Gone Too Soon: Ricky Nelson, Teen Idol Of 'Ozzie & Harriet' Fame

By | September 21, 2018

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Ricky Nelson in a publicity shot for 'Rio Bravo' (1959) and playing guitar at age 18. Sources: IMDB; Ralph Crane/The LIFE Picture Collection via Getty Images

As audiences were watching him grow up on The Adventures Of Ozzie And Harriet, Ricky Nelson turned to music, and became a hugely successful teen idol. Ozzie and Harriet ran for 14 seasons, from 1952 to 1966, and in 1957 the 17-year-old Ricky began releasing albums and singles. Nelson would score 17 top-ten hits, including two number-ones. But sadly, Nelson died in a plane crash in 1985.

Ricky Nelson, Child Radio Star

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The Nelson family starred in a radio show version of “The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet” before taking their show to the small screen. Young Ricky Nelson had a job…portraying himself on the hit radio show that aired from 1944 to 1949. Ricky wasn’t included in the first several years of the radio show.