Hazel

I've got a question about the cast of "Hazel". In the storyline of the show, George and Dorothy Baxter leave the country on business. They cannot take Harold with them, I assume for school; so Harold and Hazel go to live with George's brother and his family.

My question is in reality, why did Don DeFore and Whitney Blake leave the show? Was ther some sort of salary dispute? Did they leave when the show changed networks?

Shirley Booth is a great character actress. Who can forget her memorable performances. She and her husband were involved in "Duffy's Tavern".

A wonderful series that should be shown again for all of us who have fond memories of the character's (mainly Dear HAZEL - what a great theme tune too!) and the storylines. A gentle comedy with its heart in the right place. Shirley Booth was the ideal maid/nanny and her voice was unique, if I remember correctly - that was the appeal to me as a child watching. She seemed so lovable and warm. I just wish I could watch it again to see how it stands the test of time. It was from the era of a lot of great, gentle comedies such as: Mr Ed, Greenacres, Addams Family, Munsters, Bewitched, My Three Sons, The Beverly Hillbillies, Casey Jones and probably quite a few more that I don't remember at the moment.

I have loved "Hazel" since I was a little kid and saw it on the network. When the DVD came out last year I did not hesitate to buy it. Re-viewing the series confirms why Shirley Booth won two Emmy awards playing this role. She makes the character Hazel Burke into a lovely, believable woman. The writing and direction of the show was pretty good and holds up well over the years. One reviewer commented on the change in the set decoration in the episode "Dorothy's Birthday." I too noticed this and I think this could be the pilot film, which would possibly explain this difference. Also, another reviewer noticed that while the film quality on this DVD was generally excellent, some of the end credit sequences were "a bit ragged" as though taken from 16mm sources. This could possibly be because the original end credits were superimposed over a series of Ford cars driving down a highway. Ford sponsored the series, and I remember seeing the end credits in this way. In any case, I loved and continue to love this series and will continue to enjoy it on my DVD set. Flash forward to August 2013: I now have the first three seasons of Hazel on DVD and love having them. It's had a lot of national exposure on Antenna TV and people are once again appreciating this fine series.

Oscar winner Shirley Booth surprised friends when she signed on to do the television series of "Hazel." Many thought that the role was beneath the star of "Come Back, Little Sheba." Remember, her blowzy wife had brought her the Oscar in 1952 as best actress.

At times, Hazel could be confused but the love that she shared for the people that she worked for was memorable. Remember how she was always watching the weight of her employer, played by Don De Fore. Whitney Blake had just what it took to be the wife of DeFore. Bobby Buntrock was adorable as their son. Too bad that he was killed tragically at such a young age.

Remember DeFore's boss? He could be a crusty old codger, but eventually he would come around due to Hazel Burke. She often reminded him of his mother.

Remember that snotty sister of DeFore? She was always planning the social event of the season.

A great show highlighting wonderful interpersonal relationships.

The wonderful thing about this unusually good-natured domestic sitcom is that an older woman is the star. I remember enjoying it immensely. Acting, plots, camera are all respectful of the viewer: no slapstick, no mockery or denigration. This is very rare in comedy, where cruelty is usually a major component. When will they show this gem again?