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.
"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.