[13][75][103][117][118] The Pantagraph columnist Ernie Kreiling remarked in 1965 that "probably no Hollywood personality has spent as many hours in our homes". "[68] Benaderet and director Richard Whorf auditioned the young actresses who would play Kate's three teenaged daughters;[70] she persuaded Henning to let his 18-year-old daughter Linda read (successfully) for the role of Betty Jo Bradley. 19261968 [58] While filming the debut season of her show Petticoat Junction the next year, she continued voicing Betty by recording her part alone or with her Flintstones castmates during evening hours[29] until scheduling conflicts forced her to drop the role at the end of the fourth season in 1964. Before joining the Shady Rest Hotel, Bea Benaderet was a cartoon regular, specifically for Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies. According to IMDB, It was because of her role as Blanche that she couldn't accept the part of Ethel Mertz in "I Love Lucy" (1951), which was offered to her by Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. She was chosen from 200 actresses for the part of a government file clerk in Alfred Hitchcock's Notorious (1946) and completed filming in half an hour, but her scenes were cut from the final print. Roughly a quarter million of these unlucky souls sustain injuries so severe that they end up dying. [43], Benaderet was Lucille Ball's first choice as Ethel Mertz for the sitcom I Love Lucy; Ball said in a 1984 interview that she had "no other picture of anyone" for the role. Before joining the Shady Rest Hotel, Bea Benaderet was a cartoon regular, specifically for. Pearl played the piano for the silent movies and she saw such high fashion and ridiculous hairdos. [65] Henning created for Benaderet the supporting character of Cousin Pearl Bodine, the middle-aged widowed mother of Jethro Bodine (Max Baer Jr.) and cousin of main character Jed Clampett (Buddy Ebsen), whom she convinces to move from his humble home in the Ozarks after he strikes oil on his property and becomes a millionaire. March 28, 2021, 6:21 am, by Click on archived link for complete listing. Oddly enough, the switch might have been unnecessary, since years later their major spokes model Marilyn Chambers ended up doing a very similar shoot. [13], The following year, her participation in a children's production of The Beggar's Opera resulted in a local radio station manager inviting her to a one-time performance on one of his programs, for which she was paid $10. Born in New York City and raised in San Francisco, she began performing in Bay Area theatre and radio before embarking on a Hollywood career that spanned over three decades. Publicity photo of Bea Benadaret, circa 1966. 1950)Eugene Twombly(m. 1957; her death 1968) [86] Rosemary DeCamp (Kate's sister Helen) and Shirley Mitchell (Kate's cousin Mae Jennings) filled in as temporary mother figures during her absence; Mitchell had previously worked with Benaderet on The Jack Benny Program in 195455 as Mabel Flapsaddle. | Photo: Wikimedia Commons. by Four days after her demise and the day after her burial service, Bea's husband, Eugene Twombly, passed away from a massive heart attack. [84] She resisted immediate exploratory surgery as she was filming the fifth season of Petticoat Junction and feared the show would be affected by her absence. There was no planned big grand finale to begin with. . She missed 10 episodes of the show as she recuperated, during which her character of Kate Bradley was vaguely described in the storyline as being out of town, as expectations were that Benaderet would eventually recover and be able to resume filming. [37], Beginning in 1943, Benaderet became Warner Bros.' primary voice of adult female supporting characters for their Merrie Melodies and Looney Tunes animated shorts, initially sharing duties with Sara Berner. [7] In 1958, Benaderet married Eugene Twombly,[81] a sound-effects technician for movies and television who had worked on The Jack Benny Program, and they remained together until her death in 1968. During her career, Bea received 125 acting credits, mostly in television series and includes voice-over work. Her occupation is listed as such in the 1940 U.S. census. Or has the show become dated and wont resonate with a newer generation? I would die if I didn't work. Residing in Bedrock, Fred Flintstone worked an unsatisfying quarry job, but returned home to lovely wife Wilma and eventually daughter Pebbles. Paul Henning was best known for his role in creating The Beverly Hillbillies and Petticoat Junction. On the latter show, Bea Benaderet was cast as Kate Bradley and this remains one of the best roles that defined her career. Mrs. Whitney Dr. Ruth Martin After that, June Lockhart stepped in as Dr. Janet Craig, but viewers really felt the void in Kates absence and sometimes attribute that to the shows ending two seasons later. ", Gale Gordon and Bea Benaderet performing in Granby's Green Acres in 1950. 1947). However, many audience members didnt realize that. Trending: 1,920th This Week. And I asked her to read the script and she . Dawber has married to NCIS star Mark Harmon for more than three [] More, Jan Smithers is a former television actress that is best known for her portrayal of the character Bailey Quarters on the television series WKRP in Cincinnati. In 1936, she started her profession in network radio, becoming a regular member of Orson Welles' performing company on "The Campbell Playhouse. Throughout most of her television career, she continued to voice roles in animated shows and short films. She cut down on smoking and started to improve her health. In 1959, they filmed a 90-second pilot. The Flintstones are a typical suburban family that just happens to live in the stone-age. In the 1960s, she became well known for playing Wilma in the sitcom Peter Loves Mary. [68][94][95][96][13] She had previously played supporting roles throughout her career, usually as a next-door neighbor,[55][94][97] and had been openly averse to leading roles. Beverly Hillbillies was such an immediate hit, it spawned the creation of Petticoat Junction. If the character of Sam Drucker looks familiar, thats because he and his actor Frank Cady have been in ALL 3 Paul Henning creations. Daws. [16] Benaderet worked sparsely in 1959,[52] filming one-time appearances on General Electric Theater and The Restless Gun. Bea Benaderet 1906 - 1968 . Just as she had gotten into the medium of radio as it becoming more popular, she now eager to try her luck with the medium of television. Theres nothing like a wholesome holiday-themed episodeWait anyone else getting deja vu? She appeared in a wide variety of television work, which included a starring role in the 1960s television series . Bea Benaderet was only 62 when she passed away. [67] Benaderet described Pearl's curly hair as "just my mental image of the character. She is best remembered for starring in the 1960s television series Petticoat Junction as Shady Rest Hotel owner Kate Bradley and The Beverly Hillbillies as Jed Clampett's cousin Pearl Bodine, and as the original voice of Granny of Warner Brothers' Looney Tunes media . Nevertheless, though its hard to watch her last episode of Petticoat Junction her life was one that serves as an inspiration to us all. But we almost had actress and model Sharon Tate, who had been very quickly hailed as the most promising newcomer of her era, and later the tragic victim of the horrifying Manson cult murder spree. Only . | Source: Wikimedia Commons. Bea Benaderet became best known for her comedic performances in "The Flintstones," "The Beverly Hillbillies," and "Petticoat Junction." Fans of the country hotel keeper at "Petticoat Junction," which began its run in 1963, will know that Bea suddenly became absent on the show in 1967. [53], Benaderet became a fixture on television in the 1960s, which included working on two shows simultaneously from 1960 to 1964. She missed 10 episodes, but they yearned to keep Bea on, so they didn't write the character out. Died Oct. 13, 1968 of lung cancer in Good Samaritan Hospital, Calif. B ea Benaderet was an actress whose career spanned four decades but was probably best known for her comedic performances in. "[50][note 3], Henning had long admired Benaderet's talents and strove to create a starring vehicle for her, as he felt she was worthy of headlining her own series after years of supporting parts. June Foray . '"[96] When she was introduced to Orson Welles in 1936, he remarked that her name "sounded like something you ad lib in a mob scene. [30] She performed in as many as five shows daily,[33] causing her rehearsal dates to conflict with those of The Jack Benny Program and resulting in her reading live as Gertrude from a marked script she was handed upon entering the studio. 146 (Segment by. Bea died on October 13, 1968, at Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles, where she was undergoing further treatment for lung cancer, as reported by Newspapers.com. Bea Benaderet's first major starring role on television was sadly her last. [42] In 1955, she was succeeded by June Foray as Warner's premier female voice artist. Now 76, visitors still recognize her to this day. . Bea was also excellent on THE GEORGE BURNS AND GRACIE ALLEN SHOW (her only Emmy nominations and the reason she couldn't do ILL)and of course is was the voice of Betty Rubble on THE FLINTSTONES. This was relatively rare for the time. Youd be forgiven for not knowing his actual name, since they only ever call him the dog or good boy, but an episode card once revealed his name was actually Higgins. . So, Henning went right back to the Rural Gold Mine and out popped Green Acres. Season 4 also saw the addition of Steve Elliott, the handsome crop duster and love interest for two of the Bradley girls. Kate Bradley was one of her most serious characters, but it was perhaps the role that helped Bea Benaderet showcase her talents best! From a money pit 100 feet deep to Shakespearean manuscripts, the legendary finds on Oak Island have kept it in the news for centuries. He would end up having to fight an even tougher battle [] More, What could be more mysterious than an island filled with buried treasure? And all that reminiscing beautifully rounded out the Shady Rest. Of course, Benaderet was no newcomer. But if you look closely, you can see the toll the treatment took, as shes noticeably thinner and weaker. She landed her first professional role when she was 16 in a play called The Prince of Pilsen. Near the end of season 5, the plot had Kate away visiting a sick relative when in actuality, Bea was very sick, recovering from lung cancer. Benaderet guest-starred on the January 21, 1952, first-season episode "Lucy Plays Cupid" as the character of Miss Lewis, a love-starved spinster neighbor. Bea Benaderet in 1966. And the jobs these cast members had to also have may surprise you Find out all this and more in our Nostalgia Suite, platinum bundle. Alison Pearce from Bewitched had an impressive career until her life got cut short, but not before she met the love of her life. Ironically, if you look at Petticoat Junction promotional material, you usually see Higgins sitting on Edgar Buchanan. [51] Following Allen's retirement in 1958 at the end of the eighth season, the program continued as The George Burns Show in 195859 with Blanche repackaged as George's secretary, but it was canceled after one season due to low ratings. Bea was diagnosed with lung cancer and underwent weeks of laser radiation treatment at Stanford University Medical Center. Bea Benaderet, who played matriarch Kate Bradley, passed away in 1968 at age 62 from lung cancer. Born in New York City and raised in San Francisco, she began performing in Bay Area theatre and radio before embarking on a Hollywood career that spanned over three decades. However, in November 1967, it had returned and grown in size. show revolved around Kate Bradleys family, Alison Pearce from Bewitched had an impressive career. PETTICOAT JUNCTION premiered in the 1963 - 1964 season, but that year's FLINTSTONES voiceover tracks were done before she reported for her new fulltime job on PJ. When Bea Benaderet became ill with cancer and was forced to leave the series, her absence was explained by having Kate go away to visit her sister. "Today's Channel Check". [44] However, Benaderet had to turn down the offer since she was contracted to the television adaptation of The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show, so Vivian Vance was eventually cast. TV Show: The Flintstones Franchise: Flintstones. As for just Petticoat Junction, with all its cast changes, only three actors were in all 7 seasons. Maybe this was a preview of things to come, because they split up five years later. Bea Benaderet She attended the Reginald Travis School of Acting in the same city. But actually, Buchanan was the only cast member that Higgins behaved for. When the shows ran at the same time, Cady maintained the role across them all. When a sitcom universe spans three shows, everyone can feel like family. Benaderet first specialized in voice-over work in the golden age of radio, appearing on numerous programs while working with comedians of the era such as Jack . At the time of her follow-up visit, the spot was no longer apparent, Newspapers.com reported. Beatrice Benaderet (/bndrt/ BEN--DERR-t; April 4, 1906 - October 13, 1968) was an American radio and television actress and voice actress. When Bea saw Irene Ryan at the audition, she told producer/creator Paul Henning, " There's your Granny! Her career in radio began in 1936 when she became part of the Orson Welles performing company on The Campbell Playhouse., In 1939, Bea got her break into comedy on the Jack Bennys show and only broke into television eleven years later when she got cast in the 1950 series, Burns and Allen.. The Flintstones is a FANDOM TV Community. Family members linked to this person will appear here. In the 15th episode of the first season, "Jed Rescues Pearl" (aired January 2, 1963), Pearl plays the piano during a screening of the 1925. March 27, 2021 12:56 PM Aunt Bee had psychological issues and before she died she apologized to that execrable bastard Andy Griffith for her unkind behavior. January 27, 2023, 7:28 pm, by When she left Petticoat Junction the first time, she underwent treatment for the condition, and a recurrence of the illness in February 1968 sent her back to the hospital. Married to her second husband, Gene Twombly at the time, he passed four days after her death from a heart attack. [90] However, her condition dramatically declined; on September 26, chest pains related to her illness forced her to return to the hospital for the final time. The world had been unaware that Bea got diagnosed with lung cancer in 1967. Knowing how she suffered with lung cancer and still managed to work, its challenging to watch The Valley Has a Baby knowing that she died before the episode aired. Her treatment was effective and finished up in January 1968. Facts Verse She opposed quick exploratory medical procedure as she was filming the fifth season of "Petticoat Junction" at the time. "Hiss and Make Up" (1943) "Puss n' Booty . Hassan Beatrice Benaderet was an American actress and comedienne. Legendary actress Bea Benaderet began her starring role as Kate Bradley on the hit sitcom "Petticoat Junction" in 1963 and proceeded with the part until the time of her death. She's Gracie's next door neighbor and best friend Blanche Morton on The George Burns and . [60] She became one of his regular players in the first two seasons of Burns & Allen, a two-episode guest appearance on The Bob Cummings Show in 195657, and her involvement in three of the most successful sitcoms of the 1960s. Then they ended up marrying in September 1968. Beatrice BenaderetApril 4, 1906New York City, New York, U.S. "Bea Benaderet she was more than just a good actress," The Beverly Hillbillies creator shared. Fred, a big fan of golf and bowling, also enjoyed bullying neighbor Barney Rubble, while Barney's saucy wife Betty was best friends . So, lets dive into Petticoat Junction: How did a dog become the most famous cast member? She works at the Los Angeles Zoo as a docent. She was just wonderful," Henning said. Her acting job was her main source of income. Then, in 1968, it was announced her treatment was finished and a complete success, just in time for her to come back for the season finale! Date Of Death: Oct 13, 1968. Her voice had become famous on the radio, and it was now time for her to give a shot at animated films. ': What Happened to the Stars of the Iconic Series through the Years, Csar Domboy's Girlfriend: All We Know about the 'Outlander' Star's Dating History, Eva Perez Suarez - Eva Mendes' Mother the Star Calls 'Coolest of the Cools', Lucille Ball & Desi Arnaz's Kids Lived Different Lives after Parents Thrust Them into the Spotlight, Annette Funicello Was Unable to Eat, Drink & Talk during Her Last Years Her Husband Never Gave up Hope, Jaclyn Smith Was Married to Bigamist & Shared 2 Kids with Him Meet Her Grown-up Children & Granddaughters. Her son Jack became an actor, making his television debut in bit parts on Petticoat Junction (and working on the show as a dialogue coach), later appearing in Lou Grant. Popular Pages Check out the New Peacemaker Community Sponsored by [6][24][25] Benaderet honed a variety of dialects such as French, Spanish, New York City English, and Yiddish, the latter from voicing a character named "Rheba Haufawitz". The actress appeared in 179 episodes of Pennicoat Junction wherein she as hotelkeeper of the Shady Rest Hotel, also had three daughters to manage. She had become successful through her voice now she wanted to become a familiar face in TV and film. In fact, Bea Benaderet's last episode of Petticoat Junction is hard to watch - knowing that she suffered from lung cancer. [80] However, Bannon's heavy filming and touring schedule required for his portrayal of fictional cowboy hero Red Ryder took a toll on their marriage and she filed for divorce in September 1950. ", Benaderet in 1965 on her love of acting. The character of Kate Bradley and Beas performance were so great, that it was decided not to cast another actress to play the role. . Benaderet became sick with cancer in 1967, which led to her leaving Petticoat Junction (1963) in what it was hoped would be a temporary retirement. I also wonder what happened to the original Billie Jo. The Flintstones. [87][88] Benaderet returned for the March 30 fifth-season finale "Kate's Homecoming",[89] but five months later, after shooting the first three episodes of the sixth season, she took leave from the series due to being too ill to continue. Petticoat Junction didnt play up its connection to Beverly Hillbillies as much until season 6. She appeared in a wide variety of television work, which included a starring role in the 1960s television series Petticoat Junction and Green Acres as Shady Rest Hotel owner Kate Bradley, supporting roles as Blanche Morton in The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show and as the voice of . Before going into acting, hed actually been a very successful dentist! 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"On October 13, 1968, at the age of sixty-two, Bea lost her battle with cancer at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles. . Now, back to the video, _______________________________________________________________________. Bea Benaderet's Volunteering At the age of 11, she acted in a school play where she had a small role as a bearded old man! [11][84][121] She first resisted requests to change it early in her radio career: "[T]hey'd say, 'Anything's better than BenaderetHow about Smith? Flippo asked Parton about what the most outrageous thing shed [] More, Robert Urich was known throughout the world as a tough guy.