Ozzie Nelson
March 20, 1906 – June 3, 1975
Ozzie Nelson was a popular radio and television personality and band leader. By the early ’30s, Nelson was fronting his Ozzie Nelson Band who had a hits with “Over Somebody Else’s Shoulder” and “It’s Gonna Be You.” In 1935, Nelson married the band’s singer, Harriet Hilliard and together they had two sons, David and Ricky Nelson, who went on to have successful music career himself. In the mid-’40s, Nelson created a radio program, The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriett, and when he moved it over to television in 1952, David and Ricky took over the roles that had been previously played by actors on radio. Throughout the show’s run, Nelson helped groom Ricky’s music career by having the budding heart-throb perform his early rock n’ roll songs on the air. Ozzie Nelson died of liver failure on June 3, 1975.
What You Should Own
We never missed an episode of The Adventures….
Decent, disciplined band too… had a few records in Mom’s collection.
I like these posted pictures showing the YOUNG Ozzie and that powerful family resemblance that carried over to Ricky and then to his daughter Tracy. Up to now, I’d always thought ol’ Ozzie was a close relative of Rudy Vallee!
Nobody looked like Harriet….