--- name: "Ricky Nelson" canonical: "https://film.one/person/ricky-nelson" fi1m_id: "ricky-nelson" imdb_id: "nm0625699" tmdb_id: 4300 wikidata_id: "Q303207" roles: ["Actor"] born: "8 May 1940" died: "31 December 1985" reviewed_on_fi1m: 1 average_as: "actor" average_over: 1 updated: "2026-09-24T06:16:02.407582+00:00" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Ricky Nelson ## Identity Ricky Nelson - **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/ricky-nelson - **Type:** Person - **Fi1m ID:** ricky-nelson - **IMDb ID:** nm0625699 - **TMDB ID:** 4300 - **Wikidata ID:** Q303207 - **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricky_Nelson, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q303207, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0625699/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/4300 Actor. Born 8 May 1940 in Teaneck, New Jersey, USA. Died 31 December 1985. ## Details - **Work:** Actor - **Born:** 8 May 1940, Teaneck, New Jersey, USA - **Died:** 31 December 1985 - **Also known as:** Eric Hilliard Nelson, Rick Nelson, ریکی نلسون - **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricky_Nelson, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q303207, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0625699/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/4300 ## Fi1m on Ricky Nelson > Ricky Nelson brings a clean-cut composure to the screen, and we find him a capable supporting presence. In *Rio Bravo*, though, that assurance leaves him less interesting to watch than Dean Martin or Walter Brennan. In *Rio Bravo* (1959), Ricky Nelson's Colorado Ryan is so composed that we seldom wonder what he is thinking. He belongs in Howard Hawks's unhurried Western, where the pleasure comes largely from spending time with the company. Yet belonging is about as far as the performance goes. We grew less interested when attention shifted from Dean Martin or Walter Brennan to Nelson, because his assurance gave us less to be curious about. That is a limitation in a film which leaves its actors so much room. His television work helps explain that ease. In *The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet* (1952–1966), he appeared as himself, and familiarity was a large part of what he offered an audience. His recording career began in 1957; his screen work also made room for songs. The clean-cut youth Hawks cast did not need much introducing. That makes him readily acceptable as Colorado, though we would have liked more than the reassuring sense that he was comfortable being there. The move into film did not demand that he become unrecognisable. After *Rio Bravo*, *The Wackiest Ship in the Army* (1960) made use of his ease in comedy, and *Love and Kisses* (1965), written and directed by Ozzie Nelson, took him into romantic comedy. These were extensions of the familiar performer, rather than evidence of a sharp break. As music took precedence, acting became more intermittent, with occasional television guest roles after the family series ended. Hawks gives that composure a useful place in an ensemble, without making it sufficient reason to watch Nelson on his own. The relaxed pace accommodates him, although it also gives us time to notice how much more his colleagues contribute. We rate *Rio Bravo* highly, but there is no reason to promote every performance in it to the same level. Start there for Nelson, provided the attraction is the company rather than the expectation that he will be its most interesting member. ## Biography Ricky Nelson, born Eric Hilliard Nelson, was an American actor and musician. He appeared as Colorado Ryan in the 1959 western *Rio Bravo*, directed by Howard Hawks and starring John Wayne and Dean Martin. Nelson began his career as a child performer on the radio and television series *The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet* (1952–1966), in which he played a version of himself alongside his family. He made his feature film debut in *Here Come the Nelsons* (1952) and later appeared in films including *The Wackiest Ship in the Army* (1960). He received a Golden Globe nomination for Most Promising Male Newcomer for his role in *Rio Bravo*. Nelson died on 31 December 1985 in a plane crash near De Kalb, Texas. *Sources: imdb.com, en.wikipedia.org.* ## On Fi1m (1) - *Rio Bravo* (1959), Fi1m 88, as Colorado Ryan — [page](https://film.one/film/rio-bravo.md) ## Complete filmography (29) Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page. - *Ricky Nelson Sings* (2005), Actor - *La Classe américaine* (1993), as George's Friend (archive footage) - *Happy Birthday, Mr. Christian* (1984), as Mr. Christian - *High School U.S.A.* (1984), as Principal Pete Kinney - *Three on a Date* (1978), as Bob Oakes - *The Love Boat* (1977), series, as Ted Wilcox - *The Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew Mysteries* (1977), series, Actor - *The Shootist* (1976), as Books' Fellow Lawman in Flashback (archive footage / uncredited) - *Petrocelli* (1974), series, as Country Boy White - *Sonic Boom* (1974), as Jess of the Van - *The Streets of San Francisco* (1972), series, Actor - *Fol-de-Rol* (1972), as The Minstrel (as Rick Nelson) - *Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law* (1971), series, as Vic - *The Resurrection of Broncho Billy* (1970), as Voice Over - *McCloud* (1970), series, as Jimmy Roy Taylor - *Swing Out, Sweet Land* (1970), as Confederate Soldier - *The Jim Nabors Hour* (1969), series, Actor - *The Over the Hill Gang* (1969), as Jeff Rose - *Hondo* (1967), series, Actor - *On the Flip Side* (1966), as Carlos O'Connor - *ABC Stage 67* (1966), series, as Carlos O'Connor - *Love and Kisses* (1965), as Buzzy Pringle - *The Wackiest Ship in the Army* (1960), as Tommy Hanson - *Rio Bravo* (1959), as Colorado Ryan — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/film/rio-bravo.md) - *The Story of Three Loves* (1953), as Young Tommy - *General Electric Theater* (1953), series, as Lonnie Follett - *The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet* (1952), series, as Ricky - *Here Come the Nelsons* (1952), as Ricky Nelson - *Ricky Nelson & Fats Domino - Rockin' With Rick and Fats*, Actor ## Gallery - ![Ricky Nelson](https://film.one/media/person/3427574/gallery-e31065764197.jpg) Ricky Nelson — Decca Records, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Decca_Records_Rick_Nelson_1966.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Page printed in retrospect of the 1950s (1960)](https://film.one/media/person/3427574/gallery-9cc70298024f.jpg) Page printed in retrospect of the 1950s (1960) — Uncredited, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f3/1950s_in_retrospect_-_Modern_Screen%2C_Jan._1960.jpg/1280px-1950s_in_retrospect_-_Modern_Screen%2C_Jan._1960.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Publicity photo of American actors, (clockwise from front) Ozzie Nelson, Harriet Nelson, David Nelson and Ricky Nelson promoting their roles on the ABC televisi](https://film.one/media/person/3427574/gallery-4cecd5720f00.jpg) Publicity photo of American actors, (clockwise from front) Ozzie Nelson, Harriet Nelson, David Nelson and Ricky Nelson promoting their roles on the ABC televisi — Press materials are presumed to have been distributed by the ABC Television Network, which was the network that aired the series., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/05/Adv_of_Ozzie_and_Harriet_Nelson_Family_1952.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Publicity photo of American actors, (L–R) Ricky Nelson, David Nelson, Ozzie Nelson and Harriet Nelson promoting their roles on the ABC television series The Adv](https://film.one/media/person/3427574/gallery-8d2b8b401dfa.jpg) Publicity photo of American actors, (L–R) Ricky Nelson, David Nelson, Ozzie Nelson and Harriet Nelson promoting their roles on the ABC television series The Adv — Press materials are presumed to have been distributed by the ABC Television Network, which was the network that aired the series., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/74/Adv_of_Ozzie_and_Harriet_Nelson_Family_1953.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Ricky Nelson](https://film.one/media/person/3427574/gallery-3580481ac78a.jpg) Ricky Nelson — Image via TMDB - ![Publicity photo of American actors, (L–R) Ozzie Nelson, Harriet Nelson, David Nelson and Ricky Nelson promoting their roles on the ABC television series The Adv](https://film.one/media/person/3427574/gallery-75b3194d9964.jpg) Publicity photo of American actors, (L–R) Ozzie Nelson, Harriet Nelson, David Nelson and Ricky Nelson promoting their roles on the ABC television series The Adv — Press materials are presumed to have been distributed by the ABC Television Network, which was the network that aired the series., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/45/Adv_of_Ozzie_and_Harriet_Nelson_Family_1955.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Publicity photo of American actors, (L–R) Ozzie Nelson, Harriet Nelson, David Nelson and Ricky Nelson promoting their roles on the ABC television series The Adv](https://film.one/media/person/3427574/gallery-ee61d524ff7c.jpg) Publicity photo of American actors, (L–R) Ozzie Nelson, Harriet Nelson, David Nelson and Ricky Nelson promoting their roles on the ABC television series The Adv — ABC Television Network, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/86/Adv_of_Ozzie_and_Harriet_Nelson_Family_1956_No_1.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) ## Awards ### Other awards — 2 won - New Jersey Hall of Fame 2019: New Jersey Hall of Fame (won) - Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 1987: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (won) *From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.* --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/ricky-nelson