Nelson appeared in seven movies in the 1960s as one of Eric Von Zipper's "mice" in the American International "Beach Party" series. She is the only person who appeared in all seven "Beach Party" movies, including "Beach Party", "Muscle Beach Party" and "How to Stuff a Wild Bikini". Nelson played the leather clad "rat pack" biker chick "Puss" (sometimes called by other names), one of the comic villains who dogged the steps of the lead characters played by Annette Funicello and Frankie Avalon.