Harriet Nelson

Harriet Nelson

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.

  • Title: Harriet Nelson
  • Popularity: 2.507
  • Known For: Acting
  • Birthday: 1909-07-18
  • Place of Birth: Des Moines, Iowa, USA
  • Homepage:
  • Also Known As: Peggy Lou Snyder, Harriet Hilliard Nelson, Harriet Nelson
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Harriet Nelson Movies

  • 1968
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    The Movie Orgy

    The Movie Orgy

    6.2 1968 HD

    Clips from assorted television programs, B-movies, commercials, music performances, newsreels, bloopers, satirical short films and promotional and...

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  • 1936
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    Follow the Fleet

    Follow the Fleet

    6.8 1936 HD

    When the US Navy fleet docks at San Francisco, sailor Bake Baker tries to rekindle the flame with his old dancing partner, Sherry Martin, while...

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  • 1943
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    The Falcon Strikes Back

    The Falcon Strikes Back

    5.6 1943 HD

    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...

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  • 1941
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    Confessions of Boston Blackie

    Confessions of Boston Blackie

    6.1 1941 HD

    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...

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  • 1932
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    Harem Scarem

    Harem Scarem

    1 1932 HD

    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.

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  • 1979
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    A Christmas for Boomer

    A Christmas for Boomer

    1 1979 HD

    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...

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  • 1937
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    The Life of the Party

    The Life of the Party

    5.2 1937 HD

    A singer finds another heir (Gene Raymond) to marry, to avoid the one (Joe Penner) her mother found.

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  • 1952
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    Here Come the Nelsons

    Here Come the Nelsons

    6 1952 HD

    The homespun Nelson family must deal with various comical situations, including an encounter with gangsters.

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  • 1937
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    New Faces of 1937

    New Faces of 1937

    4 1937 HD

    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.

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  • 1938
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    Cocoanut Grove

    Cocoanut Grove

    1 1938 HD

    Band tries to get an audition for a job at a prestigious nightclub.

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  • 1979
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    Death Car on the Freeway

    Death Car on the Freeway

    5.313 1979 HD

    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...

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  • 1982
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    The First Time

    The First Time

    4 1982 HD

    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...

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  • 1941
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    Sweetheart of the Campus

    Sweetheart of the Campus

    5 1941 HD

    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...

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  • 1944
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    Hi, Good Lookin'!

    Hi, Good Lookin'!

    5.7 1944 HD

    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.

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  • 1983
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    The Kid with the 200 I.Q.

    The Kid with the 200 I.Q.

    5 1983 HD

    A 13-year-old genius goes to college and tries to cope not only with campus social life, but also with his professor.

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  • 1943
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    Hi, Buddy

    Hi, Buddy

    7 1943 HD

    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...

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  • 1944
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    Swingtime Johnny

    Swingtime Johnny

    9 1944 HD

    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...

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  • 1943
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    Honeymoon Lodge

    Honeymoon Lodge

    1 1943 HD

    Honeymoon Lodge is a musical variation on the old Awful Truth plotline. Divorce-bound Bob and Carol Sterling (David Bruce, June Vincent) make a...

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  • 1944
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    Take It Big

    Take It Big

    1 1944 HD

    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...

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  • 1942
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    Canal Zone

    Canal Zone

    5.5 1942 HD

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  • 1942
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    Juke Box Jenny

    Juke Box Jenny

    1 1942 HD

    Swing and jitterbug.

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  • 1943
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    Gals, Incorporated

    Gals, Incorporated

    1 1943 HD

    The story of a nightclub.

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  • 1976
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    Smash-Up on Interstate 5

    Smash-Up on Interstate 5

    5.4 1976 HD

    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...

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  • 1943
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    Ozzie Nelson and His Orchestra

    Ozzie Nelson and His Orchestra

    5.2 1943 HD

    Ozzie Nelson leads his orchestra in two standard numbers, and Ozzie performs two novelty songs.

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  • 1984
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    High School U.S.A.

    High School U.S.A.

    4.2 1984 HD

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  • 1959
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    Disneyland '59

    Disneyland '59

    6.5 1959 HD

    Walt Disney and Art Linkletter co-host a live celebration of Disneyland's 1959 expansion that consisted of the debuts of Matterhorn Bobsleds, the...

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  • 1989
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    Father Dowling Mysteries

    Father Dowling Mysteries

    7.1 1989 HD

    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...

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  • 1973
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    Ozzie's Girls

    Ozzie's Girls

    7 1973 HD

    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,...

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  • 1977
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    The Love Boat

    The Love Boat

    6.295 1977 HD

    Passengers who search for romantic nights aboard a beautiful ship travelling to tropical or mysterious countries, decide to pass their vacation...

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  • 1974
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    Happy Days

    Happy Days

    7.7 1974 HD

    In 1950s Milwaukee the Cunningham family must contend with Fonzie, a motorcycle riding Casanova.

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  • 1962
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    The Merv Griffin Show

    The Merv Griffin Show

    5.571 1962 HD

    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,...

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  • 1952
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    This Is Your Life

    This Is Your Life

    6.556 1952 HD

    This Is Your Life is an American television documentary series broadcast on NBC, originally hosted by its producer, Ralph Edwards from 1952 to 1961....

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  • 1981
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    Aloha Paradise

    Aloha Paradise

    5 1981 HD

    Aloha Paradise is an American comedy series that aired on ABC on Wednesday night from February 25, 1981 to April 22, 1981. Aloha...

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  • 1969
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    The Barbara McNair Show

    The Barbara McNair Show

    1 1969 HD

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  • 1970
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    Night Gallery

    Night Gallery

    7.83 1970 HD

    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...

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  • 1952
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    The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet

    The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet

    6.136 1952 HD

    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...

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  • 1974
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    Dinah!

    Dinah!

    6.5 1974 HD

    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...

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  • 1962
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    The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

    The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

    7.37 1962 HD

    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...

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  • 1969
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    Love, American Style

    Love, American Style

    5.8 1969 HD

    An anthology comedy series featuring a line up of different celebrity guest stars appearing in anywhere from one, two, three, and four short stories...

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  • 1950
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    What's My Line?

    What's My Line?

    6.7 1950 HD

    Four panelists must determine guests' occupations - and, in the case of famous guests, while blindfolded, their identity - by asking only "yes" or...

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  • 1976
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    Once an Eagle

    Once an Eagle

    6.8 1976 HD

    Once An Eagle is a 1976 nine-hour American television mini-series directed by Richard Michaels and E.W. Swackhamer. The picture was written by Peter...

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  • 1969
    imgS5 E62

    Love, American Style

    Love, American Style

    5.8 1969 HD

    An anthology comedy series featuring a line up of different celebrity guest stars appearing in anywhere from one, two, three, and four short stories...

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