I remember all the words to the "Petticoat Junction" theme song. At least the version used before Bea Benaderet died. And not only that, but I remember all the words to the them of "The Beverly Hillbillies", both opening and ending and including one of the sponsor themes added to the opening theme so many nights.
Strangely, I can actually reconstruct the chain of connections that led to this revelation. I can't usually do this.
First, Kate mantioned That Herbert Lom is still living. This surprised me some, especially since he was older (which I why I'd assumed he was gone) than the late Peter Sellers.
So after commenting, I looked him up to find out how old he was. Then I looked up The Pink Panther to be certain that I was right that Herbert Lom wasn't in it (on the chance that my recollection that he wasn't was incorrect).
While there, I saw the name Brenda de Banzie.
I remembered her from the movie The Purple Plain. When I watched it a few months back, I had had to look up the movie to be sure it wasn't Bea Benaderet, I could have sworn it was.
Anyway, that reminded me of Bea Benaderet and "Petticoat Junction". And that's also how I learned that Frank Cady is still alive. And he was even younger than Eddie Albert (never would have guessed that!)
And then I looked up some of the other great character actors that appeared on that show, like Rufe Davis, who played conductor Floyd Smoot on the Cannonball.
Damn, I'd love to look up the engineer on the Cannonball, but I can't remember that character's name. A little help here?
Iz out!
2 months ago
6 comments:
You'll have to ask Sis; she's the one with that big "5" at the start of her age.
You need to get out more...
The engineer was Charley Pratt, played by Smiley Burnett.
I didn't remember this for myself, the IMDB did. I just looked up the Petticoat Junction entry. He's right under Floyd Smoot.
Frank Cady went to Stanford, then trained in London in the Legitimate Theatre, and wound up being most famous for playing Mr. Drucker. Man.
OMG,Angie! Thank you! I completely blew past his name in the credits! I can't believe I did that.
And now that I look him up, what an amazingly talented guy. I did not at all remember him, specifically on "PJ", but definitely as a sidekick in old westerns (second hand knowledge only, though). The guy played 100 instruments. That's moving into Roy Clark/Billy Preston territory.
I am in awe.
Now that I think on it for a few minutes, maybe part of the reason I blasted right by Smiley in the credits is that I was actually picturing a different guy, almost certainly the one who took over as engineer after Smiley Burnette died.
But damned if I can think of who it was, or find him in the credits.
Eddie Albert was much older than most people knew. He was 10 years older than Gregory Peck in Roman Holiday but he looked the same age or even younger.
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