In about 3, or 4, episodes, it is said that Dorothy is away taking care of her cousin. One episode, in fact, she doesn't even appear in one of the episodes. Does anybody know what happened? Was Whitney sick, or was their some family emergency she had to take care of?

The mystery of the cast on George's hand has been solved. Even theories of why Steve & Barbara replaced George & Dorothy have been posited. But the one mystery that remains is What the heck happened to Missy for those bunch of episodes where she just disappeared into the land of "helping so and so with her broken leg".

In what was probably the first of the episodes where Dorothy disappears was strangest of all. This is the one where Dorothy and Hazel are preparing to have the feuding football player owners over along with the team to resolve their differences. Dorothy is in the 1st part of the episode where they all do the planning and plotting for the party that night but suddenly when the party starts Dorothy's gone POOF. She's supposedly suddenly upstairs "not feeling well", and just as weird Deidra suddenly pops into the party (as if she's a big football fan) and she's doing all the grunt work of hosting and helping out at the party. Totally out of character for Deidra to suddenly pop into the scene just so she can act as the help along with Hazel. :eek:

This was probably the start of Dorothy's then string of episodes where she's suddenly gone off to help out with a broken leg of some relative.

What really happened to Whitney? Was she fed up with playing second fiddle to Shirley Booth, did she want more money and was pulling the old "squeeze play"? Or did she eat a batch of bad clams?:crazy:

Whatever the reason, I'd like for this one last remaining mystery to be solved. Meredith Baxter, where are you when you're needed? Come off your high horse and answer this important question of the 20th century. :confused:

As I put in the other thread, the Dorothy Takes a Trip episode looks edited on the DVD. It's possible it actually showed on the network that way. It may have been retooled, because as HA says above, the opening of the episode has Whitney in it (and bears no relation to the rest of the episode). Then after where the ad would be, she's gone.

Gloria Henry's absence from Dennis the Menace was explained, so if there were some explanation like hers (being pregnant), we'd know. I think one of the things HA mentioned above is what really happened...she pulled a walkout for more money. And that's why we don't know about it, and probably never will...she and everyone else involved are gone.

You're right. It was probably due to a money demand, and since everyone has since passed on, we probably will never know.

You know, I just re-read HA's post...Meredith would probably know. If anybody else does social media, maybe they can find her on there. I don 't get involved in it.

You know, I just re-read HA's post...Meredith would probably know. If anybody else does social media, maybe they can find her on there. I don 't get involved in it.


I'm not sure Meredith would know since the late Miss Blake seemed to have kept a LOT of secrets from her children (and even went so far as to pretend not to have any for a time).

Dorothy and perhaps Whitney wasn't exactly Mother of The Year, I remember listening to an interview with her on Tom Snyder's radio show, somebody asked about Harold, and she said she didn't even know he was dead until 10 or maybe she said 20 years later!! Talk about not keeping in touch. I bet Hazel knew when Harold bit the dust.

Dorothy and perhaps Whitney wasn't exactly Mother of The Year, I remember listening to an interview with her on Tom Snyder's radio show, somebody asked about Harold, and she said she didn't even know he was dead until 10 or maybe she said 20 years later!! Talk about not keeping in touch. I bet Hazel knew when Harold bit the dust.

As you watch the show it looks like Shirley Booth really likes the kid.

You're right. It was probably due to a money demand, and since everyone has since passed on, we probably will never know.

I doubt it had anything to do with money, more than likely a health related issue or some pressing family matter. Whitney Blake was in no position to pull any stunts like staging a walk out. Shirley Booth was not only the star of the series (she may have owned a piece of it as well), she was literally the series. Blake would have been fired and replaced with another actress if there were issues, especially issues that cost the production company money.

I have not seen these episodes but Deidre would never has stooped down to help Hazel serve. Way beneath her.