Ricky Nelson: Original Teen Idol

Having grown up watching all of the "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet" on the one and only b&w television that our family owned, the best episodes by far were the ones where Ricky was singing. This movie brought back those memories and it was interesting to see some of the behind the scenes things that went on and how Ricky's musical began and developed. Ozzie with his total control over the program along with his control over Ricky were the things we never knew about while watching the shows. A very good portrayal of all involved in the family by the actors in this movie and I'd recommend this to anyone who grew up with that show playing in their living rooms. It was tragic how Ricky's life ended and his fans remember it well. Thumps up to all involved. Great movie.

It did not necessarily hurt being on TV every week. We watched him grow up on his family's TV program that later became a launching pad for his recording career. This is a glimpse at the ups and downs of Ricky Nelson's career between 1940 and New Years Eve 1985, when he died in a plane crash in Texas. His career is recalled in a series of flashbacks as Nelson reviews his past with a fan....just hours before his life ended. It is impressive they did not try and candy coat his story. Several bits of negative activity is presented along with accomplishments anyone would be proud of. Of course this TV film is not meant to be the gospel of Ricky Nelson, so take some of this in stride.

I am not impressed with Gregory Calakis as Nelson. A grin and wide eyes just doesn't cut it. Jamey Sheridan was darn good as Ozzie Nelson. Sara Botsford plays Harriet and Anthony Lemke is David Nelson. The cast is pretty much made up of unknowns. I'm sure if this was a theatrical release we would see some real stars in the key roles. Roles of interest: Chris Loane as James Burton; Chris Dignan as Johnny Burnette with his brother Sean playing Dorsey Burnette; Kelly Harms as Randy Meisner and Rob Fenton hams it up as Elvis. If you are a 'rockin' Ricky fan you will be pleased that someone cared to put this project together. It is worth watching.

After at least 24 songs that I gave him, to be a million seller each, he(Ricky Nelson), asked to me to me to give him a song about me as "a teen being adored" not the private me- "Teenage Idol" is what I gave him on the phone creating it as he listened. Ricky knew me as Kissing Bobby- one of the Beatles said it best about me: "He was, in his time, more loved than Bing Crosby and Elvis Presley and the Beatles and Michael Jackson all put together". I constantly created songs for Ricky to be loved-because he was a very loving person!!!!! I wrote my heart not the dumb IMDb 10 line requirement.I wrote my heart not the dumb IMDb 10 line requirement.I wrote my heart not the dumb IMDb 10 line requirement.I wrote my heart not the dumb IMDb 10 line requirement.I wrote my heart not the dumb IMDb 10 line requirement.

This was a very interesting and well acted movie that focused on just how underrated Rick Nelson was in music history. He was a trail blazer for country rock in addition to being a TV star and teen idol. Many intriguing details were brought out about a kid who had everything but still threw it all away. Jamey Sheridan did a fine job as the overbearing, minimally talented Ozzie Nelson who rode Ricky's fame to his personal fortune. Kris Nelson (Rick's wife) came off as a talentless gold digger(which I don't doubt) who spent money to fill the void in her marriage. Overall this was a good movie, nearly the equal of the network TV effort "The Temptations" and I commend VH1 for producing another solid film in the wake of "Sweetwater".

It's fairly accepted these biopics will include fiction, making them inaccurate as this movie is. The real failure of this movie is that it turns away from the positives and shows the dark side of everything in Rick Nelson's life & career even if it didn't really exist. When even a brief highlight is mentioned, like when he got his first movie role, it is prefaced and ended with negatives so even those highlights are presented like a bad thing. Feel like Rick Nelson had nothing but a very sad life, and I feel depressed from watching this.