Ozzie and Harriet mentions in other shows

[ILUVO&H]

I thought it might be fun and interesting to list different tv shows or movies, where any of the Nelsons or the show was referenced.

Here's one to start out...

Growing Pains one episode where Skip Young and Parley Baer have a cameo!

Darbs working the counter at a diner which reminds me of the malt shop, and Wally's sitting at the counter. The give advice to Mike who's contemplating marriage.

Here's another..

Perfect Strangers...

Balki is telling a story of an episode he saw on an old sit com.

He starts telling it and then mentions a Wally. The two blondes who were Balki and Larry's girlfriends, ask.. Which Wally? Wally the Beavers Brother or Wally, David and Rick's friend?

I always loved that reference because it's so obsure, who would have thought a mention of Wally Plumstead over 20 years after the show ended. :)

[matt77b]

On an episode of Happy Days, I think it was one where Richie had his band that played at Arnold's, and he refers to himself as "Rick" Cunningham, and Fonzie says something like "Rick Cunningham? And is your dad Ozzie?" Or something like that...been so long since I saw it that I cannot remember the exact line, but Fonzie definitely mentions the name Ozzie.

Also, on another episode of Happy Days, Potsie sang Rick's song "Teenage Idol."

[matt77b]

Or actually, now that I think of it, maybe it was Carmine who sang "Teenage Idol" on Laverne & Shirley...it's been so long since I've seen either show that I cannot remember for sure...but somebody sang "Teenage Idol" on one of those shows, lol!

[MickeyMac]

On an episode of Happy Days, I think it was one where Richie had his band that played at Arnold's, and he refers to himself as "Rick" Cunningham, and Fonzie says something like "Rick Cunningham? And is your dad Ozzie?" Or something like that...been so long since I saw it that I cannot remember the exact line, but Fonzie definitely mentions the name Ozzie.

Also, on another episode of Happy Days, Potsie sang Rick's song "Teenage Idol."



There was another reference to Ozzie and Harriet on Happy Days, when Richie I think bought a car, or talked his dad into buying a new car. The car was the same model Ozzie drove on his show. Richie mentioned that to his dad and then told his dad "You like Ozzie".

[ILUVO&H]

Happy Days had LOTS of mentions of Ozzie and Harriet.

Another mention on HD I recall is Potsie was talking to Howard, I think Howard was trying to get Richie to join his lodge. Howard didn't think he and Richie had anything in common, and feeling kinda down. Potsie tells him something about how he's the best dad they all know. How Potsie's own dad doesn't spend much time with him, etc.. and all the guys feel like he's their dad..etc etc.. and ends it by equating him to Ozzie Nelson. :)

Which it has been said that Garry Marshall modeled Howards character after Ozzie. :)

[ILUVO&H]

On an episode of Happy Days, I think it was one where Richie had his band that played at Arnold's, and he refers to himself as "Rick" Cunningham, and Fonzie says something like "Rick Cunningham? And is your dad Ozzie?" Or something like that...been so long since I saw it that I cannot remember the exact line, but Fonzie definitely mentions the name Ozzie.

Also, on another episode of Happy Days, Potsie sang Rick's song "Teenage Idol."

The Rick Cunningham episode would be the episode Fonzie Loves Pinky.

I think I practically have memorized every episode of HD, and I don't recall Potsie ever singing Teenage Idol, so it may have been Carmine. Though Potsie did sing 'It's Late' and 'Hello Mary Lou' HD actually used a lot of Ricks songs as background music. Usually instramental versions, most likely to cut the costs of music rights fees.

[ILUVO&H]

This one isn't very flattering but...

There's an episode of All in the Family, where Edith is upset with Archie and she sleeps on the couch. Archie comes downstrairs in the middle of the night and turns on the tv, which awakens Edith. Archie explains he is only down there because a movie is coming on he didn't want to miss. (his excuse for going down there and making up with Edith) He asks if the movie will keep her awake. Edith asks what movie. Archie says. Here Come the Nelsons with Ozzie and Harriet. Edith says, no I don't think that will keep me awake.

In another episode of AITF, Gloria comes home all happy and enters by saying Hi Ma, Hi Dad, Hi Rick, Hi Dave!

[matt77b]

^Kinda off subject, but speaking of Sally Struthers (Gloria), it's been reported in a number of Rick bios that she went to a concert of Rick's at the Roxy in LA in 1981, which a number of stars attended as Capitol Records gave it a lot of promotion as a tie-in with the release of Rick's album Playing to Win, and after the concert she met Rick and was pawing him and was trying to convince him to do a TV series with her. (She had just left AITF.) Rick apparently wasn't interested then, but ironically, as I've mentioned in this forum before, by 1984, he was sick of touring and looking for a series.

But back to the subject...in Moonlighting, on an episode that aired just after Rick's death but was probably filmed before it, Bruce Willis' character is singing and Cybill Sheppherd's character tells him (somewhat teasingly) that he was closing his eyes "just like Ricky Nelson." And he replies (sort of disbelievingly or as if he's insulted), "Ricky Nelson?!" But seeing how Rick had just died, it ended up seeming (I thought) disrepectful, although again it was probably filmed before he died.

[ILUVO&H]

Speaking of Moonlighting, a Rick's brother in law Mark Harmon played the love interest for a season of Maddie Hayes (Cybil Sheppard)

And to keep this back on topic, AND all the way connected, on an episode of Mork and Mindy, Mindy of course played by Mark Harmons now wife Pam Dawber, is telling Mork about a dream she used to always have a little girl, something about how one day Ricky Nelson would come riding up to her on a big white horse and carry her away.

[matt77b]

This one is almost like cheating, but of course there was Rick's famous appearance on SNL in 1979 in which he played "sixteen-year-old Ricky Nelson" trying to find his way home to the Nelson kitchen, only to keep ending up in the wrong '50s sitcom kitchen. And that SNL episode even ended with Rick singing his forthcoming single ("Dream Lover"), as did so many O&H episodes.

[Jude The Obscure]

O&H rated a mention on Good Times, which you will find my thread somewhere down down below! :lol: when the family ends up with two goldfish--Ozzie and Harriet. When Harriet has babies, they are named Dave, Ricky, Susan and Brenda. (the girls from "Ozzie's Girls).

The original thread is here:
http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=221979

[Goldilocks]

NCIS has an episode where the criminal they are looking for is obsessed with everything 1950's. When they get a search warrant for his house, Agent Dinozzo turns on the TV and "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet" is playing in the DVD player. So, there's like a 45 second plug for O&H as Dinozzo explains what the show is about to Agent McGee.

Just in case no one knew, Mark Harmon is in NCIS. :cool:

[Dan Tullis]

^Kinda off subject, but speaking of Sally Struthers (Gloria), it's been reported in a number of Rick bios that she went to a concert of Rick's at the Roxy in LA in 1981, which a number of stars attended as Capitol Records gave it a lot of promotion as a tie-in with the release of Rick's album Playing to Win, and after the concert she met Rick and was pawing him and was trying to convince him to do a TV series with her. (She had just left AITF.) Rick apparently wasn't interested then, but ironically, as I've mentioned in this forum before, by 1984, he was sick of touring and looking for a series.

I doubt he was sick of touring, but I'm sure he would've liked to cut down his schedule somewhat. 200 shows a year would grind anyone down. BTW, I have a pic of Rick and Sally at the above mentioned show. Kent McCord was there, too.

[matt77b]

I doubt he was sick of touring, but I'm sure he would've liked to cut down his schedule somewhat. 200 shows a year would grind anyone down. BTW, I have a pic of Rick and Sally at the above mentioned show. Kent McCord was there, too.
Well he certainly wasn't going to stop touring altogether--he told Andrew Wilkinson (still to this day the president of his British fan club) that he was going to tour England again in 1986 and hopefully bring Fats Domino with him--but he was definitely looking for a series and also trying to sell his house (the famed Errol Flynn house on Mulholland Dr.) in hopes of not having to tour so much. He supposedly even expressed willingness to do some kind of Ozzie & Harriet reunion show (of living cast members) after not participating in the 1981 KTLA Ozzie & Harriet Christmas Special which included Harriet, David, and other cast members.

P.S. Any chance you could scan and post that photo?

[CJ]

Dangnabbit, I knew I would forget this !!!

The other night hubby was watching M*A*S*H and I heard Hawkeye mention ''Ozzie''. I thought to myself, I must check this episode before it is over--there is a post on Sitcoms :lol: ...and of course I didn't.

[Dan Tullis]

Don't know when I will be able to scan those photos, but I will try to get to it someday. It's from The Nelson News, Rick's fan club zine from the early 80's. There were some pretty cool photos and articles in those zines - really the only way to keep up with what Rick was doing in those days, as the mainstream periodicals - Rolling Stone, Billboard, etc - were mostly oblivious to his current career.

[Goldilocks]

Anyone see the special on ABC last night on Jacqueline Kennedy? There was an Ozzie and Harriet reference!

Diane Sawyer was the host/narrator and she was telling about when JFK was elected President, the Eisenhowers were leaving the White House. She said, "This was in the era of Ozzie and Harriet..." and then a clip from the show was shown. Don't know from what episode but they were all seated at the dinner table and Ricky was complimenting Harriet on the meal.

Love how it's such a major pop culture reference!

[ILUVO&H]

Anyone see the special on ABC last night on Jacqueline Kennedy? There was an Ozzie and Harriet reference!

Diane Sawyer was the host/narrator and she was telling about when JFK was elected President, the Eisenhowers were leaving the White House. She said, "This was in the era of Ozzie and Harriet..." and then a clip from the show was shown. Don't know from what episode but they were all seated at the dinner table and Ricky was complimenting Harriet on the meal.

Love how it's such a major pop culture reference!


I saw it. Annd it was Dave who had the line about the good meal.

Made me very happy when I saw it. :)