The Thorny Thread

[Janine the Dream]

I have been doing some research and it appears to me that Don DeFore left Ozzie and Harriet after the 1955-56 season. None of the episodes I have viewed or read about after that season seem to have him in them. Can anyone confirm this? Many listings say he was with the show as late as 1958, but I'm sure that's false.

[ILUVO&H]

Originally Posted by Janine the Dream

I have been doing some research and it appears to me that Don DeFore left Ozzie and Harriet after the 1955-56 season. None of the episodes I have viewed or read about after that season seem to have him in them. Can anyone confirm this? Many listings say he was with the show as late as 1958, but I'm sure that's false.

I've seen that too that he left in like 1958 or such but I think he left much earlier just from viewing the episodes.

For instance, Thorny isn't in any episodes with Ricky singing. If he was a regular cast member he would have at least have been in Ricky the Drummer.

For what seemed like a whole season Oz was palling around with Doc, Butch and Darb before Joe even came on.

And I keep seeing stuff where Don left to do Hazel but that timeline has never made sense to me.

It's almost like a conspiracy wanting everyone to think he left later than he did.

[matt77b]

Didn't Ozzie fire Don DeFore in 1956 for asking for what Oz thought was too much money? I even seem to recall reading somewhere (maybe in one of the biographies of Ricky) where Don DeFore later admitted that he was out of line and expressed regret over it.

[Marvo301]

IMDB.com indicates that Don DeFore appeared on the Adventures of Ozzie and Harriett from 1952 to 1956.

[Janine the Dream]

Originally Posted by Marvo301

IMDB.com indicates that Don DeFore appeared on the Adventures of Ozzie and Harriett from 1952 to 1956.

That appears to be correct. I wonder what his last episode was?

[OH Nuts!]

Originally Posted by matt77b

Didn't Ozzie fire Don DeFore in 1956 for asking for what Oz thought was too much money? I even seem to recall reading somewhere (maybe in one of the biographies of Ricky) where Don DeFore later admitted that he was out of line and expressed regret over it.

Yes, I read that in one of the bio's on Rick.

[Janine the Dream]

Originally Posted by OH Nuts!

Yes, I read that in one of the bio's on Rick.

The best answer I can come up with is " David Picks Up the Tab" as Don Defore's last episode. The episode was broadcast in November 1956 but could have been delayed from the previous season. In this episode, Thorny tells Ozzie how expensive the restaurant is that Dave is taking them to.

[Cincy Guy]

"David Picks Up The Tab" was telecasted on November 21, 1956. I may not have seen that episode. However, I recall the one from the week before, November 14, 1956, "The Pool Table" as having Thorny in it. As a matter of fact, I think a part of that episode takes place inside Thorny's house which almost never happened.

I remember a definite absence of Don DeFore in the shows once the series moved to Wednesday nights for the 1956-57 season. Interesting that nothing was mentioned about any problem between Ozzie and him until many years later.

[Janine the Dream]

Originally Posted by Cincy Guy

"David Picks Up The Tab" was telecasted on November 21, 1956. I may not have seen that episode. However, I recall the one from the week before, November 14, 1956, "The Pool Table" as having Thorny in it. As a matter of fact, I think a part of that episode takes place inside Thorny's house which almost never happened.

I remember a definite absence of Don DeFore in the shows once the series moved to Wednesday nights for the 1956-57 season. Interesting that nothing was mentioned about any problem between Ozzie and him until many years later.

One of the sites I have visited has all the episodes and their original air dates. In many cases, episodes were postponed from the previous season. The Pool Table episode you speak of may be one of them.