Hazel (TV Series) - Production Notes

Production Notes

The series was filmed at Columbia Sunset Gower Studios, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. Exteriors were shot at the Columbia Ranch in Burbank. The facade used as the Baxters' was later home to Sally Field as Gidget. From the driveway, the house next door is recognizable as that of Darrin and Samantha Stephens from Bewitched. The show aired on NBC for its first four seasons (in black and white for all but one episode of the first season, and in color for the next three), and then in color on CBS for its final season.

The episode "What'll We Watch Tonight," in which Hazel purchases a color TV, is the only first season episode shot in color and appears to promote color television sets. NBC, which aired the series, was owned by RCA, the largest seller of color television sets, during the period when most viewers still had black-and-white TVs.

Early in the first season, DeFore's character George is seen sporting a bandage that he attributed to fielding ground balls from son Harold. His wife said it was from Hazel. In reality, DeFore had nearly amputated his own finger while working with a circular saw in his home garage.

In July 1963, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) announced that unless the show added an African-American to the off-camera technical staff, the organization would begin a boycott of the show's sponsor, the Ford Motor Company. Two months after the announcement, the show's producers announced that a black production executive had the joined the show.

In the 16th episode of season four, "Champagne Tony", golfer Tony Lema plays himself in a guest appearance. Just 18 months after the show was broadcast, Lema and his wife, along with two others, were killed in a plane crash.