Here's an excerpt from what became known as "the Hazel Bible" by Ted Key, which is quoted extensively in my chapter on Hazel (used with permission by The Estate of Ted Key).
HAZEL by Ted Key
I created HAZEL for the Saturday Evening Post in 1943, but she was not the maid she is now. Physically she was thin, slope shouldered, round nosed and bleary eyed. This, to suggest stupidity, because almost all of the gags were one dimensional, based upon the themes of naivete, ignorance and incompetence.
HAZEL was a product of the labor shortage of World War II, when domestic help was hard to come by. I had been a weekly contributor to the Post and sold this cartoon to them: Scene: Living Room; Maid (Addressing employers who had just returned from the movies): "A Mr. Harmon - or Marmon - called and said you're to meet him tomorrow on the corner of Elm - I believe - or North - or was it South street - about nine - I think - or did he say ten o'clock - and if you can't make it you're to phone Saratoga 5-476 something 9 - as it's very important.
HAZEL, today, would not only straighten out the message, but quite conceivably Harmon. She is no longer naive, but sophisticated; certainly not ignorant, but knowledgeable, and razor-edged competence is one of her many attributes.
Following the publication of this first drawing, the Post printed many more maid cartoons. Within a period of a year I had stepped up her IQ, sharpened her wits and cloaked her with independence. She was given a name and became the most popular feature in the magazine. Today she stands on her own two feet; and often as not, on someone else's, but only if the occasion warrants it.
HAZEL was a product of the labor shortage of World War II, when domestic help was hard to come by. I had been a weekly contributor to the Post and sold this cartoon to them: Scene: Living Room; Maid (Addressing employers who had just returned from the movies): "A Mr. Harmon - or Marmon - called and said you're to meet him tomorrow on the corner of Elm - I believe - or North - or was it South street - about nine - I think - or did he say ten o'clock - and if you can't make it you're to phone Saratoga 5-476 something 9 - as it's very important.
HAZEL, today, would not only straighten out the message, but quite conceivably Harmon. She is no longer naive, but sophisticated; certainly not ignorant, but knowledgeable, and razor-edged competence is one of her many attributes.
Following the publication of this first drawing, the Post printed many more maid cartoons. Within a period of a year I had stepped up her IQ, sharpened her wits and cloaked her with independence. She was given a name and became the most popular feature in the magazine. Today she stands on her own two feet; and often as not, on someone else's, but only if the occasion warrants it.
*****
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For purchasing any of my books, you can visit Amazon.com
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--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For Bill, His Pinup Girl: The Shirley Booth & Bill Baker Story
by Jim Manago
Foreword by Leslie Sodaro
Published December 1, 2010
Further details at: http://shirleybooth.blogspot.com
THANKS FOR VISITING!
JOIN ME AGAIN TOMORROW!
*****
For purchasing any of my books, you can visit Amazon.com
You can also check www.bookfinder.com
which offers the best prices on new & used copies.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For Bill, His Pinup Girl: The Shirley Booth & Bill Baker Story
by Jim Manago
Foreword by Leslie Sodaro
Published December 1, 2010
Further details at: http://shirleybooth.blogspot.com
*****
Love is the Reason for it All: The Shirley Booth Story
by Jim Manago
Radio Research by Donna Manago
Foreword by Ted Key
BearManor Media, May 2008
http://bearmanormedia.bizland.com
by Jim Manago
Radio Research by Donna Manago
Foreword by Ted Key
BearManor Media, May 2008
http://bearmanormedia.bizland.com
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