The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet

The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet  -  Listen to Episodes, Below

During the 1940s, after Ozzie and Harriet had married and started their family, they wanted to get away from living on the road with their band --Ozzie was the bandleader and Harriet Hilliard was the singer. They desired an environment more suitable to raising their two boys.

Ozzie knew radio was the place to be and soon the young couple became regulars on The Red Skelton Show. When Red was drafted, Ozzie figured their best option was to headline a show of their own.

The result an appealing domestic radio sitcom that starred the couple and their two boys -- all playing themselves at home (although not as show business celebrities).

The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet  was launched in October, 1944 and for the next five years jumped back and forth between CBS and NBC until, in 1949 it found its permanent home at ABC.  The show ran until June, 1954, a total of ten years and 402 episodes on radio.  

The Nelsons' actual sons, David and Ricky, did not join the cast until February, 1949 when they were 12 and 8 years old, respectively.  Prior to that their roles were played by other professional actors.

Regular cast members included John Brown as the Nelsons next-door neighbor Thorny, Lurene Tuttle as Harriet's mother, Bea Benaderet, Janet Waldo and Francis Trout.

The TV show, which began in 1952 and lasted until 1966, was also a huge hit both initially and later in reruns. Ozzie was credited with having an astute business acumen, negotiated with the network and also produced the shows.  Among his many business accomplishments, he used the show to launch the singing career of his youngest son, Ricky.

Come along and join us for a nostalgic view of family life in the 1950s.  Come and meet the Nelsons!