Ozzie Nelson

Biography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Oswald George "Ozzie" Nelson (March 20, 1906 – June 3, 1975) was an American band leader, actor, director, and producer. He originated and starred in The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, a radio and long-running television series with his wife Harriet and two sons David and Ricky Nelson. Nelson started his entertainment career as a band leader. He formed and led "The Ozzie Nelson Band," and had some initial limited success. Nelson's records were consistently popular, and in 1934, Nelson enjoyed success with his hit song, "Over Somebody Else's Shoulder," which he introduced. Nelson was their primary vocalist and, from August of 1932, he featured in duets with his other star vocalist, Harriet Hilliard. Nelson's calm, easy vocal style was popular on records and radio and quite similar to son Rick's voice, and Harriet's perky vocals added to the band's popularity. Ozzie Nelson appeared with his band in feature films and short subjects of the 1940s, and often played speaking parts, displaying a tongue-in-cheek sense of humor, as in the 1942 musical Strictly in the Groove. He shrewdly promoted the band by agreeing to appear in "soundies," three-minute musical movies shown in "film jukeboxes" of the 1940s. In 1952, when he and his family were established as radio and TV favorites, they starred in a feature film, Here Come the Nelsons, which actually doubled as a "pilot" for the TV series.

Known For

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

Adam-12

Love, American Style

The Merv Griffin Show

Night Gallery

What's My Line?

All Movies (14)

The Impossible Years1968 · as Dr. Herbert J. Fleischer
The Movie Orgy1968 · as Self (archive footage)
Disneyland '591959 · as Self
Here Come the Nelsons1952 · as Ozzie Nelson
People Are Funny1946 · as Leroy Brinker
Take It Big1944 · as Ozzie Nelson
Wave-a-Stick Blues1944 · as Ozzie Nelson
Hi, Good Lookin'!1944 · as Ozzie Nelson - Orchestra Leader
Honeymoon Lodge1943 · as Ozzie Nelson - Band Leader
Ozzie Nelson and His Orchestra1943
Strictly in the Groove1942 · as Ozzie Nelson
The Big Street1942 · as Orchestra Leader
Sweetheart of the Campus1941 · as Ozzie Norton
Ozzie Nelson & His Orchestra1940 · as Ozzie Nelson

All TV Shows (13)

Ozzie's Girls1973
Night Gallery1970 · as Henry Millikan (segment "You Can Come Up Now, Mrs. Millikan")
Love, American Style1969 · as Fred Garber
Love, American Style1969 · as Reverend Harry Pickard
Love, American Style1969
The Barbara McNair Show1969 · as Self
Adam-121968 · as Ted Clover
The Mothers-in-Law1967 · as Owen Sinclair / Ozzie Snick
The Merv Griffin Show1962 · as Self
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson1962 · as Self
The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet1952 · as Ozzie
This Is Your Life1952 · as Self
What's My Line?1950 · as Self