The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet: Season 5, Episode 12 - The Busy Christmas (1956)

December 19, 1956 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000SBAVIW?ie=UTF8&tag=doc06-20&link... http://thefilmarchived.blogspot.com/

The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet is an American sitcom, airing on ABC from October 3, 1952 to September 3, 1966, starring the real life Nelson family. After a long run on radio, the show was brought to television where it continued its success, running on both radio and TV for a couple of years. The series starred Ozzie Nelson and his wife, singer Harriet Nelson (née Hilliard), and their young sons, David Nelson and Eric Nelson, better known as Ricky. Don DeFore had a recurring role as the Nelsons' friendly neighbor "Thorny". The series attracted large audiences, and although it was never a top-ten hit, it became synonymous with the 1950s ideal American family life. It is the longest-running "live-action"/non-animated sitcom in US TV history.

Before the show aired, Ozzie Nelson persuaded ABC to agree to a 10-year contract that paid the Nelsons whether the series was canceled or not. The unprecedented contract and Ozzie's insistence for perfection in the show's production paid off in the show's remarkable popularity.

The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet premiered on ABC on October 10, 1952, staying until September 3, 1966. The show strove for realism and featured exterior shots of the Nelsons' actual southern California home at 1822 Camino Palmero Street in Los Angeles as the fictional Nelsons' home. Interior shots were filmed on a sound stage recreated to look like the real interior of the Nelsons' home. Like its radio predecessor (which finally ended in 1954), the series focused mainly on the Nelson family at home, dealing with run-of-the-mill problems. As the series progressed and the boys grew up, storylines involving various characters were introduced. Many of the series storylines were taken from the Nelsons' real life. When the real David and Rick got married, to June Blair and Kristin Harmon respectively, their wives joined the cast of Ozzie and Harriet, and the marriages were written into the series. (What was seldom written into the series was Ozzie's profession; mention of his lengthy and successful band-leading career was infrequent.)

By the mid 1960s, America's social climate was changing, and the Nelsons' all American nuclear family epitomized the 1950s values and ideals that were quickly becoming a thing of the past. Ozzie, who wrote and directed all of the series' episodes, attempted to change with the times, but most viewers related the show to a long gone era. The show finally made the transition from black-and-white to color in its 1965--66 season, but due to declining ratings, ABC canceled Ozzie and Harriet in 1966.

A number of actors had supporting roles on Ozzie and Harriet, including Jimmy Hawkins, Don DeFore, Mary Jane Croft, Lyle Talbot, Frank Cady, Skip Young, and Kent McCord.

The show ran for a total of fourteen television seasons, and for nearly four decades, held the record as the longest running American television sitcom, live or animated, until the record was broken by The Simpsons in 2004. The show is still the longest running live-action American sitcom in television history.

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[methedr]

It's to bad life could not be so easy. I want Ozzie's job, just wish I knew what he did. Watching these shows are a blast and beat most of the trash we have today.

[rr7firefly]

No blacks, no Hispanics, no Chinese nor Japanese, no Italians or Greeks. This is as white as the driven snow. Wholesome, huh?

Say, is it possible that Ozzie is actually the father of Rick Bayless? They have a similar tone and style of delivery.

[Minyositine]

@ClyneDDW I love you

[ClyneDDW]

Sam Drucker @ 5:50???

[ClyneDDW]

@Minyositine Enjoy your eternity in damnation, dog excrement.

[FaerieCrone]

@Minyositine Well, we would but they are all dead.

[Minyositine]

fuck the Nelsons

[nellwackwitz]

Thank you for uploading this Wonderful Nelson episode!!! I agree with RalphierDryder! Ozzie and Harriet and David and Ricky, you are loved and missed very much! You made many people happy!!! :)

[Dreamer00]

I'm reading about this family in class...were they messed up....

[RALPHIEREDRYDER]

RIP DAVID, RICKY, OZZIE AND HARRIET. YOU MADE A LOT OF PEOPLE HAPPY!