63_galaxie XL
11-30-2004, 10:06 PM
Bear with me, I just became aware of this site several weeks ago. I truly didn't realize there were that many fans of the 60's programs out there and the people devoted to "Hazel". Just an update - about 5 years ago A&E did a biography on Meredith Baxter. Since her mother is Whitney Blake, the program spent about 10 minutes at the beginning with her profile. For those who haven't seen the program, here's a brief description of what took place during their childhood. The three children of Whitney Blake were fathered by here then husband (#1) Tom Baxter, his mother didn't approve of then (Nancy Baxter) wanting to work outside the home and not be a traditional homemaker. The marriage fell apart. Jack X Fields appears in the picture as Nancy's manager and as she describes it "she started working regularly, at some point she decided she "loved" him and they married sometime in 56/57. Jack Fields decided to have Nancy change her name which became Whitney Blake and she also became a blond. Jack Fields also decided that her children were a liablity since Whitney could appear as a much younger woman. It was Jack Fields that instructed the children to address their mother by Whitney (even in private), and Whitney went along with it at the time. Later, she confessed that the children were deeply hurt by this action. Jack Fields severed as Whitney's manager for some time and kept here very busy in the late 50's through the 60's with guest appearances. Does anybody know when they were divorced and was she really in love with him? Here marriage to Alan Manings appears to be here happiest and most successful.