CineScope
Harriet Nelson picture

Harriet Nelson

Acting
Known For

85 Years Old

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.

Born

Des Moines, Iowa, USA on 18th July 1909

Died

2nd October 1994

All Credits

The Love Boat Image
The Love Boat
Henrietta McDonald
Love, American Style Image
Love, American Style
Love, American Style Image
Love, American Style
Martha Pickard
Love, American Style Image
Love, American Style
Mrs. Garber
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson Image
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self
The Merv Griffin Show Image
The Merv Griffin Show
Self
The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet Image
The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet
Harriet
Happy Days Image
Happy Days
This Is Your Life Image
This Is Your Life
Self
Fantasy Island Image
Fantasy Island
Winnie McLaine
No Image
The Barbara McNair Show
Self
What's My Line? Image
What's My Line?
Self - Mystery Guest
Dinah! Image
Dinah!
Self
Night Gallery Image
Night Gallery
Helena Millikan (segment "You Can Come Up Now, Mrs. Millikan")
No Image
Ozzie's Girls
Once an Eagle Image
Once an Eagle
Harriet Nelson
Father Dowling Mysteries Image
Father Dowling Mysteries
Aloha Paradise Image
Aloha Paradise
The Movie Orgy Image
The Movie Orgy
Self (archive footage)
Smash-Up on Interstate 5 Image
Smash-Up on Interstate 5
June Pearson
Follow the Fleet Image
Follow the Fleet
Connie Martin
Death Car on the Freeway Image
Death Car on the Freeway
Mrs. Sheel
The Falcon Strikes Back Image
The Falcon Strikes Back
Gwynne Gregory (as Harriet Hilliard)
Disneyland '59 Image
Disneyland '59
Self
Take It Big Image
Take It Big
Jerry Clinton
No Image
High School U.S.A.
Mrs. Crosley
Honeymoon Lodge Image
Honeymoon Lodge
Lorraine Logan aka Jenny Hockadayl
The First Time Image
The First Time
Charlotte
Here Come the Nelsons Image
Here Come the Nelsons
Harriet Nelson
New Faces of 1937 Image
New Faces of 1937
Patricia
The Kid with the 200 I.Q. Image
The Kid with the 200 I.Q.
Prof. Conklin
The Life of the Party Image
The Life of the Party
Mitzi Martos
Canal Zone Image
Canal Zone
Susan Merrill
Cocoanut Grove Image
Cocoanut Grove
Linda Rogers
Confessions of Boston Blackie Image
Confessions of Boston Blackie
Diane Parrish
No Image
A Christmas for Boomer
Grandmother Sinclair
Hi, Buddy Image
Hi, Buddy
Gloria Bradley
Sweetheart of the Campus Image
Sweetheart of the Campus
Harriet Hale
No Image
Swingtime Johnny
Linda
Juke Box Jenny Image
Juke Box Jenny
Genevieve Horton
Hi, Good Lookin'! Image
Hi, Good Lookin'!
Kelly Clark
No Image
Ozzie Nelson and His Orchestra
No Image
Harem Scarem
Gals, Incorporated Image
Gals, Incorporated
Gwen Phillips (as Harriet Hilliard)
No Image
The Campus Mystery
Wanda Perry