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RICK NELSON: IT'S ALL RIGHT NOW (TV)

Summary

This televised documentary special explores the life and career of Rick "Ricky" Nelson, including his youth on his parents' show "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet" and his subsequent musical career. The program opens with scenes from "Ozzie and Harriet," and an adult Nelson arrives at a fair in Monroe, Louisiana and struggles through a crowd of excited fans to take the stage and perform "I'm Walkin'." He explains that he decided to make a record to impress a high-school girlfriend who loved Elvis Presley, and on the April 10, 1957 episode of "Ozzie and Harriet," entitled "Ricky, the Drummer," he sang "I'm Walkin'" and it soon became a hit record. Onstage, Nelson performs Bob Dylan's "If You Gotta Go, Go." He explains that he enjoys playing at fairs and meeting new people, recalling his nervousness at his first show in 1957, and Monroe mayor W.L. Howard comments on the excitement of the famous singer performing in his town. Nelson cites singer Carl Perkins as his idol, and then performs "I Wanna Move With You." His "dynamite" opening act The Sweet Inspirations performs "Lady Marmalade," followed by their eponymous song "Sweet Inspiration."

Members of Nelson's fan club meet to discuss his "mystery and magic," and one woman admits that she was fired from her job after taking too many days off to attend his concerts. Nelson states that he is "very flattered" by the fans' attention and experiences a bit of an "ego trip" in response, and performs "Poor Little Fool" and "It's Late." He then sings "Garden Party," explaining that he wrote it after being booed while performing at a rock 'n' roll revival concert at Madison Square Garden on October 15, 1971. He comments on his many famous friends who have died, including Gene Vincent and Buddy Holly, and performs "Hello Mary Lou" and "Lonesome Town." He next discusses his father, Oswald "Ozzie" Nelson, explaining how he "kept everything together" on-set and off, admitting that experiencing fame as a child and a teen was "addictive," and sings "You Can't Dance." Nelson ponders life on the road, explaining that touring can be lonely and that he often struggles with feelings of guilt at being away from his family for long periods of time. Onstage, he sings "She Belongs to Me" and "Something You Can't Buy." He admits that he cannot picture himself growing old and has felt young for a long time because of his lifetime in showbiz, and then closes the concert with "Travelin' Man." Commercials deleted.

Details

  • NETWORK: N/A
  • DATE: November 30, 1977
  • RUNNING TIME: 0:59:00
  • COLOR/B&W: Color
  • CATALOG ID: B:87398
  • GENRE: Documentary
  • SUBJECT HEADING: Documentary; Biography; Musicians
  • SERIES RUN: N/A
  • COMMERCIALS: N/A

CREDITS

  • Rudolf W. Driscoll … Executive Producer
  • Margot Driscoll … Executive Producer
  • Lynne Littman … Producer, Director
  • Taylor Hackford … Producer, Director
  • Allan Muir … Director
  • W.L. Howard … Interviewee
  • Rick Nelson (See also: Ricky Nelson) … Interviewee, Performer
  • Sweet Inspirations … Performer
  • Bob Dylan
  • Buddy Holly
  • Carl Perkins
  • Elvis Presley
  • Gene Vincent