I've been watching Hazel season 2 on DVD, and noticed that whenever George Baxter is on the phone, he never holds it up to his ear like most people. He always puts it behind his ear.

In real life, you wouldn't likely hear the person you're talking to if you held it in that manner.

Has anyone else ever noticed this?

Was there any reason Don DeFore held it that way?

As many times as I've watched Hazel, I have never noticed this. I will make a point to notice the next time I watch it. There's probably nothing to it, just his way of speaking into a phone.

Yes, I've noticed that too. Not only that he holds the phone away from his face. I think it was Don Defore's way of showing his face more clearly on camera, perhaps to be able to project his feelings or thoughts better with his face unblocked by the phone. Hazel also does this, she holds the phone beneath her ear and away from her mouth. Bottom line, I'm glad I wasn't on the other end of the phone conversation, I wouldn't be able to hear them and they wouldn't be able to hear me with the phone off their ear.