Eric Hilliard Nelson was an American musician and actor. From age eight he starred alongside his family in the radio and television series The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. In 1957, he began a long and successful career as a popular recording artist.
Nelson in a publicity photo for Decca Records in 1966
The Nelson family, 1952
Nelson publicity photo, 1960
Nelson in Rio Bravo, 1959
The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet
The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet is an American television sitcom that aired on ABC from October 3, 1952, to April 23, 1966, and starred the real-life Nelson family. After a long run on radio, the show was brought to television, where it continued its success, initially running simultaneously on radio and TV. In terms of seasons, it was the longest running live-action sitcom in U.S. television history until It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia surpassed it on December 1, 2021. The series starred the entertainment duo of Ozzie Nelson and his wife, singer Harriet Nelson, and their sons, David and Ricky. Don DeFore had a recurring role as the Nelsons' neighbor "Thorny".
The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet
The Nelson family; (clockwise from top) David, Ricky, Ozzie and Harriet, 1952
The Nelson family; (clockwise from top) Ozzie, Ricky, Harriet and David, 1960