Episodes

Episode 1

New Chairs

Sep 18, 1953

Confusion reigns when the local department store delivers two new chairs to the wrong Nelson family and then drops off additional chairs or takes back the wrong pieces of Nelson's furniture.

Episode 2

The Party

Sep 25, 1953

Ricky and David are upset about not being invited to Will Thornberry's party. Later, they discover it’s a misunderstanding. But then, Ozzie finds out he wasn’t invited by β€œThorny” (Will’s father) to a party occurring that same evening, and he becomes irritated with his best friendβ€” unwilling to take the same advice he gave his kids and talk it over with him.

Episode 3

The Boys' Paper Route

Oct 02, 1953

The boys just got a newspaper route, but it's Ozzie who winds up having to make the rounds on their first morning.

Episode 4

The Window Pane

Oct 09, 1953

Ozzie is falling behind on his list of chores around the house, so the rest of the family pitches in and helps out.

Episode 5

David's Pipe

Oct 16, 1953

An old friend of the family mails a monogrammed pipe to David, not realizing he isn't even college age, yet.

Episode 6

David's Birthday

Oct 23, 1953

It's David's 17th birthday, and he's trying to do anything he can to look older because he has a crush on Sally Patterson, a girl who is only interested in older men.

Episode 7

No Noise

Oct 30, 1953

Herb Dunkle talks to Ozzie about a new organization in town, "The National Anti-Noise Society". But is this new club ready for Ozzie & Thorny to join?

Episode 8

The Hustler

Nov 06, 1953

Ricky intends to make extra money selling a spot remover. He's very successful but when things go wrong to entire family pitches in to help.

Episode 9

Young City Officials

Nov 13, 1953

David and Will Thornberry's school essays give them both a chance to be mayor for the day during "Civic Day". Now if only Ozzie and Thorny will quit arguing about which son is going to be the honorable mayor.

Episode 10

The Suggestion Box

Nov 20, 1953

The Nelsons decide to start using a suggestion box for family matters.

Episode 11

The Ladder

Nov 27, 1953

Ozzie and Thorny get themselves marooned on a roof without a ladder.

Episode 12

Parental Guidance

Dec 04, 1953

David wants to start weightlifting and working out early in the morning, while Ricky wants to start staying up late and watching movies on the late show. Ozzie decides to let the boys have their way.

Episode 13

The Insurance Policy

Dec 11, 1953

Harriet loses a gold pin Ozzie had given her. It was insured, and they collect on it. The check comes made out to both of them, and they disagree on who should endorse it over to the other person and what the money should be spent on.

Episode 14

The Credit Reference

Dec 18, 1953

Thorny needs a reference about his fiscal worthiness and asks Ozzie to write one for him. Ozzie as a joke writes a negative one but goes into a panic when he thinks Ricky mailed it.

Episode 15

The Miracle

Dec 25, 1953

Ozzie tells his family a story from his childhood of when he wished for a white Christmas.

Episode 16

The Hunter

Jan 01, 1954

Ozzie takes steps to get out of going hunting with Thorny.

Episode 17

Ozzie's Night Out

Jan 08, 1954

The wife and kids give Ozzie the night off from helping them with their chores and homework, so with mixed feelings, he tries to amuse himself by spending a night out on the town.

Episode 18

The Camera Show

Jan 15, 1954

Ozzie buys cameras for everyone in the family. It doesn't take long for him to get caught in a compromising position on film.

Episode 19

Courage

Jan 22, 1954

Ozzie takes the courageous step of gathering enough nerve to return some of Harriet's lingerie.

Episode 20

The Incentive

Jan 29, 1954

After promising to double whatever money his youngest son has left over at the end of the week, Ricky's collection of old pop bottles may cost Ozzie a pretty penny.

Episode 21

Too Many Children

Feb 05, 1954

The Nelsons wind up with a houseful of kids on a sleepover.

Episode 22

Harriet Gives a Party

Feb 12, 1954

Harriet decides to give a dinner party but runs into problems when she learns her friend has already planned a dinner party and the Thornberrys are not invited.

Episode 23

David's Career

Feb 19, 1954

David's been spending time at Thompson's Garage. Ozzie thinks David may want to become a mechanic when he gets out of school. This is a great idea, until Ozzie talks to Thorny about what his son Will wants to do when he graduates.

Episode 24

Old Fashioned Remedy

Feb 26, 1954

Ozzie treats a cold the way his mother used to do - with booze.

Episode 25

The Initiation

Mar 05, 1954 30 min

Dave is in charge of his club's initiation committee, and Thorny's son Will is among the pledges that must undergo the process.

Episode 26

Ricky's Lost Letter

Mar 12, 1954

Ricky wants to send a letter to a cute girl who wrote to him, but Ozzie has accidentally destroyed the envelope containing her return address.

Episode 27

Father and Son Tournament

Mar 19, 1954 30 min

Both Dave and Ricky want Ozzie to partner with them for the Father And Son Table Tennis Tournament. The dilemma is that he can only play with one son.

Episode 28

Gentleman David

Mar 26, 1954

The school's Backward Dance is tonight. The girls invite the boys to this event. Fearing that David doesn't have a date to the dance, Ozzie meddles in his son's affairs.

Episode 29

David Writes a Column

Apr 02, 1954

David has a school assignment to write an article for the school paper. Unable to think of a subject to write about. Ozzie suggests writing an article about the school's baseball team's latest slump.

Episode 30

Overprotection

Apr 09, 1954

Ozzie and Harriet anguish over whether or not to allow 13-year-old Ricky to take a 150-mile train trip on his own.

Episode 31

Be On Time

Apr 16, 1954

It looks like Ozzie's going to be late to a luncheon where he's scheduled to deliver a speech on the importance of being on time.

Episode 32

An Evening with Hamlet

Apr 23, 1954 30 min

Ozzie and Thorny stage their version of "Hamlet" in the Nelson's living room.

Episode 33

The New Neighbor

Apr 30, 1954

After meeting his new neighbor at the bank, Ozzie beliefs he's a thief and stole his penknife. When hinting to his new neighbor didn't solve the problem, Ozzie decided he needed to warn Thorny and put his valuables in the bank.

Episode 34

The Bird's Nest

May 07, 1954

Ozzie needs to have the roof gutter repaired before the next rain, but a bird's nest is holding up the works.

Episode 35

A Friend of the Family

May 14, 1954

Harriet writes to 'Aunt Martha', who gives advice through her 'A Friend of the Family' column in the local newspaper.

Episode 36

A Tuxedo for David

May 21, 1954

David is excited about an upcoming dance and it's going to be formal. But Ozzie thinks buying his son a new tuxedo is too expensive so carious options are explored. Ozzie discusses it with Thorny whose boy Will also needs a tux.

Episode 37

The Painter

May 28, 1954

Episode 38

Economical Ozzie

Jun 04, 1954

After giving David a lecture on saving his money, Ozzie and Thorny indulge in some impulsive buying at the local sporting goods store.

Episode 39

The Swimming Pool

Jun 11, 1954

Everyone in the neighborhood wants to use Ozzie's new backyard pool. The trouble is - it hasn't been built, yet.