This show frequently employed the comic technique of having an actor turn directly to the camera to address the audience with an "aside," or a funny comment on the action of the scene.
After the series was cancelled, the series was replaced by [Batman].
Numerous 1950s episodes were sponsored by Hotpoint and included a prologue featuring Mary Tyler MooreMary Tyler Moore as "Happy Hotpoint", a dancing pixie.
The show began as a radio series in 1944. David Nelson and Ricky Nelson were played by professional actors, because the Nelsons' sons were too young, but by 1949 the real David NelsonDavid Nelson and Ricky NelsonRicky Nelson were part of the show. In 1952 the show became a television series.
The episode {Painting from the Past} was the last episode originally broadcast in black and white.
The Nelsons' house shown in exterior shots on the show is actually the Nelson family's real home in the Hollywood hills above Hollywood Boulevard.
Until it was surpassed by [The Simpsons] in 2004, this was the longest running comedy series in American television history.
The character 'Ozzie Nelson' was ranked #21 in [TV Guide]'s list of the {50 Greatest TV Dads of All Time} (20 June 2004 issue).
Rick, serving as the best man at a wedding, is embarrassed by the attention he receives from the maid-of-honor, because he's not attracted to her at all.
Rick decides to grow a beard, much to his wife's disgust. When Rick's friends and relations decide to go one better and wear "fully grown" fake beards, disaster ensues.
Wally, Rick and Dave decide to go horseback riding. When Rick spots a beautiful young instructor he pretends to be a novice and offers to exchange guitar lessons for riding lessons.
Ozzie volunteers for so many Christmas committees that he has little time to do his Christmas shopping, hang the Christmas lights or buy a Christmas tree.
It's Christmas Day at the Nelson's, a joyous occasion marked by one glitch - the catcher's mitt Ozzie ordered for Rick never arrived. That evening, Ozzie and Rick drive to another family named Nelson thinking that the package might have been delivered by mistake. The package isn't there, either, but Ozzie and his son are struck by how the family, a single mom and three young children, and received so little at Christmas compared to their own relative prosperity.
Harriet enlists Kris, Rick, and his fraternity brothers to help out with entertaining the kids at the Women's Club Annual Children's Show. Ozzie wants to get into the act, too.
One of Rick's high school girl friends, now engaged, returns a landscape of their favorite picnic grounds he painted for her years ago. Rick wants to hang the picture in their living room, but his wife is somewhat jealous since he's never done anything artistic for her. In order for both members of the family to save face, Rick convinces Wally agrees to break into the Nelson's house and steal the picture.
