At breakfast, Ozzie (as Ozzie Nelson) and the family discuss a story from the morning newspaper: a woman is divorcing her husband for playing his tuba every night, after work. Ricky (as Ricky Nelson) asks, "Tuba what?" The man, who plays only the bass part of "The Stars and Stripes Forever", has Ozzie's sympathies. Harriet (as Harriet Nelson) feels the wife, after house-working all day, is entitled to some quiet time and affection, instead of noise. The Nelsons consider their own household, in relation to the debate - just who is in charge, the man or the woman?
Nothing especially new is breathed into the old "battle of the sexes" routine, but the Nelsons do it well. Their banter, especially the four arguing at the breakfast, table is natural and spirited. Parallels are neatly scripted with David (as David Nelson) having an interest in a pretty girl at school ("Cathy Williams") and the relationship Thorny (Don DeFore) has with his wife. Thorny tells Ozzie women like to be dominated. Former orchestra leader Ozzie's profession as an attorney is implicit in this episode, as he relates to the working man in the newspaper with lawyerly terms.
****** The Tuba Incident (1/23/53) Ozzie Nelson ~ Ozzie Nelson, Harriet Nelson, David Nelson, Ricky Nelson
Nothing especially new is breathed into the old "battle of the sexes" routine, but the Nelsons do it well. Their banter, especially the four arguing at the breakfast, table is natural and spirited. Parallels are neatly scripted with David (as David Nelson) having an interest in a pretty girl at school ("Cathy Williams") and the relationship Thorny (Don DeFore) has with his wife. Thorny tells Ozzie women like to be dominated. Former orchestra leader Ozzie's profession as an attorney is implicit in this episode, as he relates to the working man in the newspaper with lawyerly terms.
****** The Tuba Incident (1/23/53) Ozzie Nelson ~ Ozzie Nelson, Harriet Nelson, David Nelson, Ricky Nelson