Hazel - Vintage Article Collection

[Milkamplifier]

Hello, again everyone!

I am a new poster here and a big vintage TV fan. Although I was born in the 70s, my favorite TV shows are from the mid to late 50s and the early to mid 60s (Hazel, Dennis the Menace, Father Knows Best, The Donna Reed Show, Car 54, Where Are You?, and many more) and I watch them every day.

I first wanted to share a collection of articles regarding the HAZEL TV series that I found while searching the Google News Archive (maybe some of them have already been posted in other threads?).

Reading the articles, I learned some interesting trivia about the show that I hadn't known before. Perhaps you will enjoy some of them, too.

For instance:

- Bobby Buntrock's contract had stipulated for a minimum of 26 hours of work per season (I wonder if they didn't mean 26 half-hours/episodes and if the entire cast didn't have that minimum in their contracts, such minimum would explain the 26-episode order in season 4 when NBC decided to abandon the series)

- years before the series, Booth read Ted Key's play "Hazel" (based on his comic strip series) and didn't like it; though she liked the character, she didn't think the play held up well for 2 hours

- the first 13 episodes of season 3 were filmed in the spring of 1963, then they took their summer holidays, and resumed production of the remaining episodes of the season in the fall (perhaps they followed the same schedule every year)

- Shirley Booth had her own maid, a Mrs. Julie Smith, who had already been with her for 20 years when the "Hazel" series began

- Don De Fore was angry about CBS meddling, prior to move to CBS he had perceived the series a "7-year gold mine", and found the idea of the Baxters leaving their son behind "a stupidity"

I also found touching the kind words both Shirley Booth and Don DeFore had for the young Bobby Buntrock.

Here are the articles links (listed chronologically with publication dates):

"Post's HAZEL to be on TV" (April 12, 1961)
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id...=2066%2C697596

"Boy Gets TV Pact" (August 4, 1961)
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id...2647%2C3763351

"Neighbor Did It for Young Bobby" (October 14, 1961)
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id...4257%2C4588871

"Shirley Booth a Big Hit on Her 'HAZEL' Show on TV" (January 28, 1962)
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id...1553%2C4951088

"Shirley Deserts Stage" (February 7, 1962)
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id...1443%2C1097091

"HAZEL #3 in the TV Ratings" (April 6, 1962)
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id...3985%2C1015778

"HAZEL Finds TV Role Just Comes Naturally" (June 3, 1962)
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id...=2492%2C598606

"HAZEL's Boss" (Whitney Blake's Body of Work) (June 24, 1962)
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id...3641%2C3101815

"HAZEL Becomes Color Series" (September 14, 1962)
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id...4399%2C5668143

"HAZEL Wears Wig (December 29, 1962)
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id...6170%2C2934411

"HAZEL Starts Another Season As TV Comedy" (April 13, 1963)
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id...2518%2C4901989

"Actress Who Plays 'HAZEL' Leads Quiet, Unique Life" (May 9, 1963)
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id...5277%2C1156405

"HAZEL Not Concerned Over Crew" (July 23, 1963)
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id...3866%2C2761365

"HAZEL's Favorite Veteran at Eight" (September 25, 1963)
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id...7066%2C5524156

"New Plans For HAZEL" (October 5, 1963)
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id...=1312%2C618924

"HAZEL's TV Boss Has No One Like Her Working For Him" (January 3, 1964)
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id...=2994%2C244310

"Shirley Booth Loves to Cook" (June 17, 1964)
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id...4083%2C3794212

"HAZEL's TV Boss Finishes His Hardest Role" (July 29, 1964)
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id...3447%2C4644451

"HAZEL Quits NBC for CBS" (March 2, 1965)
http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstra...DB405B858AF1D3

"HAZEL's New Family" (August 25, 1965)
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id...5311%2C4809282

"HAZEL's New Family Are Baxters, Too" (August 25, 1965)
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id...5421%2C3611246

"Shirley, Hazel - Peas in a Pod" Season 5 Interview (December 28, 1965)
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id...7285%2C3827880

"HAZEL's Former Lucky Boss Returning" (November 17, 1968)
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id...2887%2C2486755

"Maid to Order" Shirley Booth Obituary in PEOPLE (November 2, 1992)
http://www.people.com/people/article...109001,00.html

[MichaelKeith]

Great articles Milkamplifier. I had never read any of these before. I love Hazel and can remember watching it in reruns in the 1970s when I was a kid. I have seasons 1 through 3 on DVD and am anxiously awaiting the announcement for the release of season 4 by Shout! Factory. Actually, I plan to buy season four but will not purchase season 5 if it comes out. I really like the original Baxter's--George and Dorothy!

And though most others on the site feel the theme song of season four is not their favorite, I really like it! I also like the themes and openings from the first three seasons.

Can't wait for S4!

[rcbrad]

Thanks for the links.