Eric Hilliard Nelson (May 8, 1940 – December 31, 1985) was an American musician and actor. From age eight he starred alongside his family in the radio and television series The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. In 1957, he began a long and successful career as a popular recording artist. His fame as both a recording artist and television star also led to a motion picture role co-starring alongside John Wayne, Dean Martin, Walter Brennan, and Angie Dickinson in Howard Hawks's western feature film Rio Bravo (1959). He placed 54 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 and its predecessors between 1957 and 1973, including "Poor Little Fool" in 1958, which was the first number one song on Billboard magazine's then-newly created Hot 100 chart. He recorded 19 additional top ten hits and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on January 21, 1987. In 1996 Nelson was ranked No. 49 on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Stars of All Time.
Nelson began his entertainment career in 1949, playing himself in the radio sitcom series, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. In 1952, he appeared in his first feature film, Here Come the Nelsons. In 1957, he recorded his first single ("I'm Walkin' b/w "A Teenager's Romance", Verve 10047X4S), debuted as a singer on the television version of the sitcom, and released the No. 1 album titled Ricky. In 1958, Nelson released his first #1 single, "Poor Little Fool", and in 1959 received a Golden Globe nomination for "Most Promising Male Newcomer" after starring in Rio Bravo. A few films followed, and when the television series was cancelled in 1966, Nelson made occasional appearances as a guest star on various television programs. In his twenties, he moved away from the pop music of his youth and began to perform in a country rock style. After recording several albums with mostly session musicians, most of which flopped, he formed the Stone Canyon Band in 1969 and experienced a career resurgence, buoyed by the live album In Concert at the Troubadour, 1969 and had a surprise hit with 1972's "Garden Party", which peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot 100. His comeback was short-lived, however, as his record label was bought out and folded, and his followup albums were not well promoted by his new label. He continued to perform live and take small television roles through the 1970s, though his label dropped him by the end of the decade. He released two more albums, with unimpressive results, before his death in a plane crash on New Year's Eve, 1985.
Nelson was married once, to Sharon Kristin Harmon, from 1963 until their divorce in 1982. They had four children: actress Tracy Nelson, twin sons and musicians Gunnar and Matthew, and actor Sam.
Nelson was born on May 8, 1940, in Teaneck, New Jersey. He was the second son of entertainment couple Harriet Hilliard Nelson (born Peggy Lou Snyder; July 18, 1909 – October 2, 1994) and Ozzie Nelson (March 20, 1906 – June 3, 1975). His father Ozzie was of half Swedish descent. The Nelsons' older son was actor David Nelson (October 24, 1936 – January 11, 2011).
In 1952, the Nelsons tested the waters for a television series with the theatrically released film Here Come the Nelsons. The film was a hit, and Ozzie was convinced the family could make the transition from radio's airwaves to television's small screen. On October 3, 1952, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet made its television debut and was broadcast in first run until September 3, 1966, to become one of the longest running sitcoms in television history.
If you want to read a lot more, go here:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricky_Nelson
When I was working for UPS as a driver I delivered a package to Ricky Nelsons house in the Hollywood Hills. As I drove up the driveway he was driving out and he waved at me. I was thrilled!!! His daughters took the package and were very sweet.
- 1 (16-ounce) package corkscrew macaroni
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 cups milk
- 2 cups shredded Swiss cheese, divided
- 3 (6-ounce) cans tuna, drained, flaked
- 2 tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
- Preheat oven to 400º. Coat a 9- x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- In a large saucepan of boiling salted water, cook pasta 7 minutes, or until al dente. Drain well and return to pot; set aside.
- Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan over low heat, melt butter. Stir in flour, salt, and pepper and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually stir in milk; increase heat to medium-high and cook until mixture thickens, stirring occasionally. Remove saucepan from heat and add 1-1/2 cups cheese, stirring until melted.
- Add cheese sauce and tuna to pasta in pot; toss until evenly mixed. Transfer mixture to baking dish. Arrange tomato slices on top, overlapping if necessary. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
- Cover baking dish with foil and bake 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.
National Relaxation Day is an important day as we all need a break from the fast-paced and often hectic lifestyles we live. Taking time to recuperate and rejuvenate our tired minds and bodies may help prevent many health risks, too. Like the founder of this day suggested, too much work can make us sick, run-down, tired and that’s just wrong.
But he was right! It has been proven that stress can be harmful to our health, both mentally and physically. Most doctors will agree that finding ways to relax and finding ways to reduce stress will improve overall health.
What is your favorite relaxation activity?
- Reading a book
- Fishing with a friend
- A picnic in the park
- Walking along the beach
- Taking a drive in the country
- Spa
- Golfing
- Photography
- A movie
- Window shopping
- Lunch with friends
- Drinks with friends
- Watching sports
- Swimming
These are just a few of the many possible relaxation ideas that you may want to use to celebrate this holiday.
HOW TO OBSERVE NATIONAL RELAXATION DAY
Take a deep breath, unwind while viewing your favorite TV show, or just find a quiet spot in a park and enjoy the summer breeze.
NATIONAL RELAXATION DAY HISTORY
Sean Moeller founded National Relaxation Day in 1985 as a fourth-grader. In an interview with Valerie Monson in The Des Moines Register Sean suggested people shouldn’t do anything of real value. Cleaning and real work are not part of relaxation.
Q. How do I reduce stress at work?
A. The American Psychological Association recommends several tips for lowering stress at work. Similar to how we approach stressing our personal lives, it’s important to know what causes our stress. Once we know what those triggers are, we can develop ways to reduce our stress response. Taking deep breaths, stretching, reducing our workloads or even speaking to our supervisor can improve the kinds and amount of stress at work. In turn, we can learn to relax more easily.
Q. What’s the most relaxing job in the United States?
A. We’re fairly confident you can rule out President of the United States. However, doing something you love improves your job satisfaction. For example, working in an environment that is relaxing to you will be less stressful. If you don’t love the outdoors but you spend most of your workday outdoors, you might find your job more stressful than someone who loves the outdoors. So, it’s a matter of perspective.
