Hazel

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.

I love this show!! One of the best casts ever in television and of course, I LOVE the Baxter's house.I have a book that has the floorplan to this house in it. Wish I had a house like that!! LOL. It is nice to watch this show and not have to worry about back-talking kids or cussing or anything that is prevalent in today's so-called comedies. Just wish that someone would show reruns of this wonderful show again. Heaven knows there are enough channels out there to afford it the airtime.

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".

The 154 half-hour episodes (34 in B&W, 120 in color) of the situation comedy "Hazel" were originally broadcast on NBC (last season on CBS) from 1961-1966. It was an extremely popular baby boomer show although it is now in the "dead man walking" category as none of the original four principal actors are still alive.

George Baxter (Don Defore who already had a following from his years as Thorny on "Ozzie and Harriet") was a successful and wrapped a little too tight attorney who had married Dorothy (Whitney Blake) a woman with her own lifelong nanny/housekeeper (Shirley Booth in the title role). They had a young son Harold (Bobby Buntrock). George is a klutz around the house and most of the conflict revolves around his frustration when he is routinely shown-up by the much more competent Hazel. Dorothy Baxter ranked #1 on the list of most erotic 1960's television wives, with the tightest skirts, highest heels, and a fantasy level bust to waist ratio.

Hazel pretty much runs the family, sorting out the Baxter's weekly problems and keeping the frustrated blustering George in line. Living with Hazel was a lot worse than living with Amos McCoy because she was rarely (if ever) wrong or repentant as she incessantly meddled in everyone's life.

In its last season the producers shake things up and ship George and Dorothy off to Saudi Arabia. Hazel and Harold move in with George's younger brother Steve (Ray Fulmer), his wife Barbara (Lynn Borden), and his daughter Susie (Julia Benjamin); 1960's television was notorious for finding creative ways to back fill with younger children when the original ones grew too old to appeal to their intended demographic.

Steve, Barbara, and Susie constitute the most physically attractive family in television history, but Hazel soon took over their household as well; although Steve and Barbara do stand up to her better than their predecessors. The popular theory at the time was than George and Dorothy just made up the Saudi story so they could escape Hazel's domination and live out their lives somewhere else with some degree of independence.

Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

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.