In several episodes of Hazel, George had his hand bandaged. I was wondering if that was a true injury then added to the plot line, or was there an episode where George actually hurt his hand. How did is happen?

I noticed that too. I assume Don hurt his hand. I would have shown it once and then had scenes hiding it. It seemed many episodes were shownn with a bandaged hand. It kinda ruin the scenes seeing it so many times.

Don DeFore was not only a fine actor but he could swing a hammer as well (In fact, he built his own home in the tony neighborhood of Brentwood) Unfortunately, in his wood shop, he accidentally cut his finger off. This occured during the first season of "Hazel". And since production could not be halted, his injury was written in the script of the show. His injury was explained away by fielding ground balls from Harold, out on the baseball field.

He cut his finger off. Ouch. OOh. I guess it wasn't too bad for future episodes he looked fine.

...the book "Written Out Of Television". Yes, he did cut his hand, and it had to be bandaged for a few weeks. They explained it in the show's storyline by having George Baxter complain to his boss that, due to a baseball game, it was Hazel's fault his hand was bandaged so much (she pitched too hard!).

:)

Well, my Dad didn't cut his finger "off" but came very close. He liked to work in the garage and made a lot of the old fashioned furniture in our Mandeville Canyon home in Brentwood. One day he went to Sears and for some reason (maybe by mistake) bought a 9 inch replacement blade for his circular table saw. Unfortunately for him he had been used to a 7 inch blade, and while cutting wood that 2 inches got to his ring finger, left hand. He came very close to losing it but with a lot of very good surgical assistance and platinum rods the docs were able to save it. Coincidentally I did the almost identical thing on our band saw just a couple years later on the exact same finger.
Ron DeFore

Thanks for your reply, Mr. DeFore. We fans of Hazel in general and your dad in particular are fortunate to have you here. The color episodes comprise one of my earliest memories, having watched episodes in syndication even before I was old enough to attend grade school.

Well, my Dad didn't cut his finger "off" but came very close. He liked to work in the garage and made a lot of the old fashioned furniture in our Mandeville Canyon home in Brentwood. One day he went to Sears and for some reason (maybe by mistake) bought a 9 inch replacement blade for his circular table saw. Unfortunately for him he had been used to a 7 inch blade, and while cutting wood that 2 inches got to his ring finger, left hand. He came very close to losing it but with a lot of very good surgical assistance and platinum rods the docs were able to save it. Coincidentally I did the almost identical thing on our band saw just a couple years later on the exact same finger.
Ron DeFore

There's just one problem. It was his RIGHT hand that was bandaged!:(

The controversy continues.

Crickets....

There's just one problem. It was his RIGHT hand that was bandaged!:(
Both hands have a ring finger :-)

There's just one problem. It was his RIGHT hand that was bandaged!:(
Both hands have a ring finger.. :-) And I think there couldn't have been a better choice for George. Don Defore's expressions were hilarious!

Both hands have a ring finger :-)
"Ron" said it was his LEFT hand! But his right hand was the one bandaged.

I stand corrected: it was my Dad's right hand. I've made that mistake before because I did the exact same thing in our workshop, same finger, but left hand. I've got breaking news for you all: my book, "Growing Up In Disneyland" will be out July 15, 2019. It's both a biography of Don DeFore and my autobiography. The first part of the book are highlights of Dad's career in his own words from his unpublished manuscript, "Hollywood-DeFore 'n After." The title is a metaphor of my life growing up in a celebrity family as well as a literal description - - Dad was the only person to ever own a venue with his name displayed in the Park, "Don DeFore's Silver Banjo Barbecue," in Frontierland. It's also a tripple entendra as I chronicle my careers and escapades all the way to Washington, D.C. where I formed a PR firm with two other partners...just another Disneyland! Stay Tuned. www.GrowingUpInDisneyland.com