Glamorous Photos of American Model Nancy Berg in the 1950s

Born 1931 in Kenosha, Wisconsin, American model Nancy Berg ran away from home there in 1947 and moved to Detroit to become a model. By 1960, she was earning $40,000 per year.

Nancy Berg in the 1950s

Berg was on the front cover of Vogue four times, starting in 1953, and was Esquire’s “Lady Fair” for May of 1956. She was also the star and sole performer for a 1955 New York television program entitled Count Sheep with Nancy Berg which aired five nights a week from 1:00 to 1:05 in the morning.

“The nightgown-clad Miss Berg would appear, get into bed, perform a bit of business, such as read from Romeo and Juliet or eat grapes off a toy Ferris wheel, and then, in extreme close-up, whisper a good night to the camera and pretend to go to sleep as animated sheep jumped over a fence. Her manager stated, ‘A lot of people watch it. God knows why.’”

In 1962, Berg toured with Bob Cummings in a production of Tunnel of Love. She died in 2022, at the age of 90, in New York.

Here are some glamorous photos of a young Nancy Berg in the 1950s.

Nancy Berg in beautiful aqua sheath with flowing back panel of Celanese acetate satin by Gothe, Vogue, November 15, 1953

Nancy Berg in blue velvet embroidered ball gown by Leslie Morris, photo by Horst P. Horst, Vogue, October 1953

Nancy Berg in flowered sweater by Geist & Geist, photo by Erwin Blumenfeld, Vogue, March 1953

Nancy Berg in red jersey dinner dress with white mink scarf tucked neatly inside by Larry Aldrich, Vogue, October 1953

Nancy Berg is wearing silk taffeta dress by Traina-Norell, photo by Erwin Blumenfeld used as Vogue cover, May 1953

Nancy Berg is wearing silk taffeta dress by Traina-Norell, photo by Erwin Blumenfeld, variant used for Vogue cover, 1953

Nancy Berg in a gorgeous pink Enka rayon gown as seen Harper's Bazaar, October 1954

Nancy Berg in a Spanish coat, photo by Erwin Blumenfeld, New York, 1954

Nancy Berg in cloche by John Frederics, photo by Erwin Blumenfeld for Cadillac advertisement, 1954

Nancy Berg in Forstmann wool doeskin suit lined in satin by Ben Zuckerman, wrapped turban hat by Irene, jewelry by Harry Winston, photo by Erwin Blumenfeld, Vogue, September 1954

Nancy Berg in ivory Celanese acetate sharkskin bathing suit and jacket by carolyn Schnurer, Vogue, January 1954

Nancy Berg in late-afternoon velveteen paisley dress with its own white chiffon scarf and leather belt by Traina-Norell, photo by Erwin Blumenfeld, Vogue, September 1954

Nancy Berg in leopard fur coat with collar and cuffs trimmed in red fox by Traina-Norell, photo by Erwin Blumenfeld, 1954

Nancy Berg in Lutetia EMBA mink jacket by Revillon, jewlery by Cartier, photo by Virginia Thoren, Vogue, April 1, 1954

Nancy Berg in Royal Pastel EMBA mink jacket from Bergdorf Goodman, photo by Virginia Thoren, 1954

Nancy Berg in sweater jacket worn over black satin-boun jersey dress by David Crystal, photo by Erwin Blumenfeld, 1954

Nancy Berg in vivid nasturtiums on cotton faille cut with a long and slender waist that ends in full pleated skirt by Talmack, photo by Frances McLaughlin, Vogue, January 1954

Nancy Berg in fitted coat of black-dyed Southwest African Persian lamb by Ben Kahn for Creeds, Vogue, December 1, 1955

Nancy Berg in Stroock wool plaid suit by Bardley, Vogue, February 1, 1955

Nancy Berg in sweater of 100% Acrilan by Premier, Vogue, August 1, 1955

Nancy Berg, for Chesterfield cigarette ad, 1956

Nancy Berg in beautiful red fleece coat, hat by Elizabeth Marks, photo by Leombruno-Bodi, Ladies' Home Journal, September 1957

Nancy Berg in pale pink dress with an amusing apron of flowered chintz sparkled with sequins and edged with a novelty braid, photo by Leombruno-Bodi, Ladies' Home Journal, April 1957

Nancy Berg in vivid red re-embroidered lace dress with scalloped neckline, photo by Leombruno-Bodi, Ladies' Home Journal, September 1957

Nancy Berg in wool jersey suit with brass buttons and white piqué at the neck, hat by John Frederics, photo by Leombruno-Bodi, Ladies' Home Journal, September 1957

Nancy Berg, Monet jewelry ad, Harper's Bazaar, October 1957

Nancy Berg, Revlon's Red Caviar lipstick and nail polish ad, Vogue, November 1, 1957