Hazel (TV series) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hazel |
|
|---|---|
Shirley Booth as Hazel Burke in 1962
|
|
| Genre | Sitcom |
| Created by | Based on a comic strip by Ted Key |
| Directed by | E.W. Swackhamer William D. Russell |
| Starring | Shirley Booth Don DeFore (1961-1965) Whitney Blake (1961-1965) Bobby Buntrock Ray Fulmer (1965-1966) Lynn Borden (1965-1966) Julia Benjamin (1965-1966) |
| Theme music composer | Jimmy Van Heusen (music) Sammy Cahn (lyrics) |
| Opening theme | "Hazel" |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 5 |
| No. of episodes | 154 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Camera setup | Single-camera |
| Running time | 26 mins. |
| Production company(s) | Screen Gems |
| Distributor | Screen Gems (1967-1974) Columbia Pictures Television (1974-1984, 1988-1995) LBS Communications Inc. (1982-1984, 1986-1990) Colex Enterprises (1984-1986) Coca-Cola Telecommunications (1986-1988) Columbia TriStar Television (1995-2002) Sony Pictures Television (2002-present) |
| Release | |
| Original network | NBC (1961-65) CBS (1965-66) Syndication (1967-present) |
| Picture format | Black-and-white (season 1) Color (season 2–season 5) |
| Audio format | Monaural (1961-1995) Stereophonic (1995-present) |
| Original release | September 28, 1961 – April 11, 1966 |
Hazel was a popular sitcom (a funny TV show) that aired from 1961 to 1966. It started on NBC and then moved to CBS for its final season. The first year was in black and white, and the rest were in color. It was very popular, even ranking fourth in TV ratings during its first season!
Contents
What is Hazel About?
The TV show Hazel was inspired by a comic strip created by Ted Key. This comic was a single picture with a funny caption, and it appeared for many years in a magazine called The Saturday Evening Post.
The show tells the story of Hazel Burke, played by Shirley Booth. Hazel is a live-in maid who works for the Baxter family. She is very good at her job and often helps the family with their problems.
The Baxter Family
The Baxter family includes:
- George "Mr. B" Baxter: Played by Don DeFore, he is a lawyer and Hazel's boss.
- Dorothy "Missy" Baxter: Played by Whitney Blake, she is George's wife and an interior decorator.
- Harold "Sport" Baxter: Played by Bobby Buntrock, he is their young son.
- Smiley: The family's big, shaggy dog.
Other Characters
Many other fun characters appeared on the show:
- Harvey Griffin: George Baxter's client, played by Howard Smith.
- Rosie: Another maid in the neighborhood, played by Maud Prickett.
- Barney Hatfield: The postman, played by Robert Williams.
- Mitch: Hazel's taxi-driving boyfriend, played by Dub Taylor.
- Deirdre Thompson: George Baxter's snobby sister, played by Cathy Lewis.
- Herbert and Harriet Johnson: The Baxters' neighbors, played by Donald Foster and Norma Varden.
Daily Life with Hazel
The show is set in a nice, middle-class home. Each episode shows Hazel's daily life and work. She might be cooking a special dinner or helping a lost dog find a home. Sometimes, she even convinces "Mr. B" to do things he doesn't want to, like buying a color TV for her room! She often gets her way by offering him small portions of her delicious desserts.
Changes and Awards
In the show's last year, "Mr. B" goes to the Middle East for work. Hazel and Harold then move in with George's brother, Steve (played by Ray Fulmer), his wife Barbara (Lynn Borden), and their daughter Susie (Julia Benjamin). This new arrangement only lasted for one year before the show ended.
Shirley Booth was very talented in her role as Hazel. She won two Emmy Awards for her amazing acting in 1962 and 1963. She was also nominated for a third Emmy in 1964.
