Hazel Openings

[McGillicuddy]

How many Hazel openings are there all together? It seems like there's two different ones per season, (that's 10, right there), plus re-edited ones for syndication, plus some that promote Ford Motors. And there's 3 completely different musical scores. I think Hazel holds the record for the most opening changes of all sit-coms from the 60's thru the 90's!!

[Leslie Eckhardt]

Originally Posted by markway895

How many Hazel openings are there all together? It seems like there's two different ones per season, (that's 10, right there), plus re-edited ones for syndication, plus some that promote Ford Motors. And there's 3 completely different musical scores. I think Hazel holds the record for the most opening changes of all sit-coms from the 60's thru the 90's!!

Here's the rundown: Season 1: "Hazel bakes cookies" "Hazel greets the returning Baxters". Season 2: "Hazel is a football coach" "Hazel gets help carrying in groceries". Season 3: "The Baxters go for a ride in a '64 Galaxie convertible". Season 4: "Harold has the car keys in his mini-Thunderbird". Season 5: "Hazel on the phone" "Hazel offers umbrellas". Syndication package (late 1960s) Re-edited version from several openings. In addition, there were several openings used for summer re-runs not used during the original airings-these were used for the first episodes of the following season prior to the new model year Fords coming out: Season 2: "The Baxters pose for a snapshot in front of a Galaxie hardtop". Season 3: "Harold plays toll collector while Hazel drives a new Mustang". The original theme song was used for seasons 1-3. The second theme song was used only for season 4. The third song was used for season 5 and the cobbled syndication opening. The current syndication package being shown on Antenna TV uses all the original openings except the summer rerun ones, which are only on the first episodes of the third and fourth season shows. "Pot Luck Ala Mode", which has the snapshot one, and "Cousin Fred", which has the toll gate/Mustang one.

[McGillicuddy]

Thanks Leslie! I haven't seen some of those openings.

I swear, when I was a kid and occasionally watched Hazel in syndication, I was familiar with an opening with the 5th season music score, yet the original cast, and Harold up in a tree throwing confetti down at Hazel and the Baxters. None of the clips on Youtube show this sequence. At this point, I think it must have been used for the syndicated episodes.

I'm glad the DVD sets are using the original network opening for each season, but I sure wish the Ford Car openings and all the syndicated openings could be shown and explained in "extras"!

[Leslie Eckhardt]

Originally Posted by markway895

Thanks Leslie! I haven't seen some of those openings.

I swear, when I was a kid and occasionally watched Hazel in syndication, I was familiar with an opening with the 5th season music score, yet the original cast, and Harold up in a tree throwing confetti down at Hazel and the Baxters. None of the clips on Youtube show this sequence. At this point, I think it must have been used for the syndicated episodes.

I'm glad the DVD sets are using the original network opening for each season, but I sure wish the Ford Car openings and all the syndicated openings could be shown and explained in "extras"!

What I miss from the original airings on NBC are the original closing credit strips. Instead of the familiar blue background with yellow lettering, the credits were superimposed over a series of Ford cars driving down various highways: A Galaxie, A Fairlane, A Thunderbird and a Falcon if I remember correctly. I remember these mostly from the second and third season shows. In any case, Hazel was always one of my favorite shows, I'm glad to see it getting exposure on Antenna TV, and even more glad to see the shows uncut on DVD!

[dahur1]

The only opening I remember as a kid was the Hazel baking Cookies. I didn't see season 5 at all, and had a 45 year gap until I saw Hazel again. I'm sure I saw the other openings, I just don't remember them.

[Jude The Obscure]

I'm enjoying season 2 on DVD and was surprised to see the Hazel bakes cookies opening in COLOR for the first episode.

[McGillicuddy]

Originally Posted by Jude The Obscure

I'm enjoying season 2 on DVD and was surprised to see the Hazel bakes cookies opening in COLOR for the first episode.

Well, I'm confused again! Leslie says there were 2 openings for season 2: "Hazel is a Football Coach" (which I haven't seen) and Hazel gets help with Groceries". Now, we have "Hazel bakes Cookies", from season 1, in color. We're all 3 of these openings used? I hope they're all on the DVD set.

By the way, the Hazel bakes Cookies opening is on Youtube. Notice in the B&W version Harold smells the cookies as he's skipping, and appears to be going in backwards motion to go back in the kitchen. In the 2nd version, he justs turns around, to go back.

OK, now I've found another Hazel opening on Youtube, Hazel posing the Baxters in front of a camera and then runs to be in the picture, for a family portrait. Which season is this from?

[Jude The Obscure]

This was just used (so far) on the Season 2 premiere episode and I haven't watched all the episodes yet (I watch on the weekends as a treat for my mom) but the COLOR version does indeed look like a re-staged version.

[McGillicuddy]

Originally Posted by Jude The Obscure

This was just used (so far) on the Season 2 premiere episode and I haven't watched all the episodes yet (I watch on the weekends as a treat for my mom) but the COLOR version does indeed look like a re-staged version.

I haven't gotten my season 2 set, yet. I need to order it today!

[Jude The Obscure]

Get it and I'm excited that Shout! is already putting out Season 3 in May.

[Leslie Eckhardt]

Originally Posted by Jude The Obscure

Get it and I'm excited that Shout! is already putting out Season 3 in May.

That first episode of the second season aired before Ford introduced it's 1963 cars, featured in the rest of the season. This version of the cookie opening was originally shot for the lone color episode of season one, "What Will We Watch Tonight", which aired as the sixth show. For the season two opener, this was employed with an alternate shot of Harold. In the original, he skips backwards into the kitchen. For this one, he runs forward. The new orchestration for the theme music is used, and the credits now read Shirley Booth Starring As Hazel instead of Shirley Booth as Hazel. If you look closely at this opening, the breakfast nook is still upholstered in light brown, as it appeared in the first season color show. In the actual show, the breakfast nook is now blue, as it would be from then on. The opening with the Baxters posing for the camera was used for the summer reruns of the second season, and the first episode of the third season (again, because the next Ford model had not yet been unveiled to the public and Ford wanted it's new cars front and center in the openings, but not before the official announcement day).

[Hazel Anyday]

Are you saying that the color version of Hazel pulling out cookies that was used for the one color episode in season 1 is different from the (what I thought up until now) Season 2 Episode 1 episode? I thought that the first episode of season 2 used the exact same color version of the Hazel/cookies color episode that was used in the 1 Season 1 color episode.

[McGillicuddy]

Originally Posted by Hazel Anyday

Are you saying that the color version of Hazel pulling out cookies that was used for the one color episode in season 1 is different from the (what I thought up until now) Season 2 Episode 1 episode? I thought that the first episode of season 2 used the exact same color version of the Hazel/cookies color episode that was used in the 1 Season 1 color episode.

I got this!

the breakfast nook in season 1 is light brown.

the breakfast nook in season 2 is now blue.

The color opening of Hazel pulling out cookies is used (from what I understand) for just the first episode for season 2. The same opening in B&W was used for the first half of season 1, so it was filmed before they changed the kitchen set for season 2.

As far as the one color episode from season 1, I think the only difference is the alternate shot of Harold (in season 2).

[Hazel Anyday]

I'm going back to what I have always thought, the one color cookies opening is the exact same opening that was used on Season 2 episode 1 episode. That makes sense and they both look exactly alike to boot.

[1960'sTVfan]

If I have it right, in the beginning of the 2nd season the kitchen appliances (stove & refrigerator) are blue. But later in the season, the stove & refrigerator are changed and are not blue anymore. I like the blue color scheme, I didn't like it when they changed it.