Eric Hilliard Nelson (May 8, 1940 â€" December 31, 1985), known
professionally as Ricky Nelson until his 21st birthday when he
officially dropped the "y" and simply became Rick Nelson, was an
American rock & roll star, pop pioneer, musician, and
singer-songwriter. From age eight he starred alongside his family in
the radio and television series The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet.
In 1957 he began a long and successful career as a popular recording
artist. As one of the top "teen idols" of the 1950s his fame led to a
motion picture role co-starring alongside John Wayne and Dean Martin
in Howard Hawks's western feature film Rio Bravo (1959). He placed 53
songs on the Billboard Hot 100, and its predecessors, between 1957 and
1973, including "Poor Little Fool" in 1958, which was the first number
1 song on Billboard magazine's then-newly created Hot 100 chart. He
recorded 19 additional Top 10 hits and was inducted into the Rock and
Roll Hall of Fame on January 21, 1987. In 1996 Nelson was ranked No.
49 on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Stars of All Time.Nelson began his
entertainment career in 1949 playing himself in the radio sitcom
series The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. In 1952, he 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 released the No. 1 album titled Ricky. In 1958, Nelson
released his first #1 single, "Poor Little Fool", and in 1959 received
a Golden Globe nomination for "Most Promising Male Newcomer" after
starring in 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.
professionally as Ricky Nelson until his 21st birthday when he
officially dropped the "y" and simply became Rick Nelson, was an
American rock & roll star, pop pioneer, musician, and
singer-songwriter. From age eight he starred alongside his family in
the radio and television series The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet.
In 1957 he began a long and successful career as a popular recording
artist. As one of the top "teen idols" of the 1950s his fame led to a
motion picture role co-starring alongside John Wayne and Dean Martin
in Howard Hawks's western feature film Rio Bravo (1959). He placed 53
songs on the Billboard Hot 100, and its predecessors, between 1957 and
1973, including "Poor Little Fool" in 1958, which was the first number
1 song on Billboard magazine's then-newly created Hot 100 chart. He
recorded 19 additional Top 10 hits and was inducted into the Rock and
Roll Hall of Fame on January 21, 1987. In 1996 Nelson was ranked No.
49 on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Stars of All Time.Nelson began his
entertainment career in 1949 playing himself in the radio sitcom
series The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. In 1952, he 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 released the No. 1 album titled Ricky. In 1958, Nelson
released his first #1 single, "Poor Little Fool", and in 1959 received
a Golden Globe nomination for "Most Promising Male Newcomer" after
starring in 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.
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