The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet (1952–1966) User Reviews (24)

Kodak, American Gas Co., Quaker Oats, Coca-Cola, Colgate-Palmolive and The American Dairy Assoc. present A Chunk of Americana!

[redryan64 · 8/10 · 15 September 2007]

Silent Film Producer Henry "Pathe" Lehrman, when hearing some less than friendly words said about his L-KO Company's Comedy Shorts Series, he reportedly angrily shouted, "MY COMEDIES ARE NOT TO BE LAUGHED AT!"(Just one o' them stranger than fiction stories!) And so too, the status of this longevity-rich TV series is always not so flattering. The origin of this series as a Radio Program with the object of being a Family Show about a Show Biz Family's private/home life, seems to have been blunted and dulled just by the shear length of time that it lasted. Remember, real life Band Leader(and Law Degree Bearer,who never practiced Law)Ozzie Nelson married his Band's Female Singer Harriet Hilliard. This was somewhere around 1935 and the hereto-for Musical quickly became a "real" family with the birth of David(1936) and Rick(1940).

Well, all that traveling' an' one night stands are kinda hard on family life, but since they were now also in the moving' pitcher business, sticking' with the Movies,Radio Show and whatever musical 'Gigs' they got locally, was much better for them as a family.

Like other Show Biz folks, their show morphed from the musical to the family sitcom. Eventually Ozzie would be portrayed as 'going to the office' everyday. But, what was his business? It was insurance, I think! At first some juvenile actors portrayed the boys, but eventually the got to be themselves, so to speak.

So much of the series was preoccupied with family stuff, growing pains, "discovering" girls, music, the malt shop, high school, college, sports, the old "gang", the Fraternity(was it "I-Felta-Thie"?),the Holidays, Golf, Neighbors, etc., etc.,....

Well, that made the years pass and the 'Boys' were getting' on in years themselves. The Chronology sometimes got a little fouled up and sometimes an unusual occurrence would happen. For example: Dave's school buddy, Wally Plumpsted(Skip Young)evolved into Rick's school buddy, Wally Plumpsted. It happened gradually and incrementally so it was barely noticed.

Always in a state of flux, as is any series with such longevity(just check the cast changes that have occurred in LAW & ORDER or E.R.)the Nelsons were always willing to put the Family to work at "the Office". So, when the 'Boys' each took unto themselves a Woman to be his Wife, old Oz put them on. Both David's Wife,June Blair(Woo,woo,woo,woo!) and Rick's Mrs.Krisyin Harmon(again, Woo,woo,woo,woo!)came on as semi-regulars.

And some of the regulars in the Cast over the years were:Mary Jane Croft & Lyle Talbot(Clara & Joe Randolph), Don DeFore('Thorny'), Parley Baer(Darby)Frank Caddy(Doc)and others.

And as for Mr.Oswald George Nelson, what can we say? He had show business in his family background, including Circus Performers! And all he did was Create the Series, Write and contribute to Scripts,Produce,Play the Lead and play a little Saxophone on occasions. He is a most interesting fellow!

Much like Disneyland, we tend to view OZZIE & HARRIET as being unrealistic, too 'Apple Pie',too 'Middle American' and just a tad corny.

But, when viewed again after a hiatus of some years, you were to take a viewing of some of the episodes, your attitude would surely change for the better. How well these episodes stand-up as individual comedies!

Oh, excuse me I have to go to the Office, after a stop at the Malt Shoppe!

The Nelsons - an American institution

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 9 November 2016]

One of the big jokes about The Adventures Of Ozzie&Harriet was just what did Ozzie do for a living. I think that it was hoped that people would remember from radio and film that Ozzie was a bandleader and crooner coming up around the same time Bing Crosby did. Harriet was also a singer, but now a full time mom raising their two sons.

You have to view Ozzie&Harriet from a longer perspective. They were on radio for a dozen years before the TV series debuted in 1952. The births of David and Ricky were as much a part of our national folklore as Lucille Ball's most televised birth of little Ricky. And on radio it was known Ozzie was a musician.

It's not like there were any gags or routines on the show and Ozzie was not an idiot father being put down by his kids. Harriet certainly was an All American mom. I wish she had sung a little, she was a great singer in 30s and 40s. Just idealized family life in the Eisenhower years.

The show might have died had it not been discovered that Ricky Nelson inherited musical talent from his parents. He became quite the rock and roll king, but he could never be anything more than a good kid with Ozzie and Harriet raising him. No sullen Elvis Presley like rebellion in a Nelson.

Ricky had a string of some pretty good hits for about 10 years with a built in audience to introduce them. It added a whole new generation of fans for the Nelsons until musical tastes changed.

Change it did, the all American home wasn't playing quite so good in the counterculture 60s. But The Adventures of Ozzie&Harriet still has its place in our cultural history.

All Good Things Must Come to an End

[moviewatcher2010 · 8/10 · 17 November 2021]

This program had a great run for around a decade with so much comedy packed into each episode, but what proved successful ended when Rick got married and they brought his real wife Kris onto the show in the 12th season. They would have been better off casting a professional actress to play the part. Rick and Kris did not have the onscreen chemistry as a married couple, unlike Dave and June who were affectionate and doted on each other.

The only ongoing comedy they had left was keeping Wally (Skip Young) as a college student for almost 10 years. He started as Dave's fellow fraternity brother in 1957 and was still going to school in 1966. Skip Young was well into his 30s by this time and looked too old to play the part. Aside from this, the show pretty much dried up by the last season, old gags no longer worked, and hence was the end of what was one of the best sitcoms of all time.

Some commenters apparently haven't watched the show

[Westside-guy · 9/10 · 5 March 2005]

"Ozzie and Harriet" is often used as a buzzword for white-bread America: Husband runs the family spouting words of manly wisdom, while the wife stays home with the well-behaved kids. Funny thing is, the show really isn't like that. Ozzie is a guy who apparently never goes to work - it's a running gag throughout the show. His "great ideas" usually lead to disaster, and usually it's Harriet who quietly gets everything to turn out all right in the end. The kids, especially Ricky, often shoot off at the mouth. It was even Seinfeld-esque (and I say that as a rabid Seinfeld fan) - most episodes could fairly be described as being "about nothing".

In truth it's one of the funniest shows ever on television. It was even cutting edge, for its time: Ozzie and Harriet slept in the same bed, which was unheard of. Ever see anyone on a TV show "break the fourth wall" (start talking to the camera)? This started on O&H - first with Ricky's end-of-show shrugs, and later with full-blown conversations directed to the camera. My personal favorite example of this is when Ozzie pretended to be a mind-reader (who of course no one recognized because of a cheesy goatee). When he gets exposed at the end, just about every character quips something or other straight into the camera.

Do yourself a favor though. Don't start off with the late episodes where the boys are grown up and married. Those can be quite funny, but the show at times was just coasting on its reputation by then. Watch the earlier stuff from when the boys were little, when Thorny still lived next door. Give yourself time to get to know the characters, and you certainly won't regret it!

So underrated that it's criminal

[doxtorray · 27 December 2005]

I concur with the previous posts that Ozzie and Harriet was really a show "about nothing," and was quite funny until the boys got married (even then, it had its moments). Rather than showing how dull and boring the perfect traditional family could be, it celebrated the humor and fun in everyday life and its quirks. Most underrated was the comic talent of Ozzie. Not only was he hilariously adept and creative in his efforts to avoid work around the house, but when the situation resulted in physical comedy he was nothing short of amazing. I remember seeing a rerun 35 years ago, in which Ozzie has to swallow a big wad of ice cream. Just watching him, I could FEEL the brain freeze he got, and I still feel it just remembering. Personally, I like the 1952-1955 episodes with Don Defore as Thorny. The situations were believable but still funny-- Ozzie trying to convince everyone that he bought spot cleaner to help out an old lady instead of buying it to help out her sexy daughter, Ozzie scouring the town for tutti-fruity ice cream, Ozzie fretting over the rain damage that he knows he will get if he permits a nest of birds to remain in his rain gutter, Ozzie trying to send back a pair of chairs sent by mistake, Ozzie having to sleep apart from Harriet because she misinterprets Ozzie's support for separate rooms for the boys. In a way, Ozzie is a more functional and less stupid Homer Simpson. Since some of the shows can be obtained in the bargain DVD bins at Walmart and other places, do yourself a favor and give a few episodes a try.

Here comes the Nelsons...

[Little-Mikey · 9/10 · 23 October 2009]

Ah, those were the days. THE ADVENTURES OF OZZIE AND HARRIET was such a wonderful piece of Americana, back in the days when the neighbor came in through the back door to pay his pal a visit. Nowadays, when the neighbor comes in through the back door, it's to spend a little time with his pal's wife! Sad to say, many people would consider the comedy of this wonderful sitcom as being obsolete, giving the false notion that this show is not funny. Actually, this show was really very funny, in spite of the lack of crude humor, the lack of profanity and the lack of, dare I say? sexual situations.

OZZIE AND HARRIET reminds me of that mythical sitcom featured on the movie, PLEASANTVILLE.

Even though Ozzie's character wasn't the most assertive person around, he was still the man of the house and he did keep his family together. He certainly did a far better job as the man of the house than (sad to say) too many so-called assertive husbands today as the number of divorces and dysfunctional households continue to increase.

The plots were funny enough. All those clever one-liners that took place throughout the program, only made what was originally a funny episode, even funnier, yet.

Before jumping to the ignorant conclusion that this show was bland, one must also remember that this show was one of the first sitcoms to feature real rock and roll as later episodes featured Ricky Nelson performing his hits.

This show not only brought rock and roll into American living rooms, it also made it acceptable to parents, proving that rock and roll music would not destroy American society.

One story that was printed long after the series was canceled involved Ricky Nelson and his mother, Harriet. Unlike too many mothers of that era, who thought rock and roll posed a threat to modern society, Harriet commented that when she was Ricky's age, the older generation made the exact same comments (in the 1920s) about jazz.

Another story that was printed involved Ricky Nelson's first encounter with Elvis Presley. Not knowing what to expect from this encounter, Ricky was surprised to discover that not only was Elvis a nice guy, he was also a big fan of THE ADVENTURES OF OZZIE AND HARRIET.

Nice, clean, and charming

[skinnygaillard · 7/10 · 1 March 2022]

The acting and plots can be lacklustre, but it doesn't really matter. Anyone tuning in to Ozzie and Harriet simply must be doing so for a helping of good old, salubrious Americana. Its nostalgic, even for those not yet born when it aired. Plus, the show is not taxing in the slightest, but it is extremely important to TV and music history; it lay the foundations for sitcoms to come and helped ease rock and roll into the mainstream.

All in all, it's pleasant, clean, and inoffensive (even if white audiences were enraged when Ricky sang a Fats Domino song at the end of an episode). It's something of its time, and its a shame that more entertainment can't be like this.

Ozzie & Harriet continues to entertain us after all these years

[RogerMooreTheBestBond · 10/10 · 23 March 2019]

Some tv shows never lose their charm. Ozzie & Harriet was just about as charming as you can get. Ozzie, Harriet, David & Ricky, along with Thorny made the perfect cast. Every show had a diferent situation that would cause confusion, chaos and humor and the show ran for an amazing 14 years. Still the longest running situation comedy that ever aired. Ozzie and Ricky were the comics and Harriet and David played the straight man. But all of them had humorous moments during the show. Don Defore who played Thorny had the best chemistry with Ozzie. They had alot of arguments, but they were funny. They always ended up friends in the end. The show later added new friends and neighbors like Joe & Calara Randolph, Darby & Doc. As the boys grew up the show added their friend Wally as comic relief. They also added many younger guys at the fraternity the boys would belong to. The sons would also marry and the wives June and Kris were added to the cast. Ricky also became a singing star in 1957. many of the episodes included his hits song from 1957 to the series end in 1966. I have always preferred the good clean humor of the 50's and 60's to the stuff that is called comedy today. It is such a shame that Ozzie & Harriet does not get the credit as being one of the best comedies to ever air on tv. I Lucy Lucy and The Andy Griffith Show always get all the awards and are always at the top of lists when people talk about the great old tv comedies. They were good, but for my money Ozzie & Harriet along with My 3 Sons and I Dream of Jeannie, are my favorites.

The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet (1952-1966).

[Bernie4444 · 6/10 · 15 April 2024]

The original show was a radio series in 1944.

Remember those 30-minute T. V. programs with fake canned laughter and fake corny applause? There are about 14 seasons. Each season has about 39 episodes. Each episode has a name that was conveniently left off of the six episodes I watched.

Everything seems to move slowly with unimportant or trivial problems that come up and have to be resolved in 30 minutes. Stilted dialog and people yelling at each other that are right in front of him/her. Periodically an actor will look directly at the camera to address the audience. I have seen this done again in Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986) and in Sixteen Candles (1984).

We watch each of the Nelsons take turns goofing something up. And then their neighbors (sort of an extended family) Joe (Lyle Talbot) and Clair (Mary Jane Croft) get to goof something up.

Also watched out of order Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet - "The Busy Christmas" (1956 and 1964). As with most of the adventures, Ozzie has pulled apart with more tasks than time. How will this be resolved, or will it be resolved?

This production was perfect for the period but does not hold up in retrospect.

Ozzie and Harriet Stats

[mail-1565 · 9/10 · 12 January 2007]

I really liked the series- a true American Classic. I agree with another poster about Wally Plumstead- he provided many humorous moments and actually carried the series for many of the episodes. I think I recall that there were some episodes where only Wally appeared and Rick was featured at the end in a separate filmed performance of his band. Also, the episodes with Thorny and the situations with Ozzie were definitely the most humorous in the series. Just one thing on your stats as far as appearances for each of the main characters. It says Harriet, David and Ricky each appeared in 172 episodes, where Ozzie was in 171. How could this be, since there were at 435 episodes total?

Great Antidote to Today's Headlines

[PretoriaDZ · 9/10 · 27 October 2017]

Ozzie and Harriet's world may not be the way real life is but I sure wish it was. It's nice to escape into this gentle reality where people mostly treated each other with respect and if someone was being petty, the humor was always brought out.

Their world did not have maniacs running around shooting or blowing up strangers. The biggest problem Ozzie seemed to have was getting one jump ahead of Harriet and he usually failed at that. Later in the series, there was the added pleasure of watching Rick Nelson's musical performances.

There were slight references to sex. One humorous moment was when David's wife June said, "I really am a good cook" then turned to go in their apartment door with David checking her out as she goes in. He turns, looks directly at the camera and with a slight shrug, says"Who cares?"

Ozzie and Harriet not only slept in the same bed, in one episode, a comedy element was Harriet putting her cold feet on Ozzie's back. This was shown by bumps moving under the covers and Ozzie's outcry followed by Harriet's "Sorry dear. I 'll wait 'til you're asleep".

My favorite episode (so far) is "The Ladder" where Ozzie and Thorny get stuck up on Ozzie's roof. An old gag (characters getting stuck somewhere together on a roof or in a cellar, etc) but this one really made me laugh.

In today's headlines, pettiness seems to dominate the news cycle and there is no humor to be found. I think instead of watching CNN or Fox or reading the newspaper, I'll turn on another episode of Ozzie and Harriet.

Not exactly the Beav, but still a piece of television history

[grasshopper54 · 5/10 · 21 January 2008]

I remember watching "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet" back in the late 50's and early 60's. This was just one of those family sitcoms that spanned the decade, the others being Donna Reed, My Three Sons, Father Knows Best and Leave it to Beaver. When I was around 6 years old, I couldn't wait to see these programs. Ozzie and Harriet, to the best of my knowledge, is not even syndicated anymore. Leave it to Beaver, though, is the quintessential family sitcom from this era. I think that the latter outshines the former for a couple of reasons. First of all, the cast on Leave it to Beaver stayed fairly static; there was very little change in the makeup of the cast; one could expect the likes of Eddie Haskell to appear in every show and everyone loved it.

The fluidity of Ozzie and Harriet's cast in it's final years is compared with My Three Son's cast; both added wives to the cast, but by the mid 60's, this signaled an end to both of these shows. Also, Skip Young was sort of too old to play a fraternity brother of the Nelson brothers (by 1963 he was "only" 33 years old... kind of too old for an undergrad, but, perhaps, could have been cast at the very least as an associate Professor). By contrast, Leave it to Beaver didn't suffer this flaw; the cast remained the same; Lumpy Rutherford stayed as Lumpy Rutherford and was a contemporary of Wally's. Same deal with Gilbert, Toohey, et al with the Beav.

Secondly, Ward Cleaver's homespun wisdom far outshone that of Ozzie. In fact, Ozzie always looked sort of stilted on camera, so he wasn't as believable as Hugh Beaumont, Fred MacMurray or Robert Young.

However, I am partial here. Leave it to Beaver is by far my favorite family sitcom from this era. Ozzie pales to the likes of the Beav. Sorry.

A Little Closer Look at an Iconic Series

[dougdoepke · 6 May 2014]

On screen, Ozzie may have been something of a good-natured fuddle, but off he had to be one sharp cookie. Lawyer, band-leader, producer, director, writer, actor, plus 13-year old Eagle Scout, that perpetual grin hid one talented guy. Then too, those Eagle Scout ideals fit in perfectly with the post-war period. From 1952-66, the show came into a ton of homes, mine included. It was a time when families were getting back together after a bad economy, a big war in Europe, plus a little one in Korea. Family life was treasured, and with any luck it gathered around a new-fangled TV in an expanding suburb. A very different time from now, one of expanding prosperity and opportunity.

One thing you knew when you tuned in, it would be a "wholesome" half-hour. Nothing controversial or serious. For better or worse, never anything about politics, sexual innuendo, or the outside world. Typically, it might be Oz trying to get his lawn-mower back from neighbor Thorny (DeFore) who doesn't want to move his car. True, it was a series basically about nothing. But the entries were nearly always amusing. Maybe not hilarious, but always worth a few head- nodding chuckles. Yes, life's trivial little problems could be entertaining if you were a gifted Ozzie Nelson.

Of course, Harriet was a big part of the humorous situations, always a voice of calm and good sense. Maybe vaguely amused by Oz's latest half-digested scheme. Wisely, I think, the show reserved any ditsy elements for neighbors or friends, a proved formula over the decades. That way the characters could drop in or out as needed. Importantly, however, characters like Clara Randolph (Croft) may be on the ditsy side but they were never exaggerated or mocked. Then too, except for sinister types, it looks like about every supporting player in Hollywood was on the show at one time or another.

At first, the boys-- a reliable David and a wise-cracking Ricky, oops! I mean Rick (as he preferred)-- blended in and out as junior members. But as they grew, the boys became more central, proving adept at the series low-key style. Then, of course, Rick became a teen R&R idol, a real risk for the show, given R&R's controversial influence on teens. Still, Oz proved as adept at handling that touchy phase as any other. In fact, many of us sort of grew up with Dave and Rick. But, I agree with others. Once the boys married, the show had outlived its appeal. Then too, times were changing. By 1966, Vietnam was heating up and so was the youth counter-culture, while a groundbreaking "All In The Family" (1971-79) and a very different kind of TV dad were only a few years off. An era had indeed ended.

Sure, in our own lid-is-off times, the show would likely never fly. For better or worse, it was very much an idealized reflection of its time. I recall even reading about folks who were unhappy because their family was not at all like the Nelsons. In a sense, as entertaining as they were, the TV Nelsons did exist in a societal vacuum, an ideal embodiment of that era. Still, I'm not at all sure that we're better off without it. I do regret, however, that Ozzie never appeared to get the industry recognition his low-key talent deserved. But then that sort of thing never does have a time limit.

The original "show about nothing"

[actionsub · 10/10 · 28 October 2019]

So many people make such a hubbub over Seinfeld's "groundbreaking" concept of being a show about nothing, but bear in mind that by the time Jerry Seinfeld was BORN, this show had already been on TV for two seasons. After a number of years on radio, Ozzie Nelson brought his family's show to television. Unlike other family sitcoms like "Life of Riley" which put the characters in unbelievably farcical situations to create humor, Ozzie & Harriet would begin with a rather everyday problem (ex. Ozzie comes across a bolt while housecleaning and tries to figure out where it belongs, or Ozzie gets a craving for tutti-frutti ice cream) and then ends up involving the whole family along with the next door neighbors in finding a solution. Ozzie's moderately laid-back reactions to the inevitable chaos that results from his simple solutions add to the fun. In spite of it being a period piece, the humor does translate well to the present day, the earlier seasons when the boys were young even more so.

Remembering The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet on it's 65th anniversary

[rcj5365 · 10/10 · 9 March 2018]

Cannot believe that this series has stood the test of time. "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet" was for it's time groundbreaking, cutting edge for a family oriented show that was unheard of when it premiered on radio in 1944 and then made the transition to television in 1952. This was the show that brought Rick Nelson into America's living rooms and made it acceptable not only for it's standards but kept it's morals in check too. This was the sitcom where the husband never works while the wife stays home with the well-behaved kids...sometimes with hilarious and unpredictable results making it one of the funniest shows ever conceived for television.

"The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet" premiered on ABC-TV on October 3, 1952 and ran for an astounding fourteen seasons on the air until April 23,1966 starring the entire Nelson family which included Ozzie Nelson his wife Harriet Nelson and sons David and Ricky Nelson. The series produced an astounding 435 episodes with seasons 1 thru 13 telecast and filmed in black and white with the 14th and final season of the series produced in color. Out of the 435 episodes that it produced a total of 409 episodes were in black and white from October 3, 1952 until March 17, 1965. The 14th and final season produced 26 episodes in color from September 18, 1965 until April 23, 1966. "Ozzie and Harriet" became the second longest running family sitcom in television history behind "My Three Sons". The sponsors were The American Gas Company, Proctor and Gamble, The Eastman Kodak Company, Quaker Oats Company, The American Dairy Association, Hotpoint Appliances, General Electric, Kellogg's Of Battle Creek, Chevrolet Motor Division, And The Colgate-Palmotive Company throughout the series entire 14 season run.

Ozzie Nelson was the creator-writer and executive producer of the series but also the director of several episodes as well. Ozzie Nelson directed a total of 358 episodes between 1952-1966. David Nelson directed 8 episodes of the series between 1963-1965. Writers include Dick Bensfield, Bill Davenport, Ben Gershman, Perry Grant, Don Nelson, and Jay Sommers. Ozzie Nelson along with Harriet Nelson, David Nelson, and Rick Nelson appeared in all 435 episodes of the series with the supporting cast members Don De Fore, Parley Baer, Lyle Talbot, Mary Jane Croft, Connie Harper, James Stacy, Joe Flynn, Kent McCord, and Frank Cady. The show had a low key style to it but when the boys got married that show had outlived it appeal and when the show went into it's fourteen and final season in color in the fall of 1965 ABC moved it to an earlier time slot(on Saturday nights) which led to it's cancellation in the spring of 1966 when the series was moved in favor of Batman.

By 1966, the youth counter culture was changing and so was the television landscape as well,but for a series that was family friendly and had great appeal the times were changing that saw "Ozzie and Harriet" end it's astounding run on television and made it's place in cultural history.

A Timeless Classic: The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet

[sonuta · 10/10 · 29 September 2023]

"The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet" is an absolute gem of a television series that has truly stood the test of time. From its debut in the 1950s to this day, this show continues to captivate audiences with its wholesome charm and heartwarming family values. It's not just a TV series; it's a timeless testament to the enduring power of love, laughter, and family bonds.

Ozzie and Harriet Nelson, along with their two sons, David and Ricky, form the heart of this delightful show. Their on-screen chemistry is palpable, and their genuine affection for one another shines through every episode. This family dynamic is what makes the show so endearing. We witness their everyday trials and tribulations, their laughter, their love, and their unwavering support for each other, creating a relatable and heartwarming portrayal of family life.

One of the most remarkable aspects of "The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet" is its ability to tackle important issues of its time with grace and humor. While it may seem like a simple family sitcom on the surface, it often addressed societal norms, generational gaps, and the challenges of growing up. It did so in a way that was both entertaining and thought-provoking, making it a show that could be enjoyed by viewers of all ages.

The series also introduced us to the musical talents of Ricky Nelson, whose performances were a highlight of each episode. His music not only added a unique dimension to the show but also propelled him to become one of the most iconic rock 'n' roll stars of the era.

In a television landscape filled with complex plots and dramatic twists, "The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet" stands as a refreshing reminder of the simpler joys of life. It's a heartwarming journey through the decades that continues to resonate with audiences today.

Whether you're a fan of classic television, a lover of family-oriented entertainment, or simply someone looking for a dose of nostalgia, "The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet" is an absolute must-watch. It's a timeless classic that reminds us of the enduring power of love, laughter, and family, and it deserves a special place in the hearts of viewers old and new.

Ozzie & Harriet

[Tmechanic54 · 10/10 · 23 January 2012]

yes I did watch as a kid,BUT,little did I realize,my future (1st)wife,(Deborah Schneider/then of La Mirada Ca./was on an episode!! I don't remember it as a kid, but her family showed me an 8mm(silent)home movie clip they took then,David and Ricky had to "kid-sit",and she sat on his lap, he sang to her....but don't know which song!!(8mm & Super8 were "silent").If someone knows, please send to this site,(since my P/C was stolen, have to use "public"(lib) computer. Still see her every now and then,shes still OK.. got to add some-more to "send"...thanks..>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>.......>>>>>>>>>.......>>>>>>>>.. Max Clayton,San Bernardino,Ca..

Original Family Show

[shelbythuylinh · 10/10 · 12 November 2021]

Rarity over on it becoming a real life family. As really loved it as a kid. And still do. With father and sometimes bumbling Ozzie, wisecracking lovable mom Harriet, big brother and protector David, and Lovable wisecracking little brother Ricky.

As that they went over in shows where Ozzie does not have a job and hangs at home but hints over in being a musician in a past life. Rick of course would be a rock star and the original teen idol there.

Still a great family show where it was about great TV!

How did these talentless people get a TV show?

[flackjacket · 1/10 · 3 May 2015]

There are a lot of annoying clichés from 50's TV shows. There was Beaver and Wally who always started every sentence with the word "Gee" followed by the name of the person they were talking to. "Gee Wally", "Gee Beav", "Gee Dad", "Gee Mom". Then there was Dennis The Menace's over use of the exclamatory "Jeepers!" and Mister Wilson's over use of the phrase "Great Scott!".

Then there's Patty Duke's horribly fake British accent and the fact a hot dog would make her lose control. I don't know, I get the picture of her have spasms in the middle of the road twitching uncontrollably while flailing her hands around as shown in the opening. Thank God nobody ever gave her a hot dog.

And worse yet, are the ungrateful self-absorbed kids on Father Knows Best. The oldest daughter Princess, mean and narcissistic, the son Bud ever stupid lacking confidence, and finally the youngest Kitten, forever whining, complaining, and crying.

Sure there were some great shows back then, like The Honeymooners and I Love Lucy. Both had live audiences, so they had to be funny. But the shows with the canned laugh track always contained one or more annoying clichés.

And then there's The Adventures of Ozzy and Harriet. Granted it was free of any annoying clichés, but even worse, it was annoying from beginning to end. A father who never goes to work and who smirks and silently chuckles after every line knowing that's where the laugh track would be inserted. Two sons who act as if they overdosed on sleeping pills. And a supporting cast including Harriet, that apparently were "phoning in their lines" opposite a cue card.

This show is the epitome of bad sitcom via fake laugh track. It set the precedent for all bad sitcoms to follow. Finally, who are these people and how on Earth did they get their own show? I don't know, but there's one redeeming factor. If you ever need to induce vomiting and don't have any mustard and milk, just play Rick Nelson's "Garden Party", you know, the one where he looks like he's about to pass out, and you'll puke instantly.

Charming Piece Of Americana

[earlytalkie · 24 May 2013]

The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet stands as the longest-running live action sitcom in history. Many people over the years have put down this program as being corny and too "white-bread" for modern consumption. Just like The Donna Reed Show and other "family" shows of that era. O & H is really a charming time-capsule of what we wanted to be back in those days, just like Donna Reed. What sets O & H a tad above the other shows is the fact that the family portrayed here was, in fact, a real family. Ozzie Nelson himself oversaw practically every aspect of production, and let's not forget that, starting in 1957, Ricky was singing genuine "rock and roll" on the show. The plots may be as simple as a late-night search for Tutti-Frutti ice cream, but there is an easy-going flow to the lightweight stories that make them charming. Don De Fore is featured in the early shows as "Thorny" the next-door neighbor, and Lyle Talbot and Mary Jane Croft are in the later ones as the Randolphs. Ozzie and Harriet featured background music taken from the Capitol HiQ music library. This music was used in many shows, cartoons and industrial films of the period. Just hearing this music takes me back to the "old days" and gives me a warm feeling. The performances by the family are all polished and good, especially Harriet with her wise-cracks which always crack me up. The show is in the process of being fully restored, all 435 episodes (!), by Sam Nelson, son of Rick. There has been much said about the quality of the Shout! Factory "best of" set. I own this and I enjoy having 24 episodes which cover the series from the earliest shows to the last. Yes, these are the edited-for-syndication prints, but as I don't remember what was cut from the shows, I don't miss these scenes. In addition, the prints used here are in pretty good shape, better than the ones featured on the public domain DVDs which have been around for many years now. For someone like me, who grew up in the O & H era, it is fine to see this program and relive "the good old days" when situation comedy didn't rely soley on sex jokes and off-color humor. Call me old-fashioned, but I like these classics of early television.

Mildly amusing, but too Ozzie-focused.

[pmike-11312 · 5/10 · 7 February 2023]

It's clear that Ozzie (as producer and director) focused the show around himself. An awful excuse for an actor, his "acting" is mechanical, stiff. And amateurish. He should have stuck to music or at least stayed on radio. Harriet does OK and the boys are as good as most of the other kid TV actors of the day. Defore as the neighbor Thorny is his usual solid-self, and often the other character actors are fine.

The show is the typical 50s family show - typical family situations and crises. The jokes are typical and still play well enough. It's a light show, worth tuning in if there's nothing else on and you don't feel like getting up to do anything useful. It'll entertain you in small doses, but don't binge-watch.

Dull it was not!

[srd2974 · 11 December 2004]

This is for the person that says Ozzie and Harriet was dull! It is easy for you too reach back in another time, take something, and criticize it with the futures eyes. Obviously by calling anyone who watches the show "dull, or senior" you are just showing your ignorance!!

This show, brought Rock N Roll into peoples living rooms, AND made it acceptable to their parents!! Did you know the Nelson family is the only family in history to have 3 generations become recording stars and win certain awards. (check it out) Ozzie, Ricky, and the Nelsons.

Anyone can do crude humor like Seinfield......but it really takes talent to make people laugh and to be wholesome and safe for the WHOLE family to watch!!

The Adventures and Leave it to Beaver were two of the best shows ever! And still rank better then the garbage they are turning out now, where whoever can shock the most, and show the most non-family friendly things rate highest.

Ozzie & Harriet raise the perfect family, in the perfect home, in the perfect 1950's.

[craig_ku · 1 August 2005]

I think that The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, not unlike its counterparts (i.e. Leave it to Beaver), were what they were because that's what people wanted at the time. Many accounts of the 1950's are not the most interesting, but that's the way things were-culturally. With out these programs, however mundane you may find them, there would have been no examples for the family sit-com following the cultural revolution of the 1960's. I think that in today's society it is nice to look back, and see a family living together, enjoying life, and running into the occasional plot conflict. To hate Ozzie and Harriet is to hate Americana- after all that's what they were at the time of their program.You'll notice that the show ended in the late 1960's, when due to the cultural unrest in the United States, their brand of entertainment became, sadly enough, obsolete. Conclusion: take it for what it is (or was), it's a glimpse into a bygone era: a time of homemakers, fresh-baked cookies, pipe smoking dads, the milkman, and no use for the modern vulgarities of the medium.

Hard To Rate

[Littlelep · 20 July 2021]

Due to the pandemic, I had practically run the YouTube library dry of classic movies and English tv, so I turned to American tv series of the 1950's. Periodically I had tested The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, but this time I meant to enjoy the entire series, come what may. I don't mess around, boy. It was a revelation!

The early episodes are priceless, funny and homey. I began to skip through the years and that was my big mistake. I have always found that any series, no matter how good it begins, should never be extended past the third season. Writers have run out of the really good stuff and even repeat, directors change and the flavor of the show suffers as a result, and, most importantly, the actors get bored or act out of habit rather than imagination. New faces join the cast to add spice to the scripts, but sometimes that is a huge mistake. What is worst of all, the audience is faced with watching the actors expand in the waistline and the derriere and the men lose their hair, strand by strand, week after week.

Much of the above happened with this series. Although the men in the Nelson family never had the receding hairline problem (one wonders how Ozzie kept the same hairline over all those years) and Ricky's hair actually exploded in size, the rest of the stumbling blocks presented themselves throughout the latter seasons.

Harriet's profile remained terrific, but when she turned her back to the camera, it was just sad. In some shots, Ozzie looked as if he wore a mask -- his skin was so taut and lacked any blemishes. Perhaps the make-up in those days was that heavy (was Botox around then?); but sometimes it made him look like an et.

Ricky's friend Iggy had his family name changed after a few seasons; one wonders the reason. The addition of the character of Clara, the woman with the voice, made many episodes almost impossible to watch unless one fast-forwards through her appearances. As has been pointed out, the addition of the wives of the boys was almost by itself a death knell for the whole series.

Wish I had stuck by my motto and watched only the first three seasons of O&H. After that, the stories dragged and repeated, and one began to look at the actors and pick out flaws, and to mentally edit the scripts and notice errors in writing and reading. After the first few seasons, the series just leaves a bad taste. This family and its reflection of the times were a great idea for television, in any era. The producers just carried it on too long.