My Mother’s Memories … The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet Halloween show

It was in the early 1950’s.  Such a different world than our fast paced, hi tech world of today.  The horrific years of WW II were finally behind us but the loss of six of my friends – on the battlefield, to the sea or in the sky will always remain in my memory.

Everyone was determined to put the war years behind them and build a better more productive life than our country had ever know. My husband Norman, a pilot in the European theatre, and I were doing just that.  We lived in a little rented white bungalow in Hollywood. Norm was a teacher and coach at Notre Dame High School and I stayed home raising our two children Jerry and Susie.

Jerry had just begun modeling and doing some live TV. I think he was about four years old.  One day his agent called that he was to report for work at a location fairly close to our home the next morning.  It was early October.  I dressed him in his everyday clothes and trekked the short distance to catch the big red streetcar that ran along Santa Monica Blvd. (remember this was the early 50’s, most families owned one car that the father took to work, the wife – me – walked or took buses or street cars).  We got to the stage where Jerry was to work.  It was a single building and I think was what we referred to as the old Charlie Chaplin studio (circa 1920’s). There was a little girl a few years older than Jerry who was also working, and the makeup man took them to his makeup table to get ready for the scene. I started talking to the teacher, a very nice man. (By law whenever anyone under 18 years old works on a set there must be a teacher/social worker there).  He told me it was the “Ozzie and Harriet Nelson show” and what exceptionally nice boys David and Rickey were.  He said they were coming later and hoped we would get to meet them.

An assistant director called the kids to the set.  There was no script.  Ozzie Nelson, the director, just told them to knock on the door, and when the door opened say trick or treat.  I have never been on a set with such a casual, relaxed environment.  It seemed they finished in no more than fifteen minutes with each clutching a bag of candy.  They were told they could go home.  As we were leaving, David and Ricky were just entering so we said little hi’s and goodbyes but never got to formally meet them.  We boarded the streetcar for home, Jerry, a very happy little chappie, with his early start on Halloween trick or treat candy.

Here is a clip of the actual segment of Jerry in the Halloween episode called “Halloween Party.”

www.youtube.com/watch?v=rolMNY4-bKo                   Marilyn Mathers