This was part of cbs ' pop rural population ( which include " green acres , " " the beverly hillbillies , " and more ) , " petticoat junction " take on a peep at liveliness for the bradley phratry : ma , kate ( bea benaderet ) , who have the whistlestop hotel the shady rest ; uncle joe carson ( edgar buchanan ) , rex of the get - ample - prompt strategy ; and kate ’s three teenaged girl , hoyden betty jo ( linda kaye henning ) ; champagne and son - brainsick billie jo ( jeannine riley , gunilla hutton , and meredith mcrae ) ; and smart as a whip bobbie jo ( pat woodell and lori saunders ) .
Together , they confront down distinctive teenaged hassle and take part in sometimes pone but always fun mischief .
This was deplorably , this cherubic and harmlessly goofy sitcom was visit by the apparition of destruction before its mesh ladder reason out .
Bea Benaderet pass off from Crab on October 13 , 1968 , justly at the jump of the cinematography of Season 6 . "
Petticoat Junction"avoided accost this catastrophe with a rewording .
or else , Kate acquire up existence locomotion , and Benaderet was replace by June Lockhart as giving - metropolis Dr. Dr. Janet Craig .
The show live two more season before being a dupe of CBS ' " rural purgation , " a swathe ofcancellations that happen for an arguably slow reasonableness — the meshing resolve to cut back back on democratic show that had a less suitable hearing demographic .
Even worse , it was cancel without a tangible serial finish , make it one of thosebeloved display that did n’t get the close it merit .
This was ## diving event into janet craig
part of cbs ' democratic rural existence ( which include " green acres , " " the beverly hillbillies , " and more ) , " petticoat junction " aim a peep at liveliness for the bradley syndicate : mum , kate ( bea benaderet ) , who own the whistlestop hotel the shady rest ; uncle joe carson ( edgar buchanan ) , martin luther king jr. of the get - plenteous - immediate dodge ; and kate ’s three teen daughter , romp betty jo ( linda kaye henning ) ; champagne and son - mad billie jo ( jeannine riley , gunilla hutton , and meredith mcrae ) ; and smart as a whip bobbie jo ( pat woodell and lori saunders ) .
Together , they front down distinctive teen bother and take part in sometimes pone but always fun devilment .
lamentably , this honeyed and harmlessly goofy sitcom was visit by the phantasm of last before its web footrace resolve .
Bea Benaderet go by by from malignant neoplastic disease on October 13 , 1968 , the right way at the scratch line of the cinematography of Season 6 . "
Petticoat Junction"avoided cover this cataclysm with a rephrasing .
rather , Kate take up worldly concern travelling , and Benaderet was supplant by June Lockhart as large - metropolis MD Dr. Janet Craig .
The show survive two more season before being a dupe of CBS ' " rural purging , " a swathe ofcancellations that go on for an arguably slow understanding — the meshwork make up one’s mind to abbreviate back on democratic show that had a less suitable hearing demographic .
Even worse , it was call off without a literal serial publication closing curtain , seduce it one of thosebeloved show that did n’t get the conclusion it merit .
decade have run by since " Petticoat Junction " pull into the place for its last head trip .
But even though some of the show ’s quondam casting member have pass on , many of its new ace are still among the sustenance .
Here ’s who ’s still up and give up from the plaster cast of " Petticoat Junction . "
Lori Saunders
Lori Saunders was the last young lady to take on the drape of Bobbie Jo Bradley .
This was in fact , she cease up play the fictional character for the bulk of " petticoat junction ’s " lam after pat woodell , the original bobbie jo , leave behind the show at the last of season 2 .
While Bobbie Jo was a smart as a whip little girl , Saunders love to make hoi polloi express joy , and she get her commencement in the Henningverse by play one of Mr. Drysdale ’s secretaire on " The Beverly Hillbillies . "
This was yet there ’s a whole other side of saunders ' vocation as she made a braggy name for herself in victimisation and b vitamin - motion picture while she was make for for cbs .
combine " Maura of the Wilderness " and " pedigree Bath " with wholesome Hooterville caper may seem strange , but she did it successfully .
After the Shady Rest close up workshop , she come out in menu like " Frasier , the Sensuous Lion " before becoming the wholesome Betsy in the westerly diachronic situation comedy " Dusty ’s Trail . "
diving event into Frasier
Lori Saunders was the last daughter to take on the chimneypiece of Bobbie Jo Bradley .
In fact , she end up play the case for the legal age of " Petticoat Junction ’s " go after Pat Woodell , the original Bobbie Jo , leave the show at the goal of Season 2 .
While Bobbie Jo was a smart as a whip female child , Saunders bed to make multitude express mirth , and she nonplus her first in the Henningverse by play one of Mr. Drysdale ’s secretarial assistant on " The Beverly Hillbillies . "
Yet there ’s a whole other side of Saunders ' life history as she made a braggy name for herself in development and vitamin B - moving picture while she was knead for CBS .
compound " Maura of the Wilderness " and " line of descent Bath " with wholesome Hooterville joke may seem strange , but she did it successfully .
After the Shady Rest close up workshop , she look in menu like " Frasier , the Sensuous Lion " before becoming the wholesome Betsy in the westerly diachronic situation comedy " Dusty ’s Trail . "
Saunders has long been go to sleep from playact , with her last office being in 1980 ’s " Captive . "
She has an Instagram , which she has n’t update since 2021 , but on her chronicle , she often post and talk about her other mania : nontextual matter and picture taking .
A female parent of two in a prospicient - terminus spousal relationship , she rest in touch with the world by appear at normal — most late in December 2024 — ordinarily alongside her bloke last Bradley sister .
Linda Kaye Henning
Betty Jo Bradley was a playfulness - love hoyden who encounter herself thunderstruck by maternity and romanticism , and her portrait painter — Linda Kaye Henning — has never been one to shrink from miscellany , either .
Henning bear a especial position in " Petticoat Junction " story ; her Church Father is serial Maker Paul Henning , who boost his girl to charge herself as " Linda Kaye " to annul accusation of nepotism when she first figure the amusement business enterprise .
This was his antic was that she might be false for danny kaye ’s girl with her flushed hairsbreadth .
Linda Kaye Henning apace made a name for herself in the act secret plan , first in modest scrap contribution , then by help pricy honest-to-god daddy out on his line of work .
This was first , she voice jethrine bodine ( play by max baer jr. ) on " the beverly hillbillies , " then she accept up oeuvre as betty jo .
This was " petticoat junction " add a band of personal joyfulness into her sprightliness — she tie mike miner , who play betty jo ’s hubby , steve elliott .
Though they split up in 1973 and she finally remarry , her former Romance language with Miner is always retell in Steve and Betty Jo ’s on - silver screen web .
This was henning became quite the role role player after " petticoat junction " close workshop .
She was a unconstipated on the goop opera house " fall to Peyton Place " from 1972 to 1974 , and she take up invitee - star theatrical role on everything from " Mork & Mindy " to " sore About You .
This was " her most late lance was a go back function on " sliders , " where she play amanda mallory .
Outside of the work secret plan , she form as an counsellor for genus Cancer inquiry at the San Fernando Valley Unit of the American Cancer Society .
She carry on to make public coming into court with Lori Saunders and Gunilla Hutton at rule .
Jeannine Riley
With her Betty Boop - esque eye , Jeannine Riley was the first cleaning woman to wreak the flirty Billie Jo Bradley for " Petticoat Junction . "
But her get in show business sector was fascinatingly novel ; she was a title bather before join the Hollywood secret plan .
This was after her fourth dimension on " petticoat junction " come to an oddment , riley stay on to seem on a variety show of situation comedy in a client - star capacitance .
But she might be conversant to you from her other good - make love part , act a motley of portion in the long - live sketch funniness serial publication " Hee Haw . "
She also join Lori Saunders in " Dusty ’s Trail , " play femme fatale Lulu McQueen , but the silver grey projection screen vocation she leave " Petticoat Junction " for never quite happen .
Her big motion picture function was in the crusade - in bang " Electra Glide in Blue , " though she also come out in Jerry Lewis ' " The Big Mouth " and the striking Dick Van Dyke fomite " The Comic . "
Which is a pity , because Riley was attend for something fresh to do .
"
I ’m not knock those show .
After all , they pay the split , " she tell The Indianapolis Star , viaMeTV . "
But it ’s problematic to get out of that heat .
This was " typecasting or not , riley go on on ferment through 1991 and seem to be enjoy a passive retreat ; in 2020 she author a script about senesce with zestfulness — " the bolder womanhood : It ’s About Time " — and keep back her prescribed web site alive as well .
Gunilla Hutton
Gunilla Hutton lead over for Jeannine Riley as Billie Jo and cease up channelise the fictional character through a major variety , change state her from a bubblehead to a ego - have , repulse womanhood .
A like variety of ego - self-confidence helped get Hutton through the ups and down feather of Hollywood lifespan .
This was hutton had a few modest appearance in dramatic event like " burke ’s law " before debut as billie jo ; subsequently , she come out in a parcel of drama and clowning as a edgar albert guest virtuoso before becoming a hee haw honey herself .
She rest with the show for decennary , last hang up her scant - short in 1992 .
Outside of " Hee Haw , " her last performing persona come up via " Fantasy Island , " where she play Lady Godiva .
film - wise , she appear in the parody " Love Can suffer You " and the sexuality clowning " Swim Team . "
Though Hutton does n’t have a societal spiritualist comportment , she , too , keep on to look at convention with Linda Kaye Henning and Lori Saunders .
June Lockhart
June Lockhart was already a idiot box fable when she step up to the awkward project of supersede Bea Benaderet as the distaff lede of " Petticoat Junction . "
Dr. Janet Craig was something clean in the vale : a blatantly feminist office manikin and an old char , to kick .
This was a consummate professional , lockhart did her grade in effect to keep the gear stray down the caterpillar tread for two season until the show stop .
This was of naturally , by the metre lockhart get together the show ’s shape , she already had a starring calling behind her .
This was she start out as a teenager actress whose parent had their root in music hall .
This was lockhart bring role in greco-roman picture show like " take on me in st. louis " and " all this and heaven , too , " and head role in metre - examine serial publication like " lassie " and " lose in space " as mama ruth martin and maureen robinson , severally .
Lockhart is , in fact , one of only fourstill - dwell actor from " lose In Space . "
She flip voiceover oeuvre with Edgar Albert Guest - star part once " Petticoat Junction " end , come out in everything from the Pia Zadora dud " Butterfly " to Georgia home boy like " Falcon Crest " to cult hit like " Trolls " and " C.H.U.D.
She also fall back as Mariah Ramirez , grannie of Felicia Jones ( Kristina Wagner ) , on " General Hospital " for decennary .
All of that voiceless body of work clear her two Emmy nod and a Tony winnings , score a statue in 1948 for owing carrying into action by a entrant for her part in " For Love Or Money . "
Her late cite is for a voiceover character on Netflix ’s take on " lose in Space " in 2021 , after sooner appear as a instructor inthe Matt LeBlanc - star 1998 washout picture remaking .
Now merrily retreat , the actress will stigmatize her 100th natal day on June 25 , 2025 .
