Petticoat Junction (1963–1970)

The misadventures of the family staff of The Shady Rest Hotel and their neighbors of Hooterville.

Creator:

Paul Henning

Stars:

Edgar Buchanan, Linda Henning, Bea Benaderet

Cast

Complete series cast summary:
Edgar Buchanan	...	Uncle Joe Carson (222 episodes, 1963-1970)
Linda Henning	...	Betty Jo Bradley (222 episodes, 1963-1970)
Bea Benaderet	...	Kate Bradley (175 episodes, 1963-1968)
Frank Cady	...	Sam Drucker (162 episodes, 1963-1970)
Lori Saunders	...	Bobbie Jo Bradley (148 episodes, 1965-1970)
Rufe Davis	...	Floyd Smoot (128 episodes, 1963-1970)
Meredith MacRae	...	Billie Jo Bradley (114 episodes, 1966-1970)
Mike Minor	...	Steve Elliott (111 episodes, 1964-1970)
Smiley Burnette	...	Charley Pratt (105 episodes, 1963-1967)

Storyline

Bobbie Jo, Billie Jo, and Betty Jo Bradley are three sisters living with their Uncle Joe who owns the family hotel, and is always coming up with zany ideas. Their whole town revolves around the train "The Cannon Ball". The show also includes Kate (the mother), Steve (Betty Jo's boyfriend) and Sam Drucker (Store Keeper) who is also in "Green Acres".

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Plot Keywords:

hotel | hooterville | train | general store | green acres | 

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Genres:

Comedy

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 September 1963 (USA)

Also Known As:

Dern Tootin'

Filming Locations:

General Service Studios - 1040 N. Las Palmas, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Filmways Television, McCadden Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

30 min 30 min (222 episodes)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White Color

Aspect Ratio:

4:3

Did You Know?

Trivia

Set in the same town as Green Acres. Characters from that series often appeared on this one. The series was also linked to The Beverly Hillbillies and the two shows occasionally crossed over.

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Goofs

Even though the Cannonball is supposed to be a wood burning locomotive, and the tender car is loaded with chopped wood, the smokestack is blowing pitch black smoke. It should be blowing mostly white or light gray smoke from the wood. The black smoke reveals the real-life locomotive actually burned oil.

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Connections

Spin-off Green Acres (1965)

User Reviews

Folksy & heartwarming shenanigans at the Shady Rest

This is a mindless, entertaining series from the 1960's that baby boomers such as myself grew up on. Petitcoat Junction is something of a first cousin to The Beverly Hillbillies and Green Acres. The series portrays the goings on at the Shady Rest Hotel, which is located on the outskirts of the little village of Hooterville. The hotel is run by the widowed Kate Bradley and her three lovely young daughters, Billie Jo, Bobbie Jo, and Betty Jo...all without much assistance from their lazy but protective Ol' Uncle Joe. Much of hotel life revolves around the local steam train, the Cannonball, operated by Floyd and Charlie, who make regular stops during their runs to Sam Drucker's little country store.

The two main stars wonderful, with Bea Benadaret playing the widow, Kate, and Edgar Buchanan Uncle Joe, who's mainly seen concocting get rich quick schemes while lazing about on the hotel's porch in his rocking chair. Yes, he's a-movin' kinda slow at the Junction. The three beautiful daughters are adequately cast, though with various actress changes mid way through the series.

The show gets its name from the three daughters at the Shady Rest. Naturally many of the plot lines revolve around the suitors of these lovely young ladies. Betty Jo, the youngest, is the one given the most character portrayal, initially something of a tomboy but eventually growing up to wed sweetheart Steve, the first Bradley sister to marry. Unlike some viewers, I don't recall her two sisters having very distinctive personalities, except for Billie Jo being starstruck. In my opinion, they mainly seem to look pretty, banter a bit with each other & their mom, and attract beaux. Assorted guests come & go from the Shady Rest, and it's all a leisurely, amusing tale of their various misadventures. All in all, it's a cute, fun, and harmless little series.