He’s a travelin’ man who will follow you through a lonesome town. But the chart-topping Ricky Nelson might not have done the same for his own family. They were the perfect American household on TV, but did the Nelson family get along behind the scenes? How did success actually break a marriage in two and divide generations? The answers are as messy as any family drama out there, even for America’s first teen idol.
Those details and more are unearthed here, including the way Ricky may have saved his sons’ lives, only for them to see an ugly side of the media soon after. Without further ado, it’s “Up To You” to learn the truth.
What was Ricky Nelson’s TV show?
Of course, this early teen idol got an early start in the industry – he was pretty much born right into it! If you grew up in the ‘50s and ‘60s then you definitely watched episodes of The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, joining the household of husband and wife Ozzie and Harriet Nelson, along with their good, respectable boys David and Ricky.
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Adventures quickly became a cultural touchstone that stayed in the American psyche for decades, but did you know it maintained another record into the turn of the century? Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet kept the record of longest-running live-action sitcom in U.S. television until 2021. Then it was passed by a bunch of hilarious dirtbags from Philadelphia – no, not talking about The Eagles, the outrageous FX comedy It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, which surpassed this wholesome program.
Of course, the show rocketed to fame with help from his parents’ own star power; Harriet served as vocalist in a band led by her musician husband Ozzie.
A famous family didn’t make Ricky immune to all the typical problems a kid might face growing up. He had really bad asthma; at night, he needed to run a vaporizer for some relief. As an aside, the fragrance had hints of evergreen in it. But out and about, Ricky was plagued by chronic shyness, to the point where adults called him an awkward oddball. Polite and likable but difficult to really know. All the world’s a stage and Ricky started off with a bit of stage fright.
In the early days of Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, the kids were played by professionals, until Ricky and big bro David could join. His first episode was called “Invitation to Dinner” and it helped break the ice and ease his insecurities.
Did Ricky Nelson write his own songs?
As Ricky came into his own, he had it all – looks, singing, acting, even athletics; him and his brother performed a whole trapeze act on TV. By the time he was 18, he brought in more than enough income to be quite comfortable – though, his parents very carefully managed his money and put it in trust funds.
There was plenty Ricky still wanted – like to impress his girlfriend. His gal loved Elvis Presley, so he did what any hot-blooded youngster would do: he said he would be producing a record of his own. It’s worth noting that at the time, Ricky didn’t even have a contract with anyone.
But he was good on his vow, spurred on by the King’s success with a label that wanted an aspirational youngster who could be a popular face. And so we got “I’m Walkin’,” “A Teenager’s Romance,” and “You’re My One and Only Love.” Next time you listen to any of his musical stylings, keep an ear open – does anything sound familiar? If so, that’s because Ricky names the man in the Blue Suede Shoes himself Carl Perkins as a huge influence, especially his guitar riffs.
That was Ricky’s main inspiration and a fair bit of his work is cover songs but he’s got quite a few original creations of his own – including ones written by Ricky himself, like “You Just Can’t Quit,” “So Long, Mama,” and “A Flower Opens Gently By.” Ricky’s particular spin on music helped create a memorable and very beloved flavor of rockability and ballads never heard before.
Did the Nelson family get along?
Americans had seen and would see many families on their TV – but the Nelsons had the unique advantage of being a strong presence when the cameras weren’t rolling. There was no forgetting they were around, thanks to their music careers. The house fans saw on TV was a replica of their home in Hollywood. The real one, that is.
Emmy-winning writer and director Peter Jones made a documentary all about the lightning in a bottle the show was, called Ozzie and Harriet: The Adventures of America’s Favorite Family. In his studies of the show, Jones felt that instead of cameras capturing their drama being a detriment, the quartet felt safer getting to work out their family drama thanks to the guise of filming a scene.
They basically had a safety net, one that was pretty vital to their relationships, because for however wholesome and affectionate the show was, things weren’t always picture perfect in their personal lives – starting with patriarch Ozzie, who came off as a genial, if sometimes hapless, sweetheart but in reality could be a bit of a tyrant and control freak. Eventually, Ozzie prioritized keeping the show on air over being a dad to his sons – although his older son David Nelson would insist, “My father went to great pains to see that Rick and I had as normal an upbringing as possible.”
Years after the fact, Ricky’s own daughter Tracy would know firsthand the tension that boiled just under the surface. Tracey, also an actress, once said, “There’s a huge discrepancy between what was real and what people think was real about the Nelson family and the people involved.”
She got a front-row seat with Ricky’s own contradictory personality. He became the handsome face of good squeaky clean values, frozen in time. Of course, like any TV actor, he resented being typecast and wanted to be something more… but here, Ricky deviates, because he ended up shaped by this teen heartthrob label who just didn’t know how to grow up. He wanted something different, but it was like asking himself to grow wings and fly; he just couldn’t.
Ricky even flat-out said he just couldn’t see himself getting older, and while he was probably referring to his maturity and most famous persona, he ended up being right in a far more chilling way.
Who is Ricky Nelson’s wife?
Like plenty of young men his age, growing up, Ricky wanted to date. It’s said his mom Harriet wanted him to focus on his career – yes, even before he was an adult – and set very high standards, which basically meant she disapproved of every girl he brought home. When he was 17, he became smitten with his on-screen girlfriend Marianne Gaba. Both were considered too young for anything serious, although Gaba says a lot of necking happened.
A year later, Ricky fell in love with Lorraine Collins, who was 15 at the time, and an established country singer. The two collaborated and created Ricky’s first composition, “My Gal,” and she introduced him to Johnny Cash and Tex Ritter, just two of his big celebrity meet-ups.
Then along came Kristin Harmon, daughter of football player Tom Harmon and actress Elyse Knox – and older sister to actors Kelly and Mark Harmon. Actually, the Nelson and Harmon families had been friends for a while, so this latest generation cementing that sounded just fine to both parties.
In theory, everything should have worked out. They were both shy, had controlling dads, and came from Hollywood royalty. They got married on April 20, 1963, but that basically just started the countdown to disaster. They had four kids together: actress Tracey, twins Gunnar and Matthew, and finally Sam. This quartet got an up close and personal look at the definition of dysfunctional.
Without being in the room with them, we can’t know for sure what happened every second that tore this marriage apart. But the kids have some opinions. Major outlets agree drugs and personal demons played a huge part. On top of that, it sounds like history was repeating itself, with Ricky focusing more on his career than being a dad. At least, that’s what Kristin thought; she made it no secret she hated his chaotic touring schedule. In fact, she demanded he give up music and focus more on acting so he could be home way more.
But apparently, the family was used to a pretty expensive lifestyle and Kristin in particular spent quite a bit of money, so they really needed income from wherever they could manage.
So, the two fell into what son Matthew called “a horrible Hollywood divorce.” It was horrible and it was not quick, to the point they were so divided that the kids were left in the care of household staff. Kristin had filed back in ‘77 and they weren’t fully split until ‘82.
So, who’s to blame? Drug tests years later would reveal at one point, Ricky mixed cocaine, marijuana, and a very strong painkiller, so it’s not a stretch to think he battled substance abuse while with Kristin. The kids would call their own mom a narcissist who enjoyed her fair share of vodka. On top of that, the whole experience left such a sour taste in Kristin’s mouth that she would try and stamp out her own kids’ dreams for good.
How old was Ricky Nelson when he died?
December 31, 1985. Nelson was traveling from Guntersville, Alabama, bound for Dallas, Texas, to perform a New Year’s Eve concert. He was one of over half a dozen people on board an old DC-3, refurbished from the World War II era, bought by Nelson from Jerry Lee Lewis.
While en route to the venue, suddenly, the cabin grew smoky. Passengers were unable to breathe as they inhaled toxic fumes. The pilots directed the plane into an emergency landing—only to collide right into a network of electrical wires, trees, and poles. The pilot and co-pilot emerged from the debris severely burned but alive. All seven passengers, including 45-year-old Ricky Nelson, died in the crash.
Subsequent toxicology reports would find traces of cocaine in the bodies of several passengers, including Nelson – though, his sons would call this a lie. On top of that, the plane had a history of technical issues. That night, the deadly fire was caused by a defective heater at the tail of the plane; the heater caught fire and all hell broke loose from there – just a taste of the emotional turmoil that the media would cause Ricky’s surviving family.
Who was with Ricky Nelson when he died?
Seven people died in the plane crash that night, including Nelson’s fiancee Helen Blair. But two people were very noticeably absent: Ricky’s twin sons, fellow music artists Gunnar and Matthew. It was a very near miss. Ricky had just asked the twins to travel with him to Dallas; they’d never flown on the plate before. It was supposed to be something special.
But then Ricky took his offer back. Gunnar remembered, “We got a phone call from our dad and he sounded strange — not the way he normally sounded. And he said, ‘You know, boys, I was just thinking. … I want you guys to fly to Dallas directly commercial and meet me there.’ And we’re like, ‘Well, Pop, the whole reason for us to go on this trip was to fly on the plane with you and the band!’” But their normally easygoing dad was dead set on them flying separately, and after the disaster, the twins were sure their dad had a gut instinct.
That meant Ricky’s own kids were not the very first to know when he died. Matthew found out on the car radio. When he heard, he stepped out of the vehicle and passed out. Five minutes later, Gunnar found out via TV report. It’s one of the most egregious examples of the deceased’s family not being notified first, and what Matthew called, “the beginning of an era with the press where humanity didn’t matter anymore.”
We always want to believe in the fairytale story we see on TV, that the people who gave us such beloved stories enjoy a happily ever after of their own. But there’s something to knowing just how grounded their lives are, knowing the odds they’ve fought against. The problems they made for themselves and had thrown at them, and still they marched on. That’s exactly what the life – the true life – of Ricky Nelson represents, even after pulling back the curtain.
Did you grow up watching The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet? What was your favorite Ricky Nelson song? Share your fondest memories in the comments below, we read every one!
