Harriet Nelson
Ozzie and Harriet – Halloween episode
My Mother’s Memories … The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet Halloween show
It was in the early 1950’s. Such a different world than our fast paced, hi tech world of today. The horrific years of WW II were finally behind us but the loss of six of my friends – on the battlefield, to the sea or in the sky will always remain in my memory.
Everyone was determined to put the war years behind them and build a better more productive life than our country had ever know. My husband Norman, a pilot in the European theatre, and I were doing just that. We lived in a little rented white bungalow in Hollywood. Norm was a teacher and coach at Notre Dame High School and I stayed home raising our two children Jerry and Susie.
Jerry had just begun modeling and doing some live TV. I think he was about four years old. One day his agent called that he was to report for work at a location fairly close to our home the next morning. It was early October. I dressed him in his everyday clothes and trekked the short distance to catch the big red streetcar that ran along Santa Monica Blvd. (remember this was the early 50’s, most families owned one car that the father took to work, the wife – me – walked or took buses or street cars). We got to the stage where Jerry was to work. It was a single building and I think was what we referred to as the old Charlie Chaplin studio (circa 1920’s). There was a little girl a few years older than Jerry who was also working, and the makeup man took them to his makeup table to get ready for the scene. I started talking to the teacher, a very nice man. (By law whenever anyone under 18 years old works on a set there must be a teacher/social worker there). He told me it was the “Ozzie and Harriet Nelson show” and what exceptionally nice boys David and Rickey were. He said they were coming later and hoped we would get to meet them.
An assistant director called the kids to the set. There was no script. Ozzie Nelson, the director, just told them to knock on the door, and when the door opened say trick or treat. I have never been on a set with such a casual, relaxed environment. It seemed they finished in no more than fifteen minutes with each clutching a bag of candy. They were told they could go home. As we were leaving, David and Ricky were just entering so we said little hi’s and goodbyes but never got to formally meet them. We boarded the streetcar for home, Jerry, a very happy little chappie, with his early start on Halloween trick or treat candy.
Here is a clip of the actual segment of Jerry in the Halloween episode called “Halloween Party.”
www.youtube.com/watch?v=rolMNY4-bKo Marilyn Mathers
My Halloween episode on Ozzie and Harriet!
Here I am in a Halloween episode titled “Halloween Party” on the television program “The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet.” I filmed this before I was in Leave it to Beaver!
The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet is an American sitcom, airing on ABC from October 3, 1952, through April 23, 1966, starring 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 television. The series stars Ozzie Nelson and his wife, singer Harriet Nelson, and their young sons, David and Eric “Ricky” Nelson,
Barbara Billingsley and the great tv moms!
Here is a tribute to some of the great TV moms! Who are some of your favorites?
Remembering TV mothers
Lucille Ball played the role of Lucy Ricardo in “I Love Lucy.” (Special photo)
Harriet Nelson of “The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet” (Special photo)
Florence Henderson starred as Carol Brady on “The Brady Bunch.” (Special photo)
Elizabeth Montgomery portrayed Samantha Stephens on “Bewitched.” (Special photo)
June Cleaver, portrayed by Barbara Billingsley, talks with her son, Beaver, played by Jerry Mathers in an episode of “Leave it to Beaver.” (Special photo)
Alley Mills and Fred Savage played Norma and Kevin Arnold on “The Wonder Years.” (Special photo)
From left are Mackenzie Phillips, Ann Romano and Valerie Bertinelli of “One Day At A Time.” (Special photo)
Phylicia Rashad and Keshia Knight Pulliam starred as Claire and Rudy Huxtable on “The Cosby Show.” (Special photo)
Wendi McLendon-Covey’s Beverly Goldberg masters the art of “smothering” on “The Goldbergs.” (Special photo)
The Ingalls family of “Little House on the Prairie,” was led by matriarch Caroline Ingalls, played by Karen Grassle. (Special photo)
Happy Mother’s Day to one and all; enjoy this very special day with your mom. Remember the good times and how she helped shape your life. If you are blessed to be able to spend this day with your mother, treat it as a special gift because that’s precisely what it is.
Lavish her with love and affection because the day will come when you wish you could.
Believe me, I know.
And, remember, the most important thing you can give her is your presence and not presents.
In addition to our biological mothers, there have been a lot of moms who entered our houses on a regular basis during the past six decades through the medium of television.
Some were kind, caring and loving.
Others were off the proverbial wall.
Here is a list of some of the best-known TV mothers who spent time with us on a weekly basis.
Hope you enjoy the trip down television’s memory lane with some of the medium’s most renowned mothers and their children.
The list starts with Gertrude Berg as Molly Goldberg, believed to be television’s first mother, in “The Goldbergs.” The show first aired in 1949 – a whopping 65 years ago. The list concludes with Wendy McLendon-Covey who plays Beverly Goldberg on “The Goldbergs,” the highly rated first-year series.
The list is in chronological order and includes shows from the major networks and excludes animated series.
Molly Goldberg (Gertrude Berg) – “The Goldbergs,” 1949-54. Child: Sammy (Larry Robinson).
Gracie Allen (herself) – “George Burns & Gracie Allen Show,” 1950-58. Child: Ronnie (himself).
Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball) – “I Love Lucy” 1951-57. Child: Little Ricky (Joseph A. Mayer and Michael Mayer).
Harriet Nelson (played herself) — “The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet,” 1952-66. Children: David and Ricky (played themselves).
Margaret Anderson (Jane Wyatt) – “Father Knows Best” 1954-60. Children: Betty (Elinor Donahue), Bud (Billy Gray) and Kathy (Lauren Chapin).
June Cleaver (Barbara Billingsley) – “Leave it to Beaver” 1957-63. Children: Wally (Tony Dow) and Theodore “Beaver” (Jerry Mathers).
Donna Stone (Donna Reed) – “The Donna Reed Show” 1958-66. Children: Mary (Shelly Fabares), Jeff (Paul Petersen) and Trisha (Patty Petersen).
Laurie Petrie (Mary Tyler Moore) – “Dick Van Dyke Show” 1961-66. Child: Richie (Larry Mathews),
Samantha Stevens (Elizabeth Montgomery) – “Bewitched” 1964-72. Child: Tabitha (Erin Murphy).
Carol Brady (Florence Henderson) – “The Brady Bunch” 1969-74. Children: Marcia (Maureen McCormick), Jan (Eve Plumb), Cindy (Susan Olsen), Greg (Barry Williams), Peter (Christopher Knight) and Bobby (Mike Lookinland).
Shirley Partridge (Shirley Jones) – “The Partridge Family” 1970-74. Children: Keith (David Cassidy), Laurie (Susan Dey), Danny (Danny Bonaduce), Tracy (Suzanne Crough) and Chris (Brian Forster).
Edith Bunker (Jean Stapleton) – “All in the Family” 1971-79. Child: Gloria (Sally Struthers).
Olivia Walton (Miss Michael Learned) – “The Waltons” 1971-81. Children: John-Boy (Richard Thomas and Robert Wightman), Jason (Jon Walmsley), Mary Ellen (Judy Norton), Ben (Eric Scott), Erin (Mary McDonough), Jim-Bob (David W. Harper) and Elizabeth (Kami Cotler).
Florida Evans (Esther Rolle) – “Good Times” 1974-79. Children: JJ (Jimmie Walker), Thelma (BernNadette Stanis) and Michael (Ralph Carter).
Marion Cunningham (Marion Ross) – “Happy Days” 1974-84. Children: Chuck (Gavan O’Herlihy), Richie (Ron Howard) and Joanie (Erin Moran).
Caroline Ingalls (Karen Grassle) – “Little House on the Prairie” 1974-83. Children: Mary (Melissa Sue Anderson), Laura (Melissa Gilbert) and Carrie (Lindsay and Sidney Greenbush).
Ann Romano (Bonnie Franklin) – “One day at a Time” 1975-84. Children: Julie (Mackenzie Phillips) and Barbara (Valerie Bertinelli).
Kate Lawrence (Sada Thompson) – “Family” 1976-80. Children: Nancy (Meredith Baxter Birney), Willie (Gary Frank) and Buddy (Kristry McNichol).
Elyse Keaton (Meredith Baxter) – “Family Ties” 1982-89. Children: Alex (Michael J. Fox), Mallory (Justine Bateman) and Jennifer (Tina Yothers),
Clair Huxtable (Phylicia Rashad) – “The Cosby Show” 1984-92. Children: Sondra (Sabrina LeBeauf), Denise (Lisa Bonet), Theo (Malcolm-Jamal Warner), Vanessa (Tempestt Bledsoe) and Rudy (Keshia Knight Pulliam).
Angela Bower (Judith Light) – “Who’s the Boss?” 1984-92. Child: Jonathan (Danny Pintauro).
Maggie Malone Seaver (Joanna Kerns) – “Growing Pains” 1985-92. Children: Mike (Kirk Cameron), Carol (Tracey Gold), Ben (Jeremy Miller) and Chrissy (Ashley Johnson).
Peg Bundy (Katey Sagal) – “Married … With Children” 1987-97. Children: Kelly (Christina Applegate) and Bud (David Faustino).
Norma Arnold (Alley Mills) – “The Wonder Years” 1988-93. Children: Karen (Oliva d’Abo), Wayne (Jason Hervey) and Kevin (Fred Savage).
Roseanne Conner (Roseanne Barr) – “Roseanne” 1988-97. Children: Becky, (Alicia Goranson), Darlene (Sara Gilbert), and D.J. (Michael Fishman).
Katharine Howser (Belinda Montgomery) – “Doogie Howser” M.D. 1989-93. Child: Doogie (Neil Patrick Harris).
Vivian Banks (Janet Hubert-Whitten and Daphne Maxwell Reid) – “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” 1990-96. Children: Carlton (Alfonso Ribeiro), Hillary (Karyn Parsons) and Ashley (Tatyana M. Ali).
Jill Taylor (Patricia Richardson) – “Home Improvement” 1991-99. Children: Brad (Zachery Ty Bryan), Randy (Jonathan Taylor Thomas) and Mark (Taran Noah Smith).
Nora Walker (Sally Field) – “Brothers & Sisters” 2006-2011. Children: Kitty (Calista Flockhart), Sarah (Rachel Griffiths), Kevin (Matthew Rhys), Tommy (Balthazar Getty) and Justin (Dave Annable).
Claire Dunphy (Julie Bowen) — “Modern Family” 2009-present. Children: Alex (Ariel Winter), Haley (Sarah Hyland) and Luke (Nolan Gould).
Beverly Goldberg (Wendy McLendon-Covey) — “The Goldbergs” 2013-present. Children: Adam (Sean Giambrone), Barry (Troy Gentile) and Erica (Haley Orrantia).
