By the time the show hit the TV screens, Ozzie and Harriet were already famous across the nation for being performers and radio stars. For this reason, Ozzie was able to negotiate a TV contract that has never been repeated since. Ozzie told ABC that they would bring the TV series to their network under one condition; that the network signs them on a 10-year contract.
The terms stated that if the show ended before the 10 years was up, ABC would still have to pay Ozzie, Harriet, and the rest of their family, for 10 full seasons of work. Although it was a risk for ABC, they had already witnessed the success that the family had on the radio and were ready to put themselves in a vulnerable position. They took the risk, which ended up being a very wise decision.
Many Personalities
Ozzie’s character role on The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet was starkly different than his real-life persona. On the show, he appeared to often be goofy and always stumbling over his words. He never seemed to have a job and was always seen aimlessly wandering around their two-story home. This was in contrast to Harriet's clever charm. Harriet wore aprons most of the time and could always be found whipping something up in the kitchen.
However, this contrasted greatly from their real-life selves. In actuality, Ozzie was a very serious and controlling businessman who was addicted to his work and completely in charge of the show as the writer, producer, director, and editor. The New York Times described Ozzie as an authoritarian figure who didn’t even allow his sons to attend college when they wanted to. He obligated them to work on television despite their interest to pursue other endeavors.
The Show Wasn't in the 'Top 20'
Ozzie was able to convince ABC execs to agree to a ten-year contract and to pay the Nelson family whether the series was canceled or continued running. This type of contract didn’t exist at the time and it’s likely that because of this, Ozzie was extremely loyal and serious about his show. He knew that it was up to him to produce a show that America would love.
The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet premiered on ABC on October 10, 1952. At the time, ABC was a third-place network. Although the show's popularity, it never made it to the Top 20 in the Nielsen ratings for television shows. Despite that time slots were adjusted multiple times for the show, it never made it to the Top 20, until…
Ricky's Talent
It turned out that Ozzie and Harriet weren't the only ones with musical talent in the family. By age 17, Ricky Nelson also began singing. He first sang in an episode of "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet" on April 10, 1957. The episode centers around Ricky who performs his take on “I’m Walkin," a song which quickly made its way to #17 on the Billboard charts.
Ricky's music became a safe and more innocent alternative to Elvis and briefly even sold more records than Presley. This reportedly didn’t bother the King of Rock and Roll as he himself was a big fan of the show. Burton, who played with Ricky, told Rolling Stone in 1986 that Elvis tuned into the TV show just so he could see them play at the end. Ultimately, Ricky secured a recording deal with Domino's label, Imperial Records. Can you imagine how this impacted the show?
Dad's the Boss Man
Ozzie noticed how Ricky's blossoming talents were benefiting the show. So, he decided to do what he was best at doing, taking control, and micromanaged every move his son made. This included deciding what songs he could record. In August 1958, Ricky released his single “Poor Little Fool,” which rapidly soared to number one on the Billboard charts. Ozzie felt that the song was a good representation of the family’s image.
Ozzie began to incorporate Ricky's singing into the show's scripts, as he realized that his son's singing could have a huge positive impact on the show and its ratings. Ricky easily became the nation's newest musical sensation. Every episode which featured his singing attracted the biggest audiences. At one point, Ricky performed for free at a Los Angeles high school, performing “Blue Moon of Kentucky.” Crowds of screaming and excited teens greeted him.