“The Adventures Of Ozzie And Harriet” Had More Drama Behind The Scenes Than On Screen
If you were an avid television watcher in the '50s and '60s, you probably remember The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. It was a unique blend of scripted and reality television that became the first American prime time scripted series to stay on the air for over ten years. The show was so popular that it even survived a transition from radio to television.
The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet starred the Nelson family as themselves, only, a scripted version of themselves. They became symbols of the ideal American family. But things weren't always as perfect as they seemed on television. Keep reading to find out about all of the drama that was happening behind the scenes.
All About Ozzie
Ozzie Nelson was born Oswald George Nelson in New Jersey. He attended Rutgers School of Law in Newark to become a lawyer, but to make some extra cash on the side, he played saxophone in a band and coached football.
Ozzie never ended up graduating from law school. He dropped out to pursue music full time. He also organized a dance band that did surprisingly well, even during tough economic times in the mid 1930s.
How Ozzie Met Harriet
Ozzie really had his big break in 1930, and his band, the Ozzie Nelson Band, signed some record deals with major labels such as Brunswick, Vocalion, Bluebird, and Victor. The band's most famous single was “Over Somebody Else’s Shoulder.” Around the same time that Ozzie's band was gaining popularity, a vaudeville actress named Peggy Lou Snyder was performing in New York City.
At some point, Ozzie found out about Peggy Lou and he hired her to dance and sing in his band. Peggy changed her name to Harriet Hilliard, and with her help, the Ozzie Nelson Band became even more successful.
How Harriet Got Her Start
We all know Harried Nelson as a television housewife, but before she ever appeared on our television screens she was Peggy Lou, strutting her stuff on the Vaudeville stage. Harriet started performing when she was just three years old. By the time she was a teenager, she was already performing on Broadway.
Early exposure to the theatre scene also meant early exposure to drugs and ne'er-do-wells. Harriet started smoking when she was 13. She dropped out of high school and became a professional dancer.
The Skeletons In Harriet's Closet
It may surprise you to learn that Harriet was married before she met Ozzie Nelson. Back in 1930, when Harriet was still Peggy Lou, she married comedian Roy Sedley. Harriet was just 21 years old at the time.
Unfortunately, Roy wasn't the best husband. Harriet claimed that Roy was abusing her, so she got the marriage annulled in 1933. Pretty soon after that, she met Ozzie, and little did she know that meeting him would change her life forever.
Ozzie and Harriet Got Married
Ozzie and Harriet had undeniable chemistry on stage. Ozzie was laid back and easy going, while Harriet was energetic and quick-witted. These two balanced each other out perfectly.
Everyone could tell that their relationship on stage was starting to bleed into a relationship off stage. Ozzie and Harriet began dating, and pretty soon, in 1935, they decided to get married. Harriet had been working for Ozzie's band for three years by that point. These two seemed like the perfect pair.
Ozzie And Harriet Take On The Silver Screen
At first, these two were just doing live shows together, but pretty soon, Ozzie and Harriet were appearing on the silver screen. They starred together movie musicals such as Sweetheart of the Campus, Strictly in the Groove, Honeymoon Lodge, and Take It Big.
Before they got their own show, Ozzie and Harriet made regular guest appearances on The Red Skelton Show, an American variety show hosted by the one and only Richard Bernard “Red” Skelton.
Their Time On The Red Skelton Show
Before The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet ever hit our television screens, Ozzie and Harriet appeared on the radio show known as The Red Skelton Show. Later, The Red Skelton Show moved to television, and Ozzie and Harriet moved to television with it.
Ozzie and Harriet provided much of the music that was featured on the show, and many Americans were first introduced to the couple through this variety show. The Red Skelton Show was a stepping stone on the wat to The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet.
What Happened When Red Skelton Was Drafted
In 1944, Red Skelton was called to the draft. He was no longer available to host his famous show, and his absence left a void that was just waiting to be filled. Ozzie Nelson contacted network executives and pitched a show of his own. His idea: a look into the lives of a typical American family. The show was driven by situational humor rather than music.
Ozzie directed and co-wrote every episode of The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet.
New Additions To The Family
Harriet gave birth to her and Ozzie's first child, David, just a year after getting married. Ozzie wanted to work with his wife as much as possible to create a strong sense of unity in his family. Harriet gave birth to the couple's second son, Ricky, in 1940. Pretty soon Ozzie and Harriet were “America’s Favorite Young Couple.”
Eventually, David and Ricky would appear on The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, but they weren't on the program from the beginning.
Ricky And David Were Played By Child Actors
In the 1940s, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet was becoming extremely popular, and because Ricky was just born in 1940, Ozzie understood that his children were much too young to be in the public eye. He cast two older child actors to play David and Ricky.
These two child actors only provided the voices for David and Ricky while The Adventures Of Ozzie and Harriet was a radio show. Five years in, when the show moved to television, Ozzie and Harriet's sons took over and played themselves.
Bing Crosby Convinced Ozzie To Put Ricky And David On The Show
Ozzie wanted his sons to gain a bit more life experience before they shared themselves with the rest of the world. It was 1949 when Ozzie and Harriet decided it was time for their boys to join the family business. David was 13 at the time and Ricky was 8.
It was around that time that Bing Crosby made an appearance on the family's radio show, and he brought his own kids along with him. After seeing the Crosby boys loving the limelight, Ozzie realized that his kids may be ready to act too.
Accusations Of Lost Childhoods
In his book, The Fifties, David Halberstam writes, "for all their professional success, very different from the family depicted on the show, [the Nelsons] lived with an immense amount of pressure and unreconciled issues."
Halberstam suggests that there were rumblings about the idea that Ozzie had "stolen the childhood of both of his sons and used it for commercial purposes." The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet was very close to being America's first reality show, and Ozzie put his boys right in the middle of it.
The First Couple To Be Seen In Bed Together On American Television
Back in the day, it was extremely scandalous for a married couple to appear to be sleeping or even sitting in the same bed together on television. The rule was that if a man and a woman were in bed together, one of them had to keep at least one leg planted firmly on the ground. More common than not, married couples on television would sleep in twin beds separated by a lamp or a nightstand.
Ozzie and Harriet slept in the same bed on The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, and that was the first time a couple was depicted sleeping in the same bed on American television.
They Used Their Real House In The Show
While Ozzie and Harriet didn't shoot the interior scenes of their show in their home, they did use the actual exterior of their house in the opening credits of the show. Ozzie and Harried lived in a gorgeous house in the Hollywood Hills.
For the interior shots, they had a crew build a set that was an exact replica of their actual home. That way, the show felt more authentic and Ozzie and Harriet felt like they were inviting America into their real life.
What Happened To The House Post-Show?
The house that Ozzie and Harriet lived in was built in 1916. In, a wealthy investor bought the Nelson's house for three million dollars. Then the house was given a much-needed makeover which cost a pretty penny. The house was then resold for five million dollars.
The house was given more of an open concept design, and the front shutters were removed to make the exterior of the house look more modern. This house really is a piece of American history.
Ozzie Wasn't At All Like His Character
On the show, Ozzie was the perfect father figure. Sometimes he came off a little ditzy, but he loved his family and everyone found his constant stumbling and bumbling kind of adorable. In real life, Ozzie was actually very bright and direct. He was a taskmaster at work and he took charge of every aspect of the show.
According to The New York Times, some claimed that he “was a dictatorial presence looming over his family,” and that he “thwarted his sons, preventing them from attending college and reminding them that they were obliged to work on television.”
Did Ozzie Have A Job On The Show?
In the first ever episode of the television show Here Come the Nelsons, Ozzie’s character was revealed to be an advertising executive who promoted women's underwear. When the show actually premiered, there was no mention of Ozzie as an advertiser at all.
Throughout the show, it seemed like Ozzie was always home. Some people joked that he only left the house to buy ice cream. Ricky's daughter, Tracy Nelson, laid those rumors to rest once and for all when she told the press that Ozzie's character was supposed to be a lawyer who graduated from Rutgers.
The Start Of Ricky's Singing Career
Ricky really found his voice on The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. By the age of 17, he was already singing songs on the show. It was clear that this kid was talented, and people were impressed with Ricky's vocals.
At the time, Elvis had just hit it big, but parents were concerned that his dance moves and raunchy lyrics weren't suitable for their children. Ricky had a voice like Elvis's, but he was much more clean cut. Eventually, Ricky was able to secure a record deal.
Ricky's Singing Was Featured Frequently On The Show
Ozzie quickly realized that Ricky's singing was getting a lot of attention. In August 1958, Ricky recorded a single that reached number one on the Billboard charts.
Ozzie decided to write episodes centered around Ricky's singing. Any time Ricky sang on the show, that episode got higher ratings. Ricky was becoming quite the dreamboat. He started booking gigs all over the country, and every time he performed, he was met by thousands of adoring fans.
Ricky Branched Out On His Own
Ozzie and Harriet's youngest son, Ricky started acting outside of his family' sitcom. He starred in a John Wayne and Dean Martin film called Rio Bravo. After his big-screen debut, he went on to star in some other noteworthy acting projects.
He was in The Wackiest Ship in the Army with Jack Lemmon, and Love and Kisses with Jack Kelley. He was also featured in an episode of The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries. He performed a lot of his popular songs on that show.
Another Lady In The Family
Ricky began dating his future wife, Kristin Harmon the same year that David and June got married. Kristin was the daughter of football player and actor Tom Harmon. The Harmons and the Nelsons were actually family friends.
Kristin and Ricky dated for two years before getting married. They actually got married because Ozzie insisted on it. Kristin got pregnant, and Ozzie needed Ricky to make his relationship with her official before the baby was born.
They Tried To Keep The Pregnancy A Secret
Ozzie didn't want people to figure out that Ricky and Kristen rushed into marriage because Kristen got pregnant, but she ended up giving birth to a baby girl just six months after their wedding. Kristen and Ricky named their daughter Tracy Kristine Nelson.
Ozzie tried to convince everybody that the baby was born premature, and he even tried to have that "fact" forged on Tracy's birth certificate. He even tried to take pictures of Tracy, a healthy, seven-pound baby, in an incubator as proof.
Ozzie Nelson Was Considered To Be A Top TV Dad
Ozzie Nelson's character on The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet was ranked #21 in TV Guide's list of the "50 Greatest TV Dads of All Time" in 2004. Apparently, many people did and still do consider Ozzie Nelson to be a role model.
As we've already discussed, Ozzie didn't seem to have a job. His relationship with his wife was kind of unconventional, and he seemed to have way too much control over his children. Even so, people saw him as an ideal American dad in the 1950s.
David's Adult Life
In 1961, David was 25 years old. he met an married a fellow actress by the name of June Blair. Ricky was the best man at his wedding. Now that June was officially a Nelson, she was written into many of the storylines in The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet.
David Nelson started attending law school, and he and June moved into an apartment together. David and June had two sons together, one in 1962 named Daniel Blair Nelson, and a second in 1966 named Jamie Eric Nelson.
A Relic Of The Past
The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet had a good run, but by the 1960s, things had begun to change in America. The idea of an ideal nuclear family was becoming outdated. People were more interested in countercultural movements that weren't exactly family-friendly.
In 1965, Ricky was selling fewer records. Ozzie decided to cut back on using Ricky's songs in the show. Ricky was no longer seen as a straight-edge alternative to Elvis because of the whole pregnancy scandal.
The End Of The Adventures Of Ozzie And Harriet
The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet was on television for fourteen years and on the radio for eight years before that. The show finally came to an end on April 23rd, 1966. For a while, the show was the longest-running live-action sitcom ever to air on American television, but It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia usurped that title in 2016.
The show produced a total of 435 episodes over the course of its run. That's a true mark of success.
Mary Tyler Moore Made An Appearance On The Show
Back in the 1950s, Mary Tyler Moore was a spokesperson got Hotpoint. By "spokesperson," we mean that she was "Happy Hotpoint" dancing pixie. Hotpoint Sponsered The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, so Mary Tyler Moore would ofter appear in a prologue at the beginning of episodes.
Now, Mary Tyler Moore's show is even more famous than Ozzie and Harriet's show. Everybody has to start somewhere. Mary started out as a dancing pixie— then she moved on to bigger and better things.
Product Placement In The Show
Advertisers definitely wiggled their way into the fabric of The Adventures Of Ozzie And Harriet. During the first few years of the show's run, many of its scenes were filmed in the family's kitchen. That's because the show was sponsored by Hotpoint and Hotpoint wanted their products to be front and center.
When the show was sponsored by Kodak, many scenes were filmed outdoors, and members of the family were often seen with a Kodak camera around their necks.
How Ozzie Nelson Died
Ozzie Nelson spent his life focused on his career and his family. He passed away on June 3rd, 1975. He was 69 years old at the time. In his later years, Ozzie dealt with many cancerous tumors. Eventually, it was liver cancer that took his life. Harriet, David, and Ricky were by his bedside when he died.
After Ozzie's death, Harriet mostly kept to herself. She didn't do much acting without him. David and Ricky continued to progress in their careers.
Kristin & Ricky's Tumultuous Marriage
Ricky and Kristin never had an easy marriage. In 1977, after 14 years and four children together, the couple decided to separate. Kristen moved Ricky out of the family home and into a rented house. Ricky didn't realize that he had been kicked out of his home until he returned from a music tour.
In 1982, Ricky and Kristen officially got divorced. Kristen was awarded one million dollars in the divorce settlement because Ricky was caught cheating while they were technically still married.
A Rocky Relationship For Ricky
While trying to work on their marriage between the separation and the divorce, Ricky and Kristen kept accusing each other of using drugs and abusing alcohol.
In 1987 Kristen told People magazine that she and Ricky tried to work through their drug issues: “At first we were in it together… to fix the marriage by going on the road and being involved in road stuff that is really not good for anyone. After a while we were totally messed up, both of us. I got into therapy and so did he for a while but then he started not showing up. I tried telling my family, there’s a drug problem here and we’ve all got to help. But they totally denied there was anything wrong.”
Ricky's Tragic Death
Ricky Nelson died in late December 1985 when his private plane crash-landed into trees just northeast of Dallas, Texas. Ricky hated flying, but he hated traveling by bus even more so he decided to get his own private plane. Unfortunately, this plane had some mechanical issues.
Ricky and six others died on impact. A heater onboard the plane had overheated and caught fire. The fire spread quickly and by the time the crew realized what was happening, it was too late.
How Harriet Met Her End
After Ozzie and Ricky died, Harriet Nelson was understandably quite distraught. In the early '90s, David was asked if his mother was "in good spirits." He told the Baltimore Sun, “She hasn’t been in good spirits since dad died.”
Harriet moved to Laguna Beach, California. She suffered from emphysema as she got older, probably because she began smoking when she was just 13 years old. She died on October 2nd, 1994 from congestive heart failure.
David's Other Projects
David wasn't much of an actor, but he did have a knack for directing. Long after The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet was off the air, David tried to create a spin-off of his family's show called Ozzie’s Girls. The show premiered in September 1971. It followed the lives of Ozzie and Harriet after their sons had gotten married and moved out of the house.
The couple in the show rented the boys' bedrooms to two college girls. David directed the series, but it only lasted for one season.
David's Final Days
David Nelson passed away on January 11th, 2011. He was 74 years old at the time. David ended up divorcing June, his first wife, in 1975. He eventually got remarried and had more children. He had a total of five children, and at the time of his death, he had seven grandchildren.
LIke his father, David died from cancer-related complications. David had colon cancer, though, not liver cancer. David is buried in Westwood Memorial Park’s outdoor Garden of Serenity columbarium.
Tracy Nelson Became An Actress
Ricky and Kristen's daughter Tracy entered the family business. She was cast in a lot of small roles in various television shows in the 1980s. Her career quickly picked up steam though, and she went on to star in family sitcoms such as Family Ties, The Nanny, 7th Heaven, Melrose Place, Seinfeld, and St. Elsewhere.
Acting seems to follow the Nelson family around, but then again, so does drama. Tracy found herself in some drama of her own.
Tracy Nelson Was Diagnosed With Cancer
Two years Ricky died, Tracy Nelson began to feel weak. She had a dream in which her father spoke to her and said, "I know you miss me, but it’s not time for you to die. You have to go see a doctor.“ Tracy went to the doctor and found out that she had a rather large malignant tumor in her chest. She was diagnosed with stage two Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.
Tracy was able to overcome her illness, but the radiation left her feeling traumatized, and she ended up battling thyroid cancer in 2005 and breast cancer in 2010.
The Nelson Twins
Tracy isn't Ricky and Kristen's only child. After she was born, Kristen gave birth to identical twin boys in 1967. They named the twins Gunnar and Matthew Nelson. These boys clearly inherited their father's musical talents.
Gunnar and Matthew wrote songs together, and eventually, they signed a record deal with Gefen Records in 1989. They called their band "Nelson," and their debut album, After the Rain went triple platinum in 1990. These two were carving out their own space in the entertainment industry.
Not The Band You Were Expecting
As A glam rock metal duo, Nelson is a far cry from the clean-cut '50s family their grandfather was so dedicated to portraying on The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. These two managed to snag an entry in the Guinness Book of World Records after their hit “Love and Affection” reached number one on the charts. The Nelsons are now the only family to have three number one record in three successive generations.
Ricky and Ozzie both also had number one records.
The Show Is Now In The Public Domain
Almost all of the episodes of The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet that aired before 1964 are now part of the public domain. The only episodes that aren't in the public domain are those that feature Ricky Nelson's musical performances. Those belong to The Rick Nelson Company, LLC.
That means, if you want to watch old episodes of this TV series, you can do so for free. The series has been released by a few companies including Alpha Video and Mill Creek Entertainment.
