Ted Key facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ted Key |
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Key with actress Shirley Booth; the latter is outfitted in the maid's uniform she wore on television as Hazel.
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| Born | Theodore Keyser August 25, 1912 Fresno, California, United States |
| Died | May 3, 2008 (aged 95) Tredyffrin, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Nationality | American |
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Notable works
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Hazel |
| Awards | 1977 National Cartoonists Society Newspaper Panel Award |
Ted Key (born Theodore Keyser; August 25, 1912 – May 3, 2008) was a talented American cartoonist and writer. He is most famous for creating the cartoon panel Hazel. This popular cartoon later became a television show that many people loved. Ted Key also created the fun Peabody's Improbable History animated segments for TV.
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From College to Cartoons
Ted Key was born in Fresno, California. His father was an immigrant from Latvia who changed his family name to "Key" during World War I. Even though his family used the name Key, Theodore didn't legally change his name until the 1950s.
He went to the University of California, Berkeley. There, he became the art editor for the student newspaper, The Daily Californian. He also helped edit the campus humor magazine, the California Pelican. After finishing college in 1933, Key moved to New York City. He started publishing his cartoons and drawings in many popular magazines. Some of these included Better Homes and Gardens, Collier's, and The New Yorker.
Meet Hazel, the Bossy Maid
Ted Key's most famous creation was the single-panel cartoon called Hazel. It was about a smart and sometimes bossy household maid. The idea for Hazel came to Key in a dream in 1943. He drew the cartoon the very next morning. He sent it to The Saturday Evening Post, and they loved it! The cartoon started appearing regularly in the magazine. Soon after, he gave the character the name Hazel and showed her working for the Baxter family.
The Hazel cartoon ran in The Saturday Evening Post until the magazine stopped publishing in 1969. But Hazel's story didn't end there! The cartoon was then picked up by King Features Syndicate to be shown in newspapers. This meant Ted Key had to create six cartoons a week. To help with the extra work, he hired another cartoonist named Stan Fine.
Ted Key later turned his comic panel into a TV show, also called Hazel. The show starred Shirley Booth as the main character. It was on NBC from 1961 to 1964. For its last season in 1965, the show moved to CBS. Ted Key kept drawing the comic strip until he retired in 1993. Even after his retirement, Hazel cartoons continued to be printed in over 50 newspapers.
Ted Key's Other Creations
Besides Hazel, Ted Key worked on other cool projects. He created Diz and Liz, a two-page feature for Jack and Jill magazine. This ran from 1961 to 1972.
He also came up with the idea for Peabody's Improbable History. These were animated segments for the TV show The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show. Many kids and adults loved watching Mr. Peabody and Sherman travel through time! Key also drew pictures for motivational posters and pamphlets. These were called the "Positive Attitude" series.
Radio and Movies
Ted Key was also a writer for radio plays in the 1930s and 1940s. One of his radio plays, The Clinic, was even chosen for a special collection of the best broadcasts from that time.
He also wrote screenplays for three Disney movies. These included The Cat from Outer Space, Million Dollar Duck, and Gus. Key also wrote several classic children's books. Two of them were Phyllis and The Biggest Dog in the World. The Biggest Dog in the World was even made into a movie called Digby, the Biggest Dog in the World.
Ted Key's Life
During World War II, Ted Key served in the U.S. Army from 1943 to 1946. He worked in public relations, which means he helped share information with the public. He even wrote a play to encourage women to join the military.
Ted Key retired in 1993. However, King Features continued to share his Hazel cartoons using material he had already prepared. Hazel is still printed in some newspapers today!
Ted Key passed away in Tredyffrin Township, Pennsylvania, at the age of 95. He had faced some health challenges before his passing. He was married twice. His first wife, Anne, passed away in 1984. Ted Key was survived by his second wife, Bonnie, and his three sons: Stephen, David, and Peter.
Awards and Recognition
In 1977, Ted Key received a special award for his work on Hazel. He was given the National Cartoonists Society Newspaper Panel Award. This award recognized his amazing talent and contribution to cartoons.
