For all of us kids who grew up on the BEVERLY HILLBILLIES, GREEN ACRES and PETTICOAT JUNCTION -- which were all ingeniously tied together-- this is a must see episode from the first season.
The series featured one of the most heartless guys of tv sitcoms, Homer Bedloe (played to the hilt by veteran Charles Lane). Bedloe's scheme was to somehow, someway put the old Cannonball train out of business and mess it up for everybody.
The running gag throughout the series was he ALWAYS came back, no matter how many times he got stung.
Bedloe definitely comes back for Christmas, and with every intention of playing Scrooge to all the residents. Once again, he's got his eye on the Cannonball and his master plan is to keep it from making its annual Christmas tour.
Of course, mighty Kate (Bea Benadaret at her very best) and Uncle Joe (Edgar Buchanan) are ready for a smackdown!
Well written by Mark Tuttle, who was head writer for the BEVERLY HILLBILLIES, later writing for THREES COMPANY in the 70s.
Charles Lane, who eventually became one of the oldest working actors in Hollywood, is a natural as Bedloe, a role he repeated on so many other sitcoms for years. Another super character actor, Roy Roberts, plays Mr. Curtis. Look for Billy Benedict (as Willie), best remembered as one of the BOWERY BOYS. Billy was everywhere on tv, and so fondly remembered by all the casting directors.
This episode was so popular, the cast did it again in a 1966 Christmas special episode, which was beautifully done in color and became an enormously popular episode for years. It was also a tribute to Bea Benadaret, one of the great tv moms, who we all miss.
Thank you METV for bringing back some terrific memories.
SEASON 1 EPISODE 14 (1963) remastered dvd box set.
The series featured one of the most heartless guys of tv sitcoms, Homer Bedloe (played to the hilt by veteran Charles Lane). Bedloe's scheme was to somehow, someway put the old Cannonball train out of business and mess it up for everybody.
The running gag throughout the series was he ALWAYS came back, no matter how many times he got stung.
Bedloe definitely comes back for Christmas, and with every intention of playing Scrooge to all the residents. Once again, he's got his eye on the Cannonball and his master plan is to keep it from making its annual Christmas tour.
Of course, mighty Kate (Bea Benadaret at her very best) and Uncle Joe (Edgar Buchanan) are ready for a smackdown!
Well written by Mark Tuttle, who was head writer for the BEVERLY HILLBILLIES, later writing for THREES COMPANY in the 70s.
Charles Lane, who eventually became one of the oldest working actors in Hollywood, is a natural as Bedloe, a role he repeated on so many other sitcoms for years. Another super character actor, Roy Roberts, plays Mr. Curtis. Look for Billy Benedict (as Willie), best remembered as one of the BOWERY BOYS. Billy was everywhere on tv, and so fondly remembered by all the casting directors.
This episode was so popular, the cast did it again in a 1966 Christmas special episode, which was beautifully done in color and became an enormously popular episode for years. It was also a tribute to Bea Benadaret, one of the great tv moms, who we all miss.
Thank you METV for bringing back some terrific memories.
SEASON 1 EPISODE 14 (1963) remastered dvd box set.