Ricky Nelson Biography and Filmography

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Naked Photos of Ricky Nelson are available at MaleStars.com. They currently feature over 65,000 Nude Pics, Biographies, Video Clips, Articles, and Movie Reviews of famous stars.

Actresses who appeared with Ricky Nelson on screen:

Lauren Bacall
Angie Dickinson
Tracey Gold
Agnes Moorehead
Loni Anderson
Zsa Zsa Gabor
Leslie Caron
Didi Conn
June Allyson
Pier Angeli
Meredith Macrae
Sheree North
Harlee McBride

Ricky Nelson
Birthday: May 8, 1940
Birth Place: Teaneck, New Jersey, USA
Height: 5' 1"

Below is a complete filmography (list of movies he's appeared in) for Ricky Nelson. If you have any corrections or additions, please email us at corrections@actorsofhollywood.com. We'd also be interested in any trivia or other information you have.

Biography

The famous offspring of actors Ozzie Nelson and Harriet Hilliard Nelson, Rick Nelson (born Eric Hilliard Nelson) began performing on his parents' radio show when he was only four. When Ozzie and Harriet moved to television in 1952, Rick went with them and while on the show, grew up to become a teen idol, loved not only as an actor but also as a rock & roll singer who racked up hits with such singles as "Hello Mary Lou," "Travelin' Man," and "Garden Party" (his biggest and last big hit). Nelson made his feature-film debut in A Story of Three Loves. He earned critical acclaim as a cocky young gunfighter in Rio Bravo (1959) starring opposite John Wayne and Dean Martin. He continued appearing in films, in concert, and on television through the early '80s. Nelson, the father of actress Tracy Nelson and twin pop stars Matthew and Gunnar Nelson, died in a plane crash along with his fianc

Movie Credits

Ricky Nelson & Fats Domino: Live at the Universal Amphitheatre (1985)

A Tale of Two Wishes (1981)

Three on a Date (1978)
[ Ray Bolger ]

The Shootist (1976)
[ John Wayne ][ Ron Howard ][ James Stewart ][ Harry Morgan ][ Scatman Crothers ]

Sonic Boom (1974)
[ George Kennedy ][ Sal Mineo ][ Jonathan Winters ]

Victim in Shadow (1972)

The Resurrection of Broncho Billy (1970)
[ John Carpenter ]

The Over-the-Hill Gang (1969)
[ Walter Brennan ][ Aaron Spelling ][ Jack Elam ][ Bruce Glover ]

Wally's Traffic Ticket (1966)

The Ghost Town (1965)

Flying Down to Lunch (1965)

A Message from Kris (1965)

Love and Kisses (1965)

The Wackiest Ship in the Army (1960)
[ Jack Lemmon ]

Rio Bravo (1959)
[ John Wayne ][ Dean Martin ][ Walter Brennan ][ Ward Bond ][ Harry Carey Jr. ]

The Story of Three Loves (1953)
[ Kirk Douglas ][ James Mason ][ Farley Granger ]

Here Come the Nelsons (1952)
[ Rock Hudson ]

Trivia

Brother of actor/director, David Nelson
He was engaged to Helen Blair at the time of his death. She was killed in the plane crash with him and his band.
Father of Tracy Nelson, Matthew Nelson, Gunnar Nelson and Sam Nelson.
Son of Ozzie Nelson and Harriet Hilliard.
Interred at Forest Lawn (Hollywood Hills), Los Angeles, California, USA, on the right as you walk in, on the steep slope under the third tree, two rows above Ozzie Nelson and Harriet Hilliard.
Johnny Cash wrote the song "Restless Kid" for him to sing in Howard Hawks' Rio Bravo (1959). However, music director Dimitri Tiomkin insisted that Nelson perform the folk song "Cindy" and Dimitri Tiomkin's own "My Rifle, My Pony and Me". Johnny Cash's evocative "Restless Kid", which sums up Ricky's Rio Bravo (1959) character "Colorado" in less than two minutes, never appeared in the film. Instead, it was released on Nelson's third album, "Ricky Sings Again" (Imperial LP 9061 [mono]/Imperial LP 12090 [stereo], 1959).
Brother-in-law of Mark Harmon
When Rick Nelson appeared at The Rock Revival at Madison Square Garden in 1971, he was unaware that he was to appear in clothing from the era of the height of his popularity. Not aware of this he appeared in contemporary clothing and was booed because of this. Afterwards, and as a result of this, he wrote the hit song, "Garden Party".
Elected to the Rock and Roll Hall Fame in 1987.
One of the most popular teen idols on the late 1950's and early 1960's, his many hit records, primarily on the Imperial and American Decca labels, include "I'm Walkin'", "Travelin' Man", "Poor Little Fool", "For You", "Fools Rush In", "It's Late", and "Garden Party". Most of these songs were originally introduced on "The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet" (1952) TV show.
Ever since his death in a private plane crash on New Year's Eve, 1985, it has been speculated that the fire that caused the crash was the result of drug use--supposedly freebasing cocaine--either by Nelson himself or by one of his crew. This theory has since been discredited by, among other sources, the Civil Aeornautics Board in their official report on the crash. Their evidence shows that the cause originally given for the crash (an on-board heater short-circuiting and catching fire) is the correct one.
Ranked #2 in TV Guide's list of "TV's 25 Greatest Teen Idols" (23 January 2005 issue).
He was voted the 91st Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Artist of all time by Rolling Stone.
Was the first teen idol to use television as a way to promote hit records. His version of "I'm Walkin' " made #4 on the Billboard singles chart and sold over a million copies after he performed it on TV.
His hit single "Garden Party," which in the fall of 1972 reached #6 and went gold, was about his experience during a Madison Square Garden concert. In fact, when in that song he sang "But if memories were all I sang, I'd rather drive a truck," he meant it.
He at first had no ambition to be a rock singer. When a girlfriend told him that she was in love with Elvis Presley, Rick told her that he was a rock singer, too. He hurriedly cut a cover of Fats Domino's song "I'm Walkin'", which became a big hit and started his musical career.
Friends with John Lennon and Yoko Ono.
Father-in-law of Yvette Nelson

Naked Photos of Ricky Nelson are available at MaleStars.com. They currently feature over 65,000 Nude Pics, Biographies, Video Clips, Articles, and Movie Reviews of famous stars.