"Hazel" (1961)TV series 1961-1966

Creator:

Ted Key

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | unknown

Release Date:

28 September 1961 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

George Baxter was a highly successful corporation lawyer who was always in control of everything at the office...

Plot Keywords:

Based On Comic | Household Servant | Maid | Sitcom | Character Name In Title

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 2 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Shirley Booth	...	Hazel Burke / ... (26 episodes, 1961-1966)
Bobby Buntrock	...	Harold Baxter (26 episodes, 1961-1966)
Don DeFore	...	George Baxter (20 episodes, 1961-1965)
Whitney Blake	...	Dorothy Baxter / ... (20 episodes, 1961-1965)

Runtime:

30 min (154 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color (Pathécolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Filming Locations:

Columbia/Sunset Gower Studios - 1438 N. Gower Street, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

CBS Television

Trivia:

Based on the cartoons of Ted Key which appeared in the "Saturday Evening Post" magazine.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Horror of Party Beach (#9.17)" (1997)

Shirley Booth's the whole show

This series provided Shirley Booth with a suitable character with which she could apply her undeniable acting talent towards making HAZEL a truly believable version of the nosey, know-it-all but loveable maid. Based on the once nationally syndicated comic strip character by Ted Key, Booth won an Emmy for her portrayal which she added to her Oscar and Tony awards. In an interesting revelation discovered after Booth's death, for obvious reasons, she took a full decade off her birthdate, making her over 65 by the series cancellation in 1965! The supporting actors weren't exactly inspired: Don DeFore and Whitney Blake were rather wooden as George and Dorothy Baxter, and Bobby Buntrock was rather annoying as Harold, while the color looks cheap and faded. Performers such as Norma Varden, Cathy Lewis (as George's snotty shrike sister Deidre) and Maudie Prickett (as Rosie, Hazel's maid friend) came off marginally better. Mr. Griffin, anyone?