A Brief History
On August 30, 1898, American actress Shirley Booth was born. Booth would go on to play television maid, Hazel, in the title role of the TV show. She was famous enough in that role to make a television commercial for the new 1964 Mustang, an indication of her pop-culture standing. Despite winning a Best Actress Oscar and a Golden Globe for 1952’s film Come Back Little Sheba, after winning the Tony award for that role on Broadway in 1950 (and 2 other Tony awards), it is the couple of television Emmys she won as Hazel we seem to remember her for. Many books, films, television shows and plays have featured maids, butlers, valets and the like in prominent roles, and here we list 10 of the most prominent of those. (Note: These are our favorites, not necessarily the most famous or most iconic characters. No significance to the order listed.)
Digging Deeper
10. Hazel, cartoon and television maid.
From 1961 to 1966 she took care of “Mr. B” and “Mrs. B” The character was based on the cartoon by Ted Key Hazel that appeared in the Saturday Evening Post.
9. Kato, comic book, radio, television and movie valet and driver.
The product of the Green Hornet comics by George Trendle and Fran Striker, Kato was the valet of Britt Reid, the Green Hornet. Kato was most famously played by martial arts legend Bruce Lee in the 1966-1967 television series.
8. Passepartout, book, film, stage, radio, game valet.
The French valet of Around the World in 80 Days Londoner Phileas Fogg, Passepartout provides the narrative and the comic relief. He also is absolutely vital to the success of the journey and even saves the life of Fogg’s love interest.
7. Reginald Jeeves, book, movie, stage, television, radio and comics valet.
Serving a wealthy young London man gives Jeeves plenty of adventures for PG Wodehouse to write about, scores of books and short stories from 1915 to 1974. In 2013 another author, Sebastian Faulks, got permission to continue the Jeeves stories. The brilliant Jeeves is the brains behind keeping his foppish master out of trouble, and is definitely the hero of the stories.
6. Rosie, cartoon robot maid.
A character in the 1960’s television cartoon, the Jetsons, Rosie brought a new twist to the role of fictional maid. She also appears in the 1980’s version of the show and in the movie. An outdated model robot that is suitably frumpy and with a motherly authoritarianism takes care of the family. Surely the ladies back then dreamed of the day they could have their own robot maid! Jean Vander Pyl provided the original voice and the voice for the 1990 film, Jetsons: The Movie.
5. Benson, television butler.
Television show by the same name from 1979-1986 starring Robert Guillaume was a spin-off from the television show Soap and the same character that appeared on that show. Guillaume won an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in this role as a somewhat smart-aleck but wise butler to a widowed state governor. In a unique twist, the final episode of the TV series has Benson running for governor against his own employer, the final show ending without saying which one won.
4. Alice Nelson, television and movie maid.
A staple of The Brady Bunch television show and movie adaptations, the TV version was ably played by Ann Davis, her signature role. Davis also played the character Alice Nelson in the 1994 film, Naked Gun 33 1/3.
3. Mr. Belvedere, book and television butler.
Another in the long line of fictional proper English butlers, we give the nod to Mr. Belvedere because he is the title character in the television show that aired from 1985-1990. He is also a character in the 1947 novel by Gwen Davenport, Belvedere (that was made into the 1948 movie Sitting Pretty). The character’s full name is Lynn Aloysius Belvedere, and was played by Christopher Hewett on TV.
2. Katy Holstrum, television, film, housekeeper.
A 1947 major motion picture starring Loretta Young in the title role of The Farmer’s Daughter and a 1963-1966 television series by that name starring Inger Stevens, Katie or Katy is the housekeeper of a widowed US Congressman. A situation comedy, the character strikes the author as notable because of the incredibly beautiful Swedish actress, Inger Stevens. Almost defying belief is during the third season of the TV show, Katy and the congressman get married, and when Congressman Morely expresses dismay over getting a honeymoon hotel room with twin beds, the idiot censors forced a script change to delete the word “bed” and replace it with “accommodations!” In the film, Katy runs for and is elected to congress.
1. Alfred Pennyworth, comics, movie, television, cartoon, game butler.
The English butler and so much more to DC Comic’s character Batman/Bruce Wayne, Alfred is currently played on television in the series Gotham by Sean Pertwee, who brings a new level of “badass” to the character. Other notable portrayers of Alfred include Michael Caine and Efrem Zimbalist, Jr..
Question for students (and subscribers): Please give us your nominations for others that should be on this list. Please let us know in the comments section below this article.
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Historical Evidence
For more information, please see…
Hazel – The Complete First Season. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, 2006. DVD.
Russell, William D., dir. Hazel: Season 2. Shout Factory, 2012. DVD.
Russell, William D., dir. Hazel: Season 3. Shout Factory, 2012. DVD.
Russell, William D., dir. Hazel: Season 4. Shout Factory, 2012. DVD.
Russell, William D., dir. Hazel: The Final Season. Shout Factory, 2014. DVD.