Day at Night: Ozzie Nelson, TV actor-producer

[@richardsisk1770]

I met Ozzie and Harriet about 1968. Ozzie was just like he appeared on his show. He was very outgoing and friendly. He had been a successful band leader and was instrumental in producing and promoting Ricks early career. Harriet was relatively quiet but lovely and elegant. It was a great privilege to meet them. Its hard to know they are all gone now. Wonderful people.

[@daisycassidy2448]

I don't know what I would have done without growing up with the Nelsons. I loved Ricky's music and still do, and I am 73. They were a nice, all around good family with high morals and principles.

[@bobstuckrath1805]

Ozzie didn't have a job. But, I loved it too. It was just a TV show. A little make believe never hurt anyway.

[@valdudfield7007]

What a great man he was, you can see that his family inherited his values 😁❤️

[@davidldavis5206]

A great and talented man with a very open honesty about his life; how he wrote and directed his show with his wife and sons; we won't see the likes of him anymore.

[@margierogers1815]

Thank you ! This was a wonderful interview. He was an intelligent man

[@timshull59]

Great interview what a class act, RIP all the Nelsons.

[@danniellephilion8594]

He is so gentle and really wise. I feel like I cant hear enough.

[@zxccxz164]

It is why I am transfixed when he just mumbles slowly o his show. You feel like u r in the room

[@karenleemallonee684]

I watch all the clips I can find of Ozzie and Harriet giving interviews. What lovely people! ❤️

[@cynthiaennis3107]

Thanks for this interview showing us he was pretty much that kind & genuine man we watched! I loved hearing about him in his younger days & it‘s all very interesting to me! And I can’t help but love the person he was.

[@musicom67]

Like Desi and Lucy - and Jackie Gleason, Ozzie OWNED and DID EVERYTHING. The show, the producer, the director, actor, the head writer, the copyright holder, the production company, the syndicator etc. etc. etc.

[@njpete987]

He really could look into the future as far as future revenue via reruns. I wonder if his estate still gets revenue from reruns.

[@pbrooks9]

I enjoyed this interview very much. A huge fan of the show, I still listen to the old radio shows of The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet and also the tv shows. Thanks so much for sharing!

[@moontheloon5]

Always been a fan of the show..even a bigger admirer of Ozzie after seeing the interview..such a genuinely, nice man-and very wise. RIP Ozzie.

[@darrylcpreston4043]

+moontheloon5 Very much a man of his time; charming, unassuming, articulate, but also in control. It's impossible not to like him, but his supposed in control methodology has been blamed for at least some of the problems that afflicted various members of his extended family. Where do you draw the line as a father? After almost 50 years, I have no clue.

[@iloveallhishallmarkmovies3913]

I’m now watching The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriett and LOVING every minute of it! ❤️❤️ LOVE this interview with Ozzie. Such a charming man.

[@susanpeters3341]

Thank you, for this interview! I also grew up watching Ozzie and Harriet, and just loved it!! xo

[@zyxmyk]

i saw an interview with a child actor who was on the show and he said Ozzie really was an ice cream junkie. He took the boy in at the end of the day and they watched the rushes while eating ice cream. what great folks these guys were.

[@emmacarmody9270]

That might have been Barry Livingston who played Ernie on My Three Sons. He worked with Ozzie earlier

[@karenleemallonee684]

I always thought that someone in the family should trademark the name Tooti Fruit, create & sell the ice cream...I would definitely buy some!!! 💜

[@MichaelSmith-990]

​@@karenleemallonee684I was thinking the same thing. I'd definitely be on a hunt for tootie fruity

[@UnclePaulsBeatlesPopPlayhouse]

To Ozzie in 2022, I'm 59, have lived very near Ridgefield park, it is still legally known as a village. They preserve their history, don't knock down the older homes. Your childhood home still stands on Teaneck road and your brother attended the dedication ceremony in the 1990s of Ozzie Nelson drive which still is near the high school. Your legacy survives with your never met grandson Sam Nelson currently restoring every episode of your beloved creation.

[@karenleemallonee684]

This brings such tears to my eyes, how wonderful to know all that remains and is honored. Thank you, Sam, for your hard work, someday I would love to purchase your remastered Ozzie & Harriet Collection! 🩷

[@UnclePaulsBeatlesPopPlayhouse]

@Karenlee Mallonee how sweet karenlee. I know Sam Nelson personally, my interview appears here on KZbin under paul donor interview ozzie and harriet. Seasons 11 and 12 are coming out shortly. Very nice comment.

[@karenleemallonee684]

@@UnclePaulsBeatlesPopPlayhouse I will definitely look for your interview, it's always nice to discover something "new to you", from the past! 🤗

[@UnclePaulsBeatlesPopPlayhouse]

@Karenlee Mallonee thank you karenlee, I'm a native of neighboring Ridgefield. The day I spent with Sam showing him his grandfather's original home, etc was a treasured experience. We still keep in touch via email. Thank you

[@karenleemallonee684]

@@UnclePaulsBeatlesPopPlayhouse It really warms my heart that he took the time to see & learn about his Grandfather's young life. I'm happy to know he had such a nice, caring person to show him around. It's also nice to know he stays in contact with you, that's very special!

[@douglasthompson9482]

I love Ozzie and Harriet....really enjoyed the interview. Definitely a lost era.

[@zxccxz164]

So genuine!

[@nascarhyde]

Great video, thanks for sharing! I'm a big fan of the Ozzie and Harriet TV show.

[@ArcherOO78]

Rip in peace 🙏 awesome times ..

[@Hevynly1]

What a class act. He seemed like an excellent man.

[@johnfox9169]

There is a quiet , intelligent way about this wonderful man I truly respect 🙏.

[@rickpaton7538]

What a remarkable perspective from someone who was the image of the stereotypical 50s middle class white gilded family. A very well and fairly reasoned man.

[@marko723]

Sad to know that this was taped June 6, 1974 and his funeral was June 6, 1975. One year later... : (

[@pbrooks9]

+marko723 Sad to hear this as well. I didn't know that.

[@susanpeters3341]

marko723 I didn’t know this. Thank you.

[@gerrydooley951]

yes, colon cancer

[@zxccxz164]

Such a wonderful thoughtful man. 😊

[@davidkushing2769]

Thank you for sharing this!

[@jackzaccardi1896]

Ozzie was a brilliant man. Great musician. No wonder Rick was great.

[@jeffw1267]

Ozzie was pretty youthful-looking: he was in his late 60s here.

[@dunlap4info]

jeffw1267 unfortunately he only lived about a year after this. Struck down by cancer. 😞

[@karenleemallonee684]

I believe he passed away in 1975...I believe.

[@normadurr818]

Very wise and very articulate.

[@donnsunderland2684]

What a beautiful nostalgic walk down memory lane. Back to a more civilized time where manners and behavior were front and center. Where anyone older than you was addressed only as Mr. or Mrs. Now coarsened and vulgarized by today's pop culture. The world could use more John Wooden's Vin Scully's Lawrence Welk's and Ozzie Nelson's.

[@MrMenefrego1]

Amen, Don.. well said.

[@zxccxz164]

Well said. No preaching like today's agenda driven drivel

[@marthadoody]

I remember "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet" when I was little, but not very well. Back when the Disney Channel was still good, they brought the program back in the mid-1980s at 12:30 p.m. I couldn't wait to watch it. I still enjoy the program immensely. I then became a Ricky Nelson addict and was obsessed with his early music. Ozzie was a genius in my book. He acts in this interview exactly like I expected. What a wonderful person with high standards. Sad to know they're all gone now. Thank goodness we can still watch the show. Thanks, Ozzie, for what you did. You were a part of so many American's lives. I surely wish we had these standards today for TV shows.

[@elizabethharrison7306]

Ozzie & Harriet Ricky Nelson's Love my favorite one fan BIG 💖💖💖💖💖💖🎶

[@mcfrdmn]

Very interesting & informative video !

[@StevenTorrey]

Interesting what he says almost at the outset that this TV family was viewed as an ideal family and that teenagers from dysfunctional families (abusive/drunk) would want to be adopted by them. I have often thought that is true of so many TV families that seem so perfect.

[@gerrydooley951]

yes and both Dave and Rick ended up divorced and Rick was a womanizer and a pothead. Rick also didn't make it through high school. It was said that as an adult Rick didn't even know how to write a check. That being said I really enjoyed the show

[@Buzz1151]

great interview

[@Eve_Y]

I love Ozzie so much, and I really enjoyed this interview.

[@lynn9176]

My favorite episodes ~ when Ozzie and Thorney were up to something.

[@karenleemallonee684]

😆

[@jmpreynolds]

A treasure!

[@gerrydooley951]

All interviewers should watch James Day conduct an interview: this is how you do it, as opposed to say Charlie Rose who just wants to show how much he knows. Very few people know how to get the best from a subject

[@frankdenardo8684]

Aired before he passed away in 1975

[@vincentrezende7690]

Ahhh...... Loved Ozzie! Btw, Did he ever get a job? Haha! Seriously, a great show!!! 💜

[@denieledwards6893]

ONCE UPON A TIME .....

[@larryroberts4071]

LOVED OZZIE AS THE FATHER, SOMETHING AS I GREW OLDER I LOOKED UP TO WITH ALL PATIENCE, HUMOR, UNDERSTANDING AND GUIDANCE.

[@11UncleBooker22]

I looked this show up and this interview isn't on the list of interviews. Weird

[@MariaLovesThis]

Wonderful interview ❤

[@larryshaver3568]

ozzie looked young for 66

[@SenorZorrozzz]

Larry Shaver to me he always looked pretty much the same. Strange for a guy who ate lots of ice cream.

[@willardarmbruster8111]

I think he was 68

[@rocknroller77]

He really did. Seemed to have a youthful way about him

[@ddburrows988]

I don’t know much about him, but, Ozzie seems to not have been a carbon copy of the stereotypical straight-laced Conservative - he was an avowed atheist, he enjoyed rock ‘n roll (he got heat for featuring it on his show), and he could appreciate the positive aspects to the hippy-movement. Refreshing. Also, unlike shows like Leave it to Beaver, etc. references to alcohol use and sexual predilections, although mild, were not verboten. Amazingly enough, Father Knows Best, uncharacteristically, produced a couple of pretty subversive episodes regarding women’s issues, in its early days.

[@almacardiff5746]

Yes atheism is so refreshing. No wonder the world is going to hell.

[@karenleemallonee684]

Who said Ozzie was an Atheist?

[@ddburrows988]

@@karenleemallonee684 I've read several accounts of it over the years. I didn't know him, personally, so I really can't say, but that's what I read, that he was a tee-totaler and an atheist, and he got a lot of blowback for letting Ricky play rock-and-roll so publicly.

[@karenleemallonee684]

@@ddburrows988 I was just so surprised by what I read here, truly mind blowing to me. It doesn't change how I feel about Ozzie or the family, I don't think. I just thought (my own opinion) that they were a God loving family. You could have knocked me over with a feather last night...I'm still stunned. Ozzie was Ozzie, & I still love & respect the man, even if we would have had a difference of options. Thank you, DD Burrows for your information and in your kindness to write back, it's much appreciated!

[@bombocropper5142]

It's unusual for an atheist to celebrate Christmas and Ozzie dearly loved Christmas, Harriet was raised Catholic.

[@senorkaboom]

Well, we finally have a clue as to what Ozzie did for a living, he had a band. Obviously on the show that aspect was downplayed, a LOT!!!

[@zxccxz164]

Haha finally we know 😊😊😊😊😊😊

[@TexasMan77]

He stunned many in his autobiography by admitting he was a lifelong atheist.

[@karenleemallonee684]

OMGoodness, I didn't know this about Ozzie. 💔

[@danmeredith6354]

I loved the show, still watching re-runs.The only thing I never understood was did Ozzie EVER have a go to job?I never got over his ALWAYS wearing sport coats and ties! And lastly, why the older sons wearing sweaters and ties.Did neighbor "Thorny" ever have a job????

[@zxccxz164]

According to this interview a band leader !!😁

[@drbonesshow1]

Ozzie had more adventures than Harriet.

[@cynthiaennis3107]

I wish I had been born when there were more ballrooms! For a while they became popular here on the East coast. I have one old Arthur Murray studio down the street from me, but now it’s only open 3 days a week. I was surely born in the wrong era.

[@January.]

*East Coast

[@SenorZorrozzz]

Yes. Not a true pattern. They wrote comedy. They weren't the simple perfect family. Ozzie the character often had bad ideas which launched the plots. He bumbled into problems. Harriet was always coming out with dry snappy comebacks. Rick flew by the seat of his pants. David was simple, straight forward, conservative. These weren't the classic, square, nuclear family (which is how they are remembered). By the way, most shows weren't like all other sitcoms which ran for 25 mins with one idea; one theme per show. Ozzie and Harriet often had several threads per story line running per show. It must have been harder to write but it often made for a packed, fast moving show. It was funnier too because the viewer would forget about something that was going on so the comedic punch later on would blind side them thus making it surprising.

[@NitaHair]

As a matter of fact, I liked how Ozzie keep giving such ideas to his sons and when things don't work, he told his sons to go on ask momma. I would laughed hard on Ozzie. Such a great entertainer.

[@theseventhsojourner1413]

I wish he had used film instead of video - as Desilu had done.

[@DavidCarroll-t5g]

Ozzie was an eagle scout at 13? That is pretty amazing, to be so young. Scouting was a big deal - as he pointed out - in many smaller American towns and continued to be very influential throughout the 1960s and 70s.

[@MrJoeybabe25]

Ozzie probably liked Chicago.

[@mr.3camerasman59]

Joe Postove Yes. Also Earth, Wind & Fire.

[@elizabethharrison7306]

I Love Lucy my favorite one fan BIG season DVD 📀 Dolls New York Jamestown Lucy Desi Museum Love my favorite one fan BIG 💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖🎶🗽

[@willardarmbruster8111]

Funniest sitcom actor ever

[@swannoir]

What a charming man.

[@douglasthompson9482]

A bygone era….great memories.

[@jerryhatley5004]

Yes Ozzie...integrity has always been around. Unfortunately congress (note small “c”) thinks they are the only ones who can dictate THEIR integrity (socialism/death of the constitution/treating all who doesn’t lock in to their ideology like crap) upon the rest of the country. Says some terrible stuff about congress but even worse stuff about those who elected them! I wonder what Ozzie’s observations about today would be?

[@zxccxz164]

In 2021 your comments ring even truer

[@jerryhatley5004]

@@zxccxz164 yes, and it’s getting worse…..shalom

[@susandonb58]

He never seemed to age.

[@kristinlambert8811]

This was made 1 year before Ozzie Nelson passed away

[@larryshaver3568]

I know that music toots theilmann

[@elizabethpiveronus3359]

But...What is wrong with a model to look up to.What is wrong with morals

[@January.]

He ruined his beautiful hair.

[@gerrydooley951]

it looks exactly the same

[@CaptainSpalding72]

He was known to be a real bastard

[@gerrydooley951]

just the opposite really