Ricky Nelson
Acting
Born May 8, 1940, Teaneck, New Jersey, USA
Eric Hilliard Nelson (May 8, 1940 – December 31, 1985), better known as Ricky Nelson or Rick Nelson, was an American singer-songwriter, instrumentalist, and actor. He placed fifty-three songs on the Billboard Hot 100 between 1957 and 1973, including nineteen top-ten hits, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on January 21, 1987. Nelson began his entertainment career in 1949 playing himself in the radio sitcom series, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, and, in 1952, appeared in his first feature film, Here Come the Nelsons. In 1957, he recorded his first single, debuted as a singer on the television version of the sitcom, and recorded a number one album, Ricky. In 1958, Nelson recorded his first number one single, "Poor Little Fool", and, in 1959, received a Golden Globe Most Promising Male Newcomer nomination after starring in the western film, Rio Bravo. A few films followed, and, when the television series was cancelled in 1966, Nelson made occasional appearances as a guest star on various television programs. Nelson and Sharon Kristin Harmon were married on April 20, 1963, and divorced in December 1982. They had four children: Tracy Kristine, twin sons Gunnar Eric and Matthew Gray, and Sam Hilliard. On February 14, 1981, a son was born to Nelson and Georgeann Crewe. A blood test in 1985 confirmed Nelson was the child's father. Nelson was engaged to Helen Blair at the time of his death in an airplane crash on December 31, 1985.
Filmography
- 2005Ricky Nelson Sings
- 1993La Classe américaine — George's Friend (archive footage)
- 1984Happy Birthday, Mr. Christian — Mr. Christian
- 1984High School U.S.A. — Principal Pete Kinney
- 1978Three on a Date — Bob Oakes
- The Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew Mysteries
- The Love Boat — Ted Wilcox
- 1976The Shootist — Books' Fellow Lawman in Flashback (archive footage / uncredited)
- Petrocelli — Country Boy White
- 1974Sonic Boom — Jess of the Van
- 1972Fol-de-Rol — The Minstrel (as Rick Nelson)
- The Streets of San Francisco
- Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law — Vic
- McCloud — Jimmy Roy Taylor
- 1970Swing Out, Sweet Land — Confederate Soldier
- 1970The Resurrection of Broncho Billy — Voice Over
- The Jim Nabors Hour
- 1969The Over the Hill Gang — Jeff Rose
- Hondo
- ABC Stage 67 — Carlos O'Connor
- 1966On the Flip Side — Carlos O'Connor
- 1965Love and Kisses — Buzzy Pringle
- 1960The Wackiest Ship in the Army — Tommy Hanson
- 1959Rio Bravo — Colorado Ryan
- General Electric Theater — Lonnie Follett
- 1953The Story of Three Loves — Young Tommy
- 1952Here Come the Nelsons — Ricky Nelson
- The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet — Ricky
- Ricky Nelson & Fats Domino - Rockin' With Rick and Fats
Appearances as themselves (18)
- 2010Kenny Rogers and Friends — Self
- 2008The Wrecking Crew — Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
- 1990Death In Hollywood — Self (archive footage)
- 1980Men Who Rate a 10 — Self
- Solid Gold — Self
- Saturday Night Live — Self - Host
- Dinah! — Self
- 1973Easy to Be Free — Himself
- Rock Concert — Self
- 1973The Men Who Made the Movies: Howard Hawks — Self (archive footage)
- The Johnny Cash Show — Self
- 1968The Movie Orgy — Self (archive footage)
- Malibu U — Self - Host
- Miss USA — Self - Performer
- The Mike Douglas Show — Self
- 1959Disneyland '59 — Self
- What's My Line? — Self
- The Ed Sullivan Show — Self