Did you grow up watching the hilarious sitcom Green Acres? It was a wonderful story about New Yorkers Oliver Wendell Douglas and his wife Lisa who decide to ditch the chaos of the city to enjoy the relaxation of rural life!
Yet, the cast of characters they came across made their lives in the country as crazy and adventurous as one would imagine!
The show was created by Jay Sommers and was written by Sommers, Dick Chevillat, and a crew of other great writers. But what made the show a massive success was the Green Acres Cast.
Sadly, the main cast members have now left us. Let’s look back at their incredible lives and careers…. Join Facts Verse to learn about the details How Each Green Acres Cast Member Died.
ALVY MOORE
Alvy Moore played the role of Hank Kimball. Hank was a hilarious parody of local government bureaucrats who always get in the way! Yet, such was the charm that Alvy Moore had that Hank Kimball became one of the favorite characters on the show.
Apart from his role as Hank Kimball, Alvy Moore was also known for appearing in many TV commercials. He also had bit parts in some of America’s most popular TV shows including Newhart, The Beverly Hillbillies, Love American Style, Little House on the Prairie, The Waltons, and Frasier.
Alvy was born in Vincennes, Indiana and studied Drama at the Indiana State Teachers College. He served in World War 2 and fought in the Battle of Iwo Jima. Upon returning to the United states, he began his acting career on stage – with the Pasadena Playhouse.
His film career included many popular comedies of the Golden Era, including Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. He also acted in A Boy and His Dog – which he also co-produced, The Wackiest Ship in The Army, and War of the Worlds.
He died at the age of 75 in 1997.
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PAT BUTTRAM
It was a sad day for Green Acres fans when Pat Buttram left us. He played the salesman and con man Mr. Haney on the show!
Mr. Haney was always trying to find a way to make a quick buck through his various schemes. His idiosyncratic behavior made him, arguably, the most popular character from Green Acres.
So, who was the mastermind behind the role? Pat Buttram was born Maxwell Emmett Buttram in Addison, Alabama in 1915.
He was the son of a Methodist Minister and considered entering the Ministry himself. He studied at Birmingham-Southern College to pursue his future career as a Minister.
But, it was during his time in college that he acted in plays and performed on his local radio station. He had been bitten by the acting bug and decided to pursue acting as his career.
In the 1940s, he moved to Hollywood to try his luck. He eventually became a sidekick to Gene Autry and appeared with him in over 40 films and in several episodes of Gene Autry’s TV show.
But it was his role as Mr. Haney that made Pat Buttram a major star. He played the character from 1965 to 1971 and it remains the role which many fans remember him by. Because of Pat Buttram’s unique voice, he also voiced many animated characters.
He did voice acting work for animated films such as Robin Hood, The Rescuers, and The Aristocats. His final role was in A Goofy Movie which was released posthumously.
He died at the age of 78 in 1994 from kidney failure. He has a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame as well as one on the Alabama Stars of Fame in Birmingham. Join Facts Verse to learn about the details How Each Green Acres Cast Member Died.
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FRANK CADY
Frank Cady died in 2012 at the age of 96. He was a popular character who was best known for his character Sam Drucker whom he played on Petticoat Junction, The Beverly Hillbillies, and, of course, Green Acres.
Sam Drucker was the owner of the local general store in Hooterville. The character was the average Joe who wanted to do good by his community. That’s why, apart from his work at the general store, Sam Drucker also worked as a newspaper editor, fireman, postman, constable, notary, and a justice of the peace! Quite an impressive resume isn’t it?
Apart from his role as Sam Drucker, Frank Cady also had a recurring role as Doc Williams on The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. He also appeared in many classic films such as Ace In The Hole alongside Kirk Douglas, Rear Window, The Indian Fighter, The Bad Seed, The Million Dollar Duck, Hearts of the West, and Zandy’s Bride.
His final role was none other as Sam Drucker in the TV movie, Return to Green Acres!
He was born in 1915 in Susanville, California. Frank studied Drama at Stanford University and then appeared in plays at the Westminster Theater in London. He later served in the US Air Force in World War 2. He began his career with several small, and often uncredited roles, in feature films including D.O.A., The Asphalt Jungle, and When Worlds Collide.
But for Green Acres fans, we’ll always remember him as Sam Drucker!
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TOM LESTER
Tom Lester played the character Eb Dawson who was the local farmhand. The role was fitting for Tom Lester as he himself grew up working on his grandfather’s farm.
He died at age 81 in 2020, making him the last main cast member of Green Acres to pass away.
He studied Chemistry at the University of Mississippi and worked as a teacher in Oklahoma before he decided to pursue acting. When he was cast as Eb Dawson in Green Acres he beat out the competition not just for his incredible acting, but also because he was the only actor who actually knew how to milk a cow!
After his work on Green Acres, he also had roles in shows such as Petticoat Junction and The Beverly Hillbillies. His TV career continued with shows such as Little House on the Prairie and Knight Rider.
His film career including roles in films such as Benji and Gordy. Apart from his career as an actor, Tom Lester would also travel around the country to speak to religious groups and youth groups about the Christian faith.
His love for farming never ended. He would split his time between Hollywood and his 250 acre timber farm in Mississippi. In fact, he won the “Wildlife Farmer of the Year” award in 1997.
But for Green Acres fans, we’ll remember him as good ol’ Eb Dawson! Join Facts Verse to learn about the details How Each Green Acres Cast Member Died.
EDDIE ALBERT AND EVA GABOR
Green Acres made many Americans romanticize of leaving the craziness of their cities to the simpler life of the countryside. It showed us the beauty of the natural landscapes, small towns, and rural culture of our country.
And for that, we have to thank Oliver Wendell Douglas and his wife Lisa. They were played by Eddie Albert and Eva Gabor who are sadly no longer with us.
Eddie Albert was born in Illinois in 1906. He grew up in Minneapolis and worked as a newspaper delivery boy during his childhood. During his high school years, he joined the Drama Club and began to hone his acting skills.
However, he decided not to pursue an acting career. He majored in business at the University of Minnesota and decided to become an entrepreneur. However, The Great Depression hit upon his graduation, and he struggled to find employment.
Among the various odd jobs he took included working as a trapeze performer and as a nightclub singer. He even later co-hosted a radio show. It was clear that his love for performing had come back and he decided to pursue an acting career.
In Green Acres, he played Oliver Wendell Douglas who was a New York lawyer who wanted to escape the madness of New York to live in the idyllic countryside. Apart from his work in Green Acres, he appeared in the TV shows Switch and Falcon Crest. He also appeared in the films Roman Holiday and The Heartbreak Kid – both which earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
Eddie continued to have a prolific career in film and television after his work on Green Acres. He died at age 99 in 2005.
Lisa Douglas was played by Eva Gabor. She was born in Hungary and emigrated to the United States after her first marriage to Swedish doctor, Eric Drimmer.
Lisa began her acting career with a role in the 1941 film Forced Landing. She continued to act in films and soon graduated to television as well. She even had a short-lived talk show called The Eva Gabor Show.
But it was her role in Green Acres that really resonated with audiences. She herself loved her work on the show. She later said that her experience with the show was “the best six years of my life. I adored every minute of it.”
In her later career, she did voice acting for many animated films. She reunited with her Green Acres co-star Pat Buttram in both The Aristocats and The Rescuers.
Eva Gabor died in 1995 due to complications from pneumonia.
Are you a fan of Green Acres? The show was one of the best sitcoms America has produced and one that reminds us of simpler and happier times.
So that brings up the question:
Do you think that a show like Green Acres with its simplicity would work today? Or have our tastes changed that the show would be considered dated?
Let’s hear your thoughts in the comments.
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