Harriet Nelson

Harriet Nelson

Born: July 18, 1909
Died: October 2, 1994
in Des Moines, Iowa, USA
Harriet Nelson will always have a secure place alongside Barbara Billingsley and Jane Wyatt in the "TV's Golden Age Mom Hall of Fame." For fourteen years, she, husband Ozzie Nelson, and their two boys, David Nelson and Ricky Nelson, were the quintessential role models of the '50s ideal nuclear family. Harriet, the daughter of actors, was practically born in a trunk. She made her debut amid the footlights at age 6 weeks with her parents. The Iowa beauty attended St. Agnes Academy in her early years. Quite a dazzler in her youth, she was playing vaudeville when she attracted the attention of saxophone-playing Ozzie Nelson and was hired by him as vocalist for his orchestra in 1932. They married three years later. Harriet had a bold, sassy edge to her that proved a perfect counterpoint to Ozzie's genial, stumbling personality in their off-the-cuff routines. During the '40s, they were regulars on Red Skelton's radio show and even took over the comic's time slot when Red was drafted into the army. As Harriet Hilliard, she moved to leading lady status in a number of cool, snazzy war-era musicals, the most notable as "second lead" to Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in Follow the Fleet (1936). Other minor efforts included Cocoanut Grove (1938), Sweetheart of the Campus (1941) with Ozzie, Juke Box Jenny (1942), and Honeymoon Lodge (1943), also with Ozzie. Breezy, tuneful films, but nothing to write home about. Once Harriet partnered with Ozzie in their own radio series "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet" in 1944, the family-oriented woman's career became unequivocally bound to his. They extended their devoted radio audience to TV (1952-1966). The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet (1952), which now included both their sons, made household names of the entire clan. David followed in his father's footsteps as director/producer, while Ricky turned pop teen idol with such hits as "Hello, Mary Lou" and "Travelin' Man," songs that were introduced on the show. Following the show's long run, Ozzie and Harriet lay back a bit and settled in Laguna Beach, California, touring occasionally on stage. A second series entitled Ozzie's Girls (1973) lasted only one season.

Following Ozzie's death in 1975, Harriet turned somewhat reclusive, save for a few mini-movies or guest spots. She never fully recovered from son Ricky's death in a plane crash in 1985. She was the doting grandmother of actress Tracy Nelson and of twin rockers Matthew Nelson and Gunnar Nelson, who were simply called "Nelson." A heavy smoker most of her life, she never smoked in public, feeling it did not befit her "perfect mom" image. She died of emphysema and congestive heart failure in 1994.

Movies for Harriet Nelson...

Title: Father Dowling Mysteries
Released: January 20, 1989
Type: TV
Father Dowling Mysteries is an American television mystery series that aired from January 20, 1989 to May 2, 1991. Prior to the series, a TV movie aired on November 30, 1987. For its first season, the show was on NBC; it moved to ABC for its last two seasons. It is based on the adventures of the title character created by Ralph McInerny, in a series of mystery novels. The series was produced by The Fred Siverman Company and Dean Hargrove Productions in association with Viacom Productions.
bee
High School U.S.A.
Title: High School U.S.A.
Character: Mrs. Crosley
Released: May 26, 1984
Type: Movie
bee
The Kid with the 200 I.Q.
Title: The Kid with the 200 I.Q.
Character: Prof. Conklin
Released: February 6, 1983
Type: Movie
A 13-year-old genius goes to college and tries to cope not only with campus social life, but also with his professor.
bee
The First Time
Title: The First Time
Character: Charlotte
Released: November 8, 1982
Type: Movie
An emotionally troubled teenage girl drops out of high school and travels with her boyfriend to San Diego, while the girl's mother enlists the help of an old U.S. Navy friend to help find her daughter.
bee
Title: Aloha Paradise
Released: February 25, 1981
Type: TV
Aloha Paradise is an American comedy series that aired on ABC on Wednesday night from February 25, 1981 to April 22, 1981. Aloha Paradise follows Sydney Chase, general manager of the Kona village resort in Hawaii where people meet and fall in love under the swaying palm trees and omnipresent sun. There's an assortment of assistants to direct traffic and play cupid— Sydney's bumbling file clerk Curtis, her perky social director Fran, he-guy lifeguard Richard and economy-sized bartender Evelyn. Aloha Paradise was executive produced by Douglas S. Cramer and Aaron Spelling, the same team that produced The Love Boat which the series bore a resemblance to.
bee
A Christmas for Boomer
Title: A Christmas for Boomer
Character: Grandmother Sinclair
Released: December 6, 1979
Type: Movie
A sacked maid and butler kidnap a pampered dog and want $20,000 ransom from the rich owner, Lila Manchester. A shaggy dog named Boomer helps save it and becomes a member of the family who originally found him.
bee
Death Car on the Freeway
Title: Death Car on the Freeway
Character: Mrs. Sheel
Released: September 24, 1979
Type: Movie
A determined TV reporter is out to find a maniac who is methodically attacking lone women drivers on the Los Angeles Freeway by pushing them off the road with his powerful van.
bee
Title: The Love Boat
Character: Henrietta McDonald
Released: September 24, 1977
Type: TV
Passengers who search for romantic nights aboard a beautiful ship travelling to tropical or mysterious countries, decide to pass their vacation aboard the "Love Boat", where Gopher, Dr. Bricker, Isaac, Julie, and Captain Stubing try their best to please them, and sometimes help them fall in love. Things are not always so easy, but in the end, love wins.
bee
Smash-Up on Interstate 5
Title: Smash-Up on Interstate 5
Character: June Pearson
Released: February 2, 1976
Type: Movie
In this made-for-TV disaster movie, the lives of a group of motorists are chronicled retrospectively after they're involved in a 39-car pile-up on California's Interstate 5 over 4th of July weekend.
bee
Title: Dinah!
Character: Self
Released: October 21, 1974
Type: TV
Dinah's show premiered 9 September 1974 and continued through to 4 September 1981. She started out the 70's with Dinah's Place which usually featured one guest and was more of a home oriented show about cooking, crafts and occasionally music. This format lasted until May of 1974. When the show came back in October of 1974 the format had changed drastically to a variety talk show which was called Dinah. and went on until 1981. This show was also known as "Dinah and Friends" during the summer of 1976.
bee
Title: Happy Days
Released: January 15, 1974
Type: TV
In 1950s Milwaukee the Cunningham family must contend with Fonzie, a motorcycle riding Casanova.
bee
Title: Ozzie's Girls
Released: September 15, 1973
Type: TV
Ozzie's Girls is an American sitcom spin-off of The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, which was broadcast in first-run syndication, first, the pilot, as a "special" presentation on September 10, 1972, and later, as a weekly series during the 1973-74 season. It picked up seven years after The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet had gone off the air.
bee
Title: Night Gallery
Character: Helena Millikan (segment "You Can Come Up Now, Mrs. Millikan")
Released: December 16, 1970
Type: TV
Rod Serling narrates an anthology of fantasy, horror and sci-fi stories from a set resembling a macabre museum. A chilling work of art serves as the connective link between the stories.
bee
Title: Love, American Style
Character: Mrs. Garber
Released: September 29, 1969
Type: TV
An anthology comedy series featuring a line up of different celebrity guest stars appearing in anywhere from one, two, three, and four short stories or vignettes within an hour about versions of love and romance.
bee
Title: The Barbara McNair Show
Character: Self
Released: September 13, 1969
Type: TV
bee
The Movie Orgy
Title: The Movie Orgy
Character: Self (archive footage)
Released: January 1, 1968
Type: Movie
Clips from assorted television programs, B-movies, commercials, music performances, newsreels, bloopers, satirical short films and promotional and government films of the 1950s and 1960s are intercut together to tell a single story of various creatures and societal ills attacking American cities.
bee
Title: The Merv Griffin Show
Character: Self
Released: October 1, 1962
Type: TV
The Merv Griffin Show is an American television talk show, starring Merv Griffin. The series ran from October 1, 1962 to March 29, 1963 on NBC, September 20, 1965 to August 15, 1969 in first-run syndication, from August 18, 1969 to February 11, 1972 at 11:30 PM ET weeknights on CBS and again in first-run syndication from February 14, 1972 to September 5, 1986.
bee
Title: The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Character: Self
Released: October 1, 1962
Type: TV
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson is a talk show hosted by Johnny Carson under The Tonight Show franchise from 1962 to 1992. It originally aired during late-night. For its first ten years, Carson's Tonight Show was based in New York City with occasional trips to Burbank, California; in May 1972, the show moved permanently to Burbank, California. In 2002, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson was ranked #12 on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time.
bee
Disneyland '59
Title: Disneyland '59
Character: Self
Released: June 15, 1959
Type: Movie
Walt Disney and Art Linkletter co-host a live celebration of Disneyland's 1959 expansion that consisted of the debuts of Matterhorn Bobsleds, the Disneyland-Alweg Monorail, and the Submarine Voyage, a project so massive that it was called "The Second Opening of Disneyland". Highlights include a mammoth, star-studded parade and the official launching of the Disneyland submarines by U.S. Navy officers. Among the guests are then-Vice-President Richard Nixon and family, Clint Eastwood, and Meredith Willson, who leads the Disneyland band in his own "76 Trombones." Sponsored by Kodak, the commercial spokespersons include Ozzie and Harriet Nelson.
bee
Title: The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet
Character: Harriet
Released: October 3, 1952
Type: TV
The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet is an American sitcom, airing on ABC from October 3, 1952 through March 26, 1966, starring the real life Nelson family. After a long run on radio, the show was brought to television where it continued its success, running on both radio and television for a few years. The series stars Ozzie Nelson and his wife, singer Harriet Nelson, and their young sons, David and Eric "Ricky" Nelson. Don DeFore had a recurring role as the Nelsons' friendly neighbor "Thorny".
bee
Title: This Is Your Life
Character: Self
Released: October 1, 1952
Type: TV
This Is Your Life is an American television documentary series broadcast on NBC, originally hosted by its producer, Ralph Edwards from 1952 to 1961. In the show, the host surprises a guest, and proceeds to take them through their life in front of an audience, including special guest appearances by colleagues, friends and family. Edwards revived the show in 1971-72, while Joseph Campanella hosted a version in 1983. Edwards returned for some specials in the late 1980s, before his death in 2005. The show originated as a radio show on NBC Radio airing from 1948 to 1952.
bee
Here Come the Nelsons
Title: Here Come the Nelsons
Character: Harriet Nelson
Released: February 23, 1952
Type: Movie
The homespun Nelson family must deal with various comical situations, including an encounter with gangsters.
bee
Title: What's My Line?
Character: Self - Mystery Guest
Released: February 2, 1950
Type: TV
Four panelists must determine guests' occupations - and, in the case of famous guests, while blindfolded, their identity - by asking only "yes" or "no" questions.
bee
Take It Big
Title: Take It Big
Character: Jerry Clinton
Released: June 9, 1944
Type: Movie
Jack Haley plays Jack North, the nether end of a vaudeville horse act who inherits a western ranch. When he heads to the Great Outdoors to take possession, Jack winds up at the wrong place: a swanky dude ranch. He immediately begins running things, at it's quite a while before his error is discovered. By the time he shows up at his own ranch, he's up to his ears in unpaid debts-which naturally requires a fund-raising musical show as a bail-out. Harriet Hilliard handles the romantic portion of the proceedings, occasionally dueting with her real-life husband, bandleader Ozzie Nelson.
bee
Hi, Good Lookin'!
Title: Hi, Good Lookin'!
Character: Kelly Clark
Released: March 22, 1944
Type: Movie
An usher at a radio station studio pretends to be an executive at the station in order to help a pretty girl become a singer.
bee
Swingtime Johnny
Title: Swingtime Johnny
Character: Linda
Released: February 4, 1944
Type: Movie
The Andrews Sisters take a hiatus from show business to aid the war effort. They take on jobs at a pipe-organ plant now making artillery shells. But they still find time for plenty of singing and dancing.
bee
Honeymoon Lodge
Title: Honeymoon Lodge
Character: Lorraine Logan aka Jenny Hockadayl
Released: July 23, 1943
Type: Movie
Honeymoon Lodge is a musical variation on the old Awful Truth plotline. Divorce-bound Bob and Carol Sterling (David Bruce, June Vincent) make a last-ditch attempt to avoid their legal breakup by restaging their mountain-resort honeymoon. Things get complicated when a rancher named Big Boy (Rod Cameron, in a Ralph Bellamy-style "sap" role) shows up at the resort in ardent pursuit of Carol, while Lorraine Logan (Harriet Hilliard) sets her cap for Bob.
bee
Gals, Incorporated
Title: Gals, Incorporated
Character: Gwen Phillips (as Harriet Hilliard)
Released: July 9, 1943
Type: Movie
The story of a nightclub.
bee
The Falcon Strikes Back
Title: The Falcon Strikes Back
Character: Gwynne Gregory (as Harriet Hilliard)
Released: April 1, 1943
Type: Movie
The Falcon is framed for the murder of a banker and the theft of war bonds. He makes his escape into the mountains where he hides out in a rustic lodge. From here he uncovers a phony war bond operation.
bee
Ozzie Nelson and His Orchestra
Title: Ozzie Nelson and His Orchestra
Released: March 27, 1943
Type: Movie
Ozzie Nelson leads his orchestra in two standard numbers, and Ozzie performs two novelty songs.
bee
Hi, Buddy
Title: Hi, Buddy
Character: Gloria Bradley
Released: February 26, 1943
Type: Movie
Dick Foran and Harriet Hilliard (aka Harriet Nelson) top the cast of the Universal musical quickie Hi, Buddy. Foran plays GI Dave O'Connor, who comes to the rescue when a boy's club is threatened with foreclosure. Upon learning that the money targetted for the club has been appropriated by a crooked manager, O'Connor calls upon his army buddies to stage a big, fundraising show.
bee
Juke Box Jenny
Title: Juke Box Jenny
Character: Genevieve Horton
Released: March 27, 1942
Type: Movie
Swing and jitterbug.
bee
Confessions of Boston Blackie
Title: Confessions of Boston Blackie
Character: Diane Parrish
Released: December 8, 1941
Type: Movie
A murder is committed during the auction of a valuable statue. The prime suspect is Boston Blackie, whose reputation for living on the edge of the law makes him an easy target for the police. When the body disappears, Blackie must find it to prove his innocence.
bee
Sweetheart of the Campus
Title: Sweetheart of the Campus
Character: Harriet Hale
Released: June 26, 1941
Type: Movie
Ruby Keeler teams with the Nelsons (of TV and radio fame) as the singer in Ozzie's band. The setting is a college campus which is suffering from monetary woes, but somehow Ozzie's band manages to attract enough attention to increase the enrollment and keep the school from having to shut down.
bee
Cocoanut Grove
Title: Cocoanut Grove
Character: Linda Rogers
Released: May 20, 1938
Type: Movie
Band tries to get an audition for a job at a prestigious nightclub.
bee
The Life of the Party
Title: The Life of the Party
Character: Mitzi Martos
Released: September 3, 1937
Type: Movie
A singer finds another heir (Gene Raymond) to marry, to avoid the one (Joe Penner) her mother found.
bee
New Faces of 1937
Title: New Faces of 1937
Character: Patricia
Released: July 2, 1937
Type: Movie
A crooked producer makes money from Broadway flops by selling more than 100% interest to multiple parties. He only fails if it makes a profit.
bee
Follow the Fleet
Title: Follow the Fleet
Character: Connie Martin
Released: February 20, 1936
Type: Movie
When the fleet puts in at San Francisco, sailor Bake Baker tries to rekindle the flame with his old dancing partner, Sherry Martin, while Bake's buddy Bilge Smith romances Sherry's sister, Connie. But it's not all smooth sailing—Bake has a habit of losing Sherry's jobs for her and, despite Connie's dreams, Bilge is not ready to settle down.
bee
Harem Scarem
Title: Harem Scarem
Released: April 10, 1932
Type: Movie
A Albert Ray directed comedy short starring Al St. John & Aileen Cook where Al tries to fix his inferiority complex by visiting a fortune teller.