had one - was never mentioned in the television series.
Awards and decorations
The list below contains all of Nelsons's known awards and decorations. The names are given in order of precedence, according to SECNAVINST 1650.1F and the U.S. Navy Uniform Regulations (NAVPERS 1566.5G).| Navy Cross Navy Cross The Navy Cross is the highest decoration that may be bestowed by the Department of the Navy and the second highest decoration given for valor. It is normally only awarded to members of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps and United States Coast Guard, but can be awarded to all... |
Navy Distinguished Service Medal Navy Distinguished Service Medal The Navy Distinguished Service Medal is a military award of the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps which was first created in 1919. The decoration is the Navy and Marine Corps equivalent to the Army Distinguished Service Medal, the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal, and the Coast... |
Silver Star Silver Star The Silver Star is the third-highest combat military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States armed forces for valor in the face of the enemy.... |
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| Legion of Merit Legion of Merit The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements... |
Navy Presidential Unit Citation | American Defense Service Medal American Defense Service Medal The American Defense Service Medal is a decoration of the United States military, recognizing service before America’s entry into the Second World War but during the initial years of the European conflict.-Criteria:... |
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| American Campaign Medal American Campaign Medal The American Campaign Medal was a military decoration of the United States armed forces which was first created on November 6, 1942 by issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt... |
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal The Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal is a service decoration of the Second World War which was awarded to any member of the United States military who served in the Pacific Theater from 1941 to 1945 and was created on November 6, 1942 by issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The medal was... w/ 1 service star Service star A service star, also referred to as a battle star, campaign star, or engagement star, is an attachment to a United States military decoration which denotes participation in military campaigns or multiple bestowals of the same award. Service stars are typically issued for campaign medals, service... |
World War II Victory Medal | |||||||||
| National Defense Service Medal National Defense Service Medal The National Defense Service Medal is a military service medal of the United States military originally commissioned by President Dwight D. Eisenhower... |
Korean Service Medal Korean Service Medal The Korean Service Medal is an award of the United States military and was created in November 1950 by executive order of President Harry Truman. The Korean Service Medal is the primary United States medal for participation in the Korean War and is awarded to any U.S. service member, who... w/ 2 service stars |
United Nations Korea Medal | |||||||||