Harriet Nelson, a renowned actress, secured her place alongside Barbara Billingsley and Jane Wyatt in the "TV's Golden Age Mom Hall of Fame" for her iconic portrayal of the quintessential 1950s nuclear family mother. For fourteen years, she, her husband Ozzie Nelson, and their two sons, David Nelson and Ricky Nelson, embodied the ideal family unit on television.
Born on July 18, 1909, in Des Moines, Iowa, Harriet was practically born into the entertainment industry. She made her debut at just six weeks old, performing alongside her parents. The mid-West beauty attended St. Agnes Academy in her early years and later became a vaudeville performer, attracting the attention of saxophonist Ozzie Nelson and joining his orchestra as a vocalist in 1932. They married three years later.
Harriet's bold and sassy personality proved to be the perfect counterpoint to Ozzie's genial and stumbling personality in their off-the-cuff routines. During the 1940s, 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 transitioned to leading lady status in a number of musicals, including "Follow the Fleet" (1936) alongside Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.
Once Harriet partnered with Ozzie in their own radio series "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet" in 1944, her career became inextricably linked with his. They extended their devoted radio audience to television, with "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet" (1952-1966) featuring both their sons. David followed in his father's footsteps as director/producer, while Ricky became a teen pop idol with hits like "Hello, Mary Lou" and "Travelin' Man," which were introduced on the show.
Following the show's long run, Ozzie and Harriet retired to Laguna Beach, California, and occasionally toured on stage. A second series, "Ozzie's Girls" (1973),lasted only one season. After Ozzie's death in 1975, Harriet turned reclusive, making only a few mini-movies or guest appearances. She never fully recovered from the loss of her son Ricky, who died in a plane crash in 1985.
