Picture this: an eagle hanging proudly over the fireplace in the living room set of The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. This wasn’t just any prop, folks. It was a replica of the one that adorned the real-life Nelson family’s home in a gated community near Runyon Canyon in Los Angeles. Gunnar Nelson, one of Ricky Nelson’s sons, shared with Closer that each day, the Nelsons would roll out of bed and go "home" to work. "It had to have been surreal," Gunnar reflected.
The Nelsons: America's First TV Family
From 1952 to 1966, Ricky Nelson, his older brother David, and their parents, Ozzie and Harriet, were nothing short of America’s first family. Gunnar explained, "That’s what made the show work—a real family playing a real family on television." But here's the thing: what you saw on the screen wasn’t entirely real. The Nelson boys were expected to live up to the perfection their TV personas projected, leaving little room for growth, mistakes, or self-discovery.
Unlike his bumbling TV persona, Ozzie Nelson was a shrewd show business veteran who earned a law degree but chose to pursue his passion for music after his big band gained success in the 1930s. Ozzie was the mastermind behind Ozzie and Harriet, serving as its creator, producer, director, and star. He had a hand in every aspect of the series, including crafting his sons’ on-screen personalities.
Read also:George Clooney Talks Broadway Family Life In Nyc And Balancing It All
Ozzie's Vision for His Sons
Joel Selvin, the author of Ricky Nelson: Idol for a Generation, remarked, "It’s just fascinating. What father doesn’t want to write the script for his children?" From the moment Ricky and David joined the family business at ages 8 and 12, they were aware of their responsibilities. Their TV series premiered, and suddenly, their behavior, both on and off the set, was under constant scrutiny. Ozzie reminded them that 45 people, including their own parents, would lose their jobs if the boys acted like typical teenagers.
Ricky’s rebellion wasn’t loud or obvious. Selvin explained, "He became passively hostile. He would oversleep and not show up on the set. They would send a car for him and bring him in, but he would tear up his script and hide it." Music and his studies at Hollywood High, where he excelled in tennis, should have given him some independence, but Ozzie was quick to incorporate his sons’ real-life interests into the scripts. In the first season, Ricky awkwardly performed Fats Domino’s "I’m Walkin’" in an episode called "Ricky, the Drummer."
Ricky's Rise to Fame
The viewers loved it. In 1958, his single "Poor Little Fool," from his second album, became Ricky’s first No. 1 hit. He was just 16 when Life magazine declared him a "teen idol." Gunnar explained, "From that moment on, reality diverged from the story lines on the set." Ozzie would leave on weekends to tour and perform, then return to the set in L.A. on Monday, slipping back into his role as the sweater-wearing dad. That duality must have been tough for him.
