Ozzie Nelson was driven by his career. After a long and successful run he passed away at the age of 69 in his San Fernando Valley Home. He suffered from recurring malignant tumors in his old age. He eventually died of liver cancer on June 3, 1975. Both Harriet and his two sons were by his side when he passed.
Harriet took her husband’s death very hard and isolated herself from others after he passed. She did, however, agree to some guest appearances on shows like Love Boat, Fantasy Island, and Happy Days. Her sons continued with their careers.
Outdoor vs. Indoor
If you were an avid Ozzie and Harriet fan throughout the series' run, then you were probably well aware that a lot of the TV show took place in the family kitchen. This was no coincidence. The show's main sponsor, Hotpoint, wanted to place its products directly in front of the show's audience. Later on in the series, there were more outdoor scenes. Once they were outside, the cameras around everyone's necks were from Kodak.
At this point in time, this was the extent of the capabilities of product placement. TV commercials and more strategic product placement wouldn't become a thing for years to come. Although the TV show was entirely about the family, the Nelsons depended largely on sponsors and thus where the family interacted was decided by some of the show's main sponsors.
Two Couples Were Played By the Same Actors
In later seasons of the Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, actors Lyle Talbot and Mary Jane Croft played the married couple Joe and Clara Randolph. Fans loved the on-screen couple who appeared several times on the show. However, this wasn't their first time on the show.
They had an earlier appearance in the show when they played Harvey and Marion Burnette. The show's producers loved the duo's chemistry and brought them back for an expanded role with them playing the parts of new characters. In the early days of television, actors often played several roles.
A Strange Garden Party
In 1971, Ricky Nelson performed at Madison Square Garden in a rock revival concert, the Richard Nader Oldies Concert. He was attempting to play his new songs for the crowd, but the crowd wasn't having it. They eventually booed him off stage when he performed The Rolling Stones’ “Honky Tonk Women.” The crowd wasn't so happy with Ricky's choice of clothing; specifically because of his long hair and style, which was very different from Little Ricky.
Although Ricky was a successful composer and rock star, he struggled to rid himself of the one-sided image that had on the show. Mr. Jones said he was a paradox. who didn't know how to be grown-up and was trapped by his television identity. Jones said that "he harbored that hurt for most of the rest of his life -- that he could not be accepted by his peers."
Kristin & Ricky Were Having Trouble
Ricky and his wife had a very rocky marriage, to put it best. In 1977, after 14 years of marriage and four children, their marriage was just about to become a thing of the past. There were several incidences that tore their marriage apart. At one point, Kristin moved Ricky out of their home and placed him into a rented house. She did this while he was on tour. He was left to discover this himself when he came home from the tour.
One month later, Kristin discovered Ricky in the bedroom with two cheerleaders from the Los Angeles Rams, which he claimed was set up. Although the couple eventually worked through their differences, Kristin still wanted to make their separation permanent and legal. In 1982, the couple finally divorced and Ricky received a tough blow when attorneys and accountants took more than $1 million from him.