View Full Version : David + Rick as Childless Newlyweds


PracTz
03-08-2014, 05:54 PM
I've been seeing some of the later eps, and I've noticed that [apart from the end tag in the 1964 Christmas Episode featuring their respective firstborn children Daniel and Tracy watching Rick perform 'The Christmas Song' for the family], David and Rick and their then Real Life wives are depicted as childless newlyweds [e.g. no references are ever made to them needing babysitters or Wally making the babies cry when trying to entertain them,etc.].
I found that a most curious anomaly in that the Nelsons did play themselves on the show so I wondered why they opted not to show the sons [and daughters-in-law] as parents of growing babies but I suppose that,in actuality, 'AoOH' was showing them playing fictionalized versions of themselves interacting with fellow citizens in a nondescript medium sized town and with such departures from reality as David and Ricky actually obtaining college educations with David fulfilling Real Life Ozzie's onetime dream of becoming a lawyer, it somewhat makes sense that they might have felt the viewers might relate to the younger couples better as childless, young newlyweds having little adventures as they each made their way than the viewers may have related had they been depicted as an aspiring Hollywood actor [David] married to a former Playboy Playmate [June] raising a young son or a rock singer [Rick] who married the daughter of family friends when she was three months pregnant and now raising their daughter. Yes, Rick sang a great deal on the show but his character seemed to consider that more of a hobby while Real Life Rick definitely considered it a calling and a passion [and couldn't hide it during the performances themselves].
It was a pleasant enough duo cameo with the infants Daniel and Tracy on that Christmas episode but I tend to think this was an instance of the Nelsons depicting their actual selves instead of fictionalized versions of themselves.

Coffeecup
03-08-2014, 11:30 PM
I happened to bump into that Christmas show where at the end the kids appeared. Off and on I have seen many episodes but none with Rick and Daves children. Maybe no network has shown the entire run in syndication.

bliss
03-10-2014, 08:49 PM
I happened to bump into that Christmas show where at the end the kids appeared. Off and on I have seen many episodes but none with Rick and Daves children. Maybe no network has shown the entire run in syndication.

I've noticed none of Dave or Rick's kids are in the series but then again I haven't seen all 435 episodes either.

Possibly the boys didn't want their own children to be pushed into show business at such a young age by appearing on a weekly show *shrugs* hence the TV-version of the couples being childless.

bliss
03-10-2014, 08:51 PM
I've been seeing some of the later eps, and I've noticed that [apart from the end tag in the 1964 Christmas Episode featuring their respective firstborn children Daniel and Tracy watching Rick perform 'The Christmas Song' for the family], David and Rick and their then Real Life wives are depicted as childless newlyweds [e.g. no references are ever made to them needing babysitters or Wally making the babies cry when trying to entertain them,etc.].
I found that a most curious anomaly in that the Nelsons did play themselves on the show so I wondered why they opted not to show the sons [and daughters-in-law] as parents of growing babies but I suppose that,in actuality, 'AoOH' was showing them playing fictionalized versions of themselves interacting with fellow citizens in a nondescript medium sized town and with such departures from reality as David and Ricky actually obtaining college educations with David fulfilling Real Life Ozzie's onetime dream of becoming a lawyer, it somewhat makes sense that they might have felt the viewers might relate to the younger couples better as childless, young newlyweds having little adventures as they each made their way than the viewers may have related had they been depicted as an aspiring Hollywood actor [David] married to a former Playboy Playmate [June] raising a young son or a rock singer [Rick] who married the daughter of family friends when she was three months pregnant and now raising their daughter. Yes, Rick sang a great deal on the show but his character seemed to consider that more of a hobby while Real Life Rick definitely considered it a calling and a passion [and couldn't hide it during the performances themselves].
It was a pleasant enough duo cameo with the infants Daniel and Tracy on that Christmas episode but I tend to think this was an instance of the Nelsons depicting their actual selves instead of fictionalized versions of themselves.

It would've been amazing to see Ozzie and Harriet as doting grandparents on the sitcom! From what I read it seems like both were very loving and close to the grandkids.