Hilliard, Harriet (1909–1994)

American actress and singer who starred on "Ozzie and Harriet" for 22 years. Name variations: Harriet Nelson. Born Peggy Lou Snyder in Des Moines, Iowa, on July 18, 1909; died of congestive heart failure in Laguna Beach, California, on October 2, 1994; daughter of Roy Snyder whose stage name was Roy Hilliard (a director of a stock theater company) and Hazel (McNutt) Snyder whose stage name was Hazel Hilliard (an actress); married Oswald George "Ozzie" Nelson, on October 8, 1935 (died of liver cancer in 1975); children: Eric "Rick" (b. May 8, 1940, a rock singer killed in a 1985 plane crash), David (b. October 24, 1936, a producer-director); grandchildren: Tracy Nelson (an actress), and twins Gunnar and Matthew Nelson (popular rock singers who call themselves The Nelsons).

Filmography:

Follow the Fleet (1936); New Faces of 1937 (1937); The Life of the Party (1937); She's My Everything (1938); Coconut Grove (1938); The Letter (1940); Confessions of Boston Blackie (1941); Fifty Million Nickels (1941); Sweetheart of the Campus (1941); Canal Zone (1942); Juke Box Jenny (1942); Honeymoon Lodge (1943); The Falcon

Strikes Back (1943); Gals Inc. (1943); Take It Big (1944); Swingtime Johnny (1944); Here Come the Nelsons (1952). Early work with Ozzie on radio shows of comedians Joe Penner and Red Skelton. "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet," CBS radio (1944–49), ABC radio (1949–54), ABC television (October 1952–66).

Harriet Hilliard gave up a budding career as a bandsinger and movie actress to marry bandleader Ozzie Nelson—or, so she thought. In 1944, "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet" bowed on CBS radio on Sunday nights and ran until 1949; then ABC radio aired it from 1949 to 1954. In October 1952, the show began a 14-year run on ABC television. The Nelsons—including sons Ricky and David—became the most popular family in America, with its genial, bumbling dad and its wisecracking, all-knowing mother, who was generally seen preparing, serving, or cleaning up after meals. Hilliard revealed years later that she did not learn how to cook until after the show's cancellation.

Born Peggy Lou Snyder in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1909, Harriet was the daughter of Roy and Hazel Snyder, theater professionals who used the stage name Hilliard. Since her father was the dramatic director of the Midwest-based North Brothers Stock Company and her mother its "leading lady," Harriet hit the boards early; she had a walk-on, or more accurately, a carry-on role at six months and a speaking role at three years. In summer, she toured with her family in numerous productions, including The Little Princess and Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch. In winter, she attended public schools and St. Agnes Academy in Kansas City, Missouri.

After studying ballet in New York, Hilliard made her Broadway debut at 15 in the ballet line of the Capitol Theater, Eugene Ormandy conducting. Moving into vaudeville as a hoofer on the Orpheum circuit, she appeared with Ken Murray and the Harry Carroll Revue. An appearance in the movie short Musical Justice led to her new career as a singer for bandleader Ozzie Nelson, followed by "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet." When Ozzie, who was writer, director, and producer of their long-running family show, emerged from negotiations with ABC bigwigs, having wangled a 10-year contract, Hilliard looked up from the waiting room couch and said, "What if we get a divorce?"

After years of suffering from emphysema, Harriet Hilliard died on October 2, 1994.