Carsey-Werner Moving Pictures, the theatrical division of The Carsey-Werner Co., has just acquired the rights to the life of international television and rock 'n' roll star, Ricky Nelson, it was announced by Carsey-Werner Moving Pictures executive, Polly Platt. 

**Veteran screenwriter and Nelson friend, Floyd Mutrux ("Mulholland Falls," "American Me," "Dick Tracey") will write the screenplay which will chronicle Ozzie and Harriet Nelson's early careers in the 1930s Big Band era to the tragic death of Ricky in 1985. 

This marks the first time the Nelson children and brother David have permitted anyone into their archives and shared their personal reminiscences of Rick. 

"We see our feature film division as a natural progression into all forms of media that will allow us to produce quality entertainment and tell great stories" said Carsey and Werner. "We feel 'Teenage Idol' is a great story and we are thrilled that the Nelson children have decided to let us tell the story of Ricky's life." 

Nelson, for whom Life Magazine coined the phrase, "Teenage Idol," when they did a cover story on him in 1958, was an unrivaled teenage star at 16 while still performing with his real life parents on "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet," the idolized TV sitcom that was the prototype for the "American Dream" family in the 1950s. It was his rendition of Elvis Presley's "Love Me Tender" during a 1956 Halloween episode that instantly made him a rock star. 

"Teenage Idol" was one of 25 gold records that Nelson released from 1956 to 1968, culminating with his comeback smash, "Garden Party" in 1972. 

Having been given credit for legitimizing rock 'n' roll by bringing it into the living room every week, Nelson was far more complex in real life than his persona on TV. He found it hard to live under the mantle "Teenage Idol" bestowed upon him...that of the perfect boy who grew up in the perfect TV family. 

"He was a very serious and complicated guy," Mutrux said. "He worked very hard on his music but always felt he wasn't appreciated." 

"We're already well into how to tell the story," Platt said. "It's extremely emotional material and Floyd gives it a unique perspective that we think will surprise people." 

"It is Ricky's complexity that also has us tailoring the role for an actor who has the range to portray a legendary teen idol who becomes a fallen star," said Carsey-Werner President Caryn Mandabach. 

Marcy Carsey, Tom Werner and Mandabach will serve as executive producers and Platt, Mutrux and Tracy Nelson (Ricky's daughter) will produce. 

With the success of such television shows as, "The Cosby Show," "Roseanne," "3rd Rock From The Sun," "Cosby," "Grace Under Fire," "A Different World," "Cybill" and the formation of Carsey-Werner Distribution, Carsey-Werner has become a diversified entertainment enterprise and one of the most leading independent producers and distributors of product to the worldwide marketplace. 

Jeff Berg and Andy Reif at ICM represented Mutrux as well as the Nelsons who were also represented by Michael Hobel of O'Melveny & Myers. 

**=Floyd and Rick worked on the cult picture Dusty and Sweets MeGee back in 69-70. Rick was the musical director for that film.