The popular comedy "Petticoat Junction" aired on CBS for seven years. The show told was one of three TV shows focused on the same main character. But there are some facts about the show that fans might not know.
Television producer and writer Paul Henning created "Petticoat Junction." It starred his daughter, Linda Kaye and while it may not resonate with younger generations the series was beloved by fans.
The cast won over audiences making them household names at the time. Here are fifteen facts fans of the show might not know.
Actors from "Petticoat Junction" Lori Saunders, Linda Henning and Gunilla Hutton at The Hollywood Show | Getty Images
1. "Petticoat Junction" was created because the previous work of Paul Henning was extremely successful. The show was a spinoff of "The Beverly Hillbillies" which aired from 1962-1971.
2. Only three of the characters appeared in all 7 seasons of the show. They were Frank Cady, Linda Kaye Henning, and Edgar Buchanan, who was the only actor to appear in all 222 episodes.
4. Bea Benaderet’s character, Kate, was written out of the show in the third episode of season six after her lung cancer had returned. She voiced parts in the fourth episode of the season.
Cast photo from the television program Petticoat Junction | Wikimedia Commons
5. Phyllis Davis appeared in one episode of "Petticoat Junction" as a showgirl back in 1966. She is best known for her roles on "Magnum, P.I.," "Beverly Hills Cop III," and "The Love Boat."
6. Edgar Buchanan played Uncle Joe. In real life, Edgar was a dentist before he decided to take on a career in acting.
7. Bobbie and Billie Jo swapped roles. Bobbie was the geeky bookworm girl, and Billie was more flirty at first but by the end f the show, their characters had both changed to the opposite.
8. There was once an actual theme park called Petticoat Junction Amusement Park in Panama City Beach, Florida. The park was open for 14 years between 1963 and 1984.
Photo of the three Bradley sisters from the television program Petticoat Junction in an Independence Day publicity photo. | Getty Images
9. Season seven of "Petticoat Junction" did not feature a series finale. This is because the end of the seventh season was not meant to be the end of the show and some consider the 4th-to-last episode the show ending.
10. Edgar Buchanan played the Uncle of Bea Benaderet’s character, Kate Bradley. In reality, Edgar was only three years older than Bea.
11. The dog only rose to fame after the movie was released. Higgins won a PATSY Award for his performance.
12. The dog went on to play the pooch, Higgins, in the 1974 movie, "Benji."
13. Betty Jo and Steve got married in real life. The wedding on the show coincided with their actual wedding day when Linda Henning married Mike Minor.
14. Uncle Joe wore a belt and suspenders in every episode.
15. Paul Henning auditioned and interviewed over 1500 women to cast the Bradley sisters. In the end, Bea recommended that he cast his actual daughter, Linda.
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