They can be enjoyed on their own of course, but fans enjoy the crossover episodes, too. Bea Benaderet is a voice actor known for voicing Betty Rubble, Granny, and Witch Hazel. Staff (September 1, 1965). A success one of Beas co-stars, Linda Henning, who played Betty Jo, attributed to the content of the show. 1961 . Her voice had become famous on the radio, and it was now time for her to give a shot at animated films. After becoming the beautiful redhead Betty Jo, Linda Henning totally switched fields. Benaderet was diagnosed with cancer in 1967, which led to her departure from Petticoat Junction in what was hoped would be a temporary absence, during which time Rosemary DeCamp was brought in to play "Aunt Helen" in scripts obviously written for Benaderet's character Kate. But her best work was arguably in a show created by Paul Henning. Benaderet first specialized in voice-over work in the golden age of radio, appearing on . After all these years. Bea resumed her role as Kate Bradley in 1968, but after filming five episodes for the 1968-69 season, she left again, and this time, she didnt return. The actress, whose career spanned four decades, was 62, according to the Los Angeles Times. Mrs. Whitney Dr. Ruth Martin And all that reminiscing beautifully rounded out the Shady Rest. But its a name worth remembering because little Higgins would go on to be his own star as the leading man well, dog in Benji. [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. I also wonder what happened to the original Billie Jo. She especially showed aptitude in performing a variety of characters and speaking with different dialects and accents. She was one of the few female voice artists associated with Warner Bros studio in its early days. they ended up marrying in September 1968. So, why didnt she join the Shady Rest Hotel? Probably the most harrowing was Bea Benaderets. [19][20][21], In 1926, Benaderet joined the staff of San Francisco radio station KFRC, which was under the new ownership of Don Lee and where her duties included acting, singing, writing, and producing. 1966. Sometimes life is more remarkable than fiction. Comment. She initiated her acting journey after performing in Bay Area theatre and various radio shows before she embarked on the Hollywood. [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. Hootervilles Druckers General Store has one dedicated shopkeeper! The voice actors for the US animated sitcom 'The Flintstones', circa 1962. June Foray, Bea Benaderet, Gerry Johnson are the voices of Betty Rubble in The Flintstones, and Mariko Mukai is the Japanese voice. She . In the 1960s, she had regular roles in four series until her death from lung cancer in 1968, including the commercial successes The Beverly Hillbillies, The Flintstones, and her best-known role as Kate Bradley in Petticoat Junction. Yeah, Id say the resemblance is pretty strong! 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. Beatrice "Bea" Benaderet was an American actress born in New York City and raised in San Francisco, California. [3][29] The following year she received her first big break in the industry on The Jack Benny Program, where she played Gertrude Gearshift, a wisecracking telephone operator who gossiped about Jack Benny with her cohort Mabel Flapsaddle (Sara Berner). [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. Facts Verse [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. The segment then resumed and Benaderet struck Keating with the book. Bea Bernaderet had a successful career in theatre but also wanted to try out new mediums. 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 (Jethro's mother), and as the original voice of Granny of Warner . 1 Year-Later She Realizes Her Huge Mistake, Bebe Buell Reveals Everything About Her Rock Star Romances, The Real Reason Peter Lawford Got Kicked Out of the Rat Pack, Pam Dawber is Unrecognizable Today (Try Not to Gasp), Why Jan Smithers DISAPPEARED After WKRP in Cincinnati, Celebrities Who Died Due to Medical Malpractice, The ONE Time Dolly Parton Got Naked in Public, Rare Photos of Lynda Carter Not Suitable for All Ages, The Tragic Death of Robert Urich & His Wife, The Tragic Life and Demise of Angie Dickinson, How Each Gilligans Island Cast Member Died. Take a visual walk through their career and see 75 images of the characters they've voiced and listen to 4 clips that . 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. 146 (Segment by. [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. While Bea focused mainly on television, a mention should made about her film career. by Birth Place: New York, New York, USA. From expensive cars to enormous mansions to copious quantities [] More, While Peter Lawford might the least well-known member of the Rat Pack, he is sometimes referred to as the Man Who Kept The Secrets due to his secretive efforts to connect Marilyn Monroe and his brother-in-law JFK. [12] The same year, he opened a smoke shop that operated for 65 years, making it the oldest such retailer in California at the time of its closure in 1980. Beatrice Benaderet (/bndrt/ BEN--DERR-t; April 4, 1906 - October 13, 1968) was an American radio and television actress and voice actress. Why did Bea benaderet leave the Flintstones? Sadly, the cancer returned, and her condition declined. Goldmark & Granata (2002), pg. click the Leave a Flower button. Ruth had loads of fond memories from visiting her grandmother. [73] Her former Flintstones costars Alan Reed and Jean Vander Pyl filmed guest spots in later seasons. Probably the most harrowing was Bea Benaderet's. 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. Theres a popular myth going around that the wedding between Betty Jo and Steve ended up coinciding perfectly with the marriage between their actors, Linda Henning and Mike Minor. [2] On October 17, four days after her death and the day after her funeral, her husband Eugene Twombly died at the age of 54 from a massive heart attack[93] and was interred beside her. March 28, 2021, 6:21 am, by Left to right: Alan Reed as Fred Flintstone, Jean Vander Pyl . Listen to the first episode starring Gale Gordon & Bea Benaderet in the lead roles, you'll hear some of same jokes and setups in the pilots of both shows. In 1936, she started her profession in network radio, becoming a regular member of Orson Welles' performing company on "The Campbell Playhouse. [76], In 1945, Benaderet and fellow voice actresses Janet Waldo and Cathy Lewis were to appear on a televised fashion show on her former KFRC employer Don Lee's W6XAO network before the project fell through. This was relatively rare for the time. So, lets dive into Petticoat Junction: How did a dog become the most famous cast member? Then, terribly, her illness struck again, and Bea Benaderet passed away on October 13, 1968, at the age of 62. Born in New York City and raised in San Francisco, California, she had a remarkable career in radio and television. Facts Verse But the shows [] More, You might remember her as Mindy in the off-beat yet endearing 70s and 80s sitcom Mork and Mindy. But if you look closely, you can see the toll the treatment took, as shes noticeably thinner and weaker. Alternate names Sometimes, it really was a family! [77] On Irving Taylor's novelty album Drink Along with Irving (1960), she duetted with Elvia Allman and Mel Blanc, respectively, on tracks titled "Sub-Bourbon Living" and "Separate Bar Stools". [71] Linda Henning and Benaderet's son, Jack Bannon, were members of a young actors' theater group at the time. Her mother was Irish American, and her father was a Turkish immigrant who worked as a tobacconist. The Flintstones is a FANDOM TV Community. [61][62] After reading the 1961 first script for The Beverly Hillbillies, Benaderet wanted to audition for the role of Granny. Thats almost true. 'Whos the Boss? At the time of her death, the Indianapolis Star reported Benaderet had completed filming for. . Morton in The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show and as the voice of Betty Rubble during the first four seasons of The Flintstones, and in The Beverly Hillbillies as Pearl Bodine. Lung cancer . Instead, they brought in Rosemary DeCampto play Aunt Helen. He wrote several episodes for the radio show and impressed by Beas talent. because the scripts for the season 1 and season 4 Christmas specials were exactly the same. [70] CBS promoted the show's September 22, 1963, premiere with a print ad featuring an Al Hirschfeld caricature of Benaderet as Cousin Pearl. by Anonymous reply 5 December 10, 2015 5:40 PM January 28, 2023, 4:29 pm, by '"[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. Cause of death The following year, she managed to land a small acting role on a radio play and was paid for it! [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. On October 13, 1968, Benaderet died due to lung cancer and pneumonia in Los Angeles, California at the age of 62 at the Good Samaritan Hospital. They share two children Jack and Maggie. "[122] Early in the first season of The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show, her full name appeared as "Bee Benadaret" in the closing credits.[11]. Beatrice "Bea" Benaderet (April 4, 1906 - October 13, 1968) was an American radio and television actress, comedienne, and voice artist. Oak Island is a privately owned island that sits off the coast of Nova Scotia in Canada. She broke into TV with the role of Blanche Morton in "The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show" (1950). She's so effortless. RELATED: Petticoat Junction Cast Then And Now 2021. Casting for the Bradley trio wasnt easy, and show creator Paul Henning auditioned no less than 1,500 women. She was considered an icon of 1960s television. She attended the Reginald Travis School of Acting in the same city. T therealjm12 Leading Participant Feb 4, 2013 #7 I think that Bea Benaderet was one of the most talented character actress in the early days of television. She landed her first professional role when she was 16 in a play called The Prince of Pilsen. Lets hear your thoughts in the comments. 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 . [75] She told Radio Life magazine that year that after having struggled to remember her lines, "Mr. Hitchcock looked me right in the eye and asked 'You want to go back to radio?' [75] Her first onscreen appearance, also uncredited, was in the film On the Town (1949), as one of two women whom the main characters (played by Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra) encounter while riding the subway. 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. Background information 1960s sitcom fans owe a lot to one man: Paul Henning, the man behind The Beverly Hillbillies. [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. "She was, in my opinion, a fine judge of material. "[98] Benaderet credited George Burns with mentoring her in comedy acting,[113] but claimed that television scriptwriters focused more on her voice and delivery than her characters, which she believed stunted opportunities for her to play more dramatic roles. Related searches. ANSWER: Actress Bea Benaderet (Kate) died of lung cancer in 1968 while Petticoat Junction.. . She was replaced by Gerry Johnson. ", "The Way We Rural: 'Hillbillies' Creator Paul Henning, to Be Honored in Santa Ana, Looks Back", "Jack Bannon, Actor on 'Lou Grant,' Dies at 77", "Benadaret Licks Tumor, Looks Forward To Petticoat Junction", "Last Rites Set Tomorrow for Bea Benaderet", "Pneumonia, Cancer Kills 'Petticoat Junction' Star", "Bea Benaderet's Own Star Shines Brightly As Any", "A Long-Term Next-Door Neighbor Gets Own Show", "Bea Benaderet's Dialect Returns Her to TV Work", "June Foray: From Rocky the flying squirrel to Cindy Lou Who, she was a master", "Bea Benaderet was both the best and the worst guest ever on, "Somebody Built a Hotel around Bea Benaderet", "Robert McKimson's "The Hole Idea" (1955)", TV Sidekicks: Bea Benaderet's Blanche to Gracie Allen's Gracie, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bea_Benaderet&oldid=1140604081, This page was last edited on 20 February 2023, at 21:39. But actually, Buchanan was the only cast member that Higgins behaved for. 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. Her other film credits include roles in Tender Is the Night and the TV movie OConners Ocean. 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.. Birthplace: New York, New York, USA. Jim Bannon(m. 1938; div. Did you know about Bea Benaderet and Petticoat Junction? After her role on that classic sitcom ended, Jan became more interested in being a mother than being an actress. Betty Rubble is a fictional character in the television animated series The Flintstones and its spin-offs and live-action motion pictures. [and] Bea said, 'That's fine with me. [16] Bluegrass duo Flatt & Scruggs, who performed the show's opening theme, recorded a comedic serenade in 1963 titled "Pearl Pearl Pearl" and Benaderet was pictured on the single's cover. Bea was famous for her sound long before most people knew what she looked like. "[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. He wanted to continue working with her as the two of them eventually transitioned to the television industry. During her young age, she began taking voice and piano lessons. Benaderet missed a total of 10 episodes during season five (159, 160, 162-169) and only managed a few episodes of season six before illness struck again. Please fill in your e-mail so we can share with you our top stories! Much as I love Bea, I think Viv was the most perfect Ethel Mertz that could be and I don't think the chemistry would have been as strong between Lucy . 2022524 He has also accomplished a ton in his career, including NBA Titles and individual records. The only differences were that the show was colorized, and Billie Jo and Bobbie Jo had different actresses. You come to life right away. Bea Benaderet, who played matriarch Kate Bradley, passed away in 1968 at age 62 from lung cancer. [It] just never occurred to me that it mightgolly, my own show! Her best friend is her next-door neighbor Wilma Flintstone. 1950)Eugene Twombly(m. 1957; her death 1968) [4][6][7] Her mother, Margaret (ne O'Keefe), was Irish American,[8][9] and her father, Samuel David Benaderet,[10] a Turkish Sephardic emigrant,[11] was a tobacconist who relocated the family from New York City to San Francisco in 1915 after his participation in the PanamaPacific International Exposition. June 20, 2021, 9:06 am, by [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. Bea graduated from St. Rose Academy High School in San Francisco. He was always a contributor for the Hillbillies but reportedly wrote a larger share of Petticoat episodes. Nationality In 1926, she landed a job with the radio station KFRC based in San Francisco. After-all, Benaderet was a capable actor in her own right and also knew how to make a script work in her favor. CREATIVE. Family Members. 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 . Throughout its 7 season run, Petticoat Junction had a few noteworthy cast changes. They even performed on The Ed Sullivan Show with a cover of I Saw Her Standing There, but changed the title just for Ed to be I Saw Him Standing There. How Clever! Why did Bea Benaderet leave the bachelorette? Actress. [13] She studied voice and the piano;[14] her first acting performance came at 11 when she portrayed a bearded old man in a school play. Facts Verse "[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. The Flintstones were the modern Stone Age family. Bea Linda and Mikes wedding was supposed to line up with that date, too, but they had a falling out, Linda called it off, and Mike spent the next year winning her back. February 19, 2023, 6:17 am, by In 1959, they filmed a 90-second pilot. Before even seeing her face, we knew her voice from radio programs with Jack Benny and Mel Blanc. There was no planned big grand finale to begin with. 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. The Flintstones are a typical suburban family that just happens to live in the stone-age. Throughout most of her television career, she continued to voice roles in animated shows and short films. 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. . The show followed widowed aeronautical engineer named Steven Douglas and his three sons. While shes voiced some of our favorite animated characters, we remember her most for her on-screen TV roles. Bea Benaderet. At first, this looks like a reference to the man vs dog rivalry they had going on. Edgar Buchanan and Linda Henning were in all 222 episodes. As for just Petticoat Junction, with all its cast changes, only three actors were in all 7 seasons. [74], Benaderet played bit parts in six motion pictures from 1946 to 1962, four of which were uncredited. Facts Verse Bea Benaderet's first major starring role on television was sadly her last. In fact, it was Lucille Ball who originally wanted Bea Benaderet to take on the role. Karol (2006), p. 15-16 ("One of the most prolific actresses ever, she appeared in more than 600 series episodes all sitcoms, one [. Chest pains related to her sickness required her to come back to the hospital for the last time. That's when June Lockhart was added to the show as Dr. Janet Craig, presumably. Her best friend is her next-door neighbor Wilma Flintstone . Her expertise in dialect and characterization led to her becoming Warner Bros.' leading voice of female characters in their animated cartoons of the early 1940s through the mid-1950s. In the new millennium, Jan has turned her interests [] More, Each year over 1.5 million patients become victims of medical malpractice in the US alone. Collections; Project #ShowUs; Creative Insights; EDITORIAL; . 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. The show was Petticoat Junction and Bea Benaderets role as Kate Bradley become one of her most famous roles. [83], During a routine checkup in 1963, a spot was discovered on one of Benaderet's lungs. Facts Verse Bea was born on April 4, 1906, in New York. Bea Benaderet's Volunteering Date Of Birth: Apr 4, 1906. If the character of Sam Drucker looks familiar, thats because he and his actor Frank Cady have been in ALL 3 Paul Henning creations. [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". See Bea Benaderet full list of movies and tv shows from their career. Roughly a quarter million of these unlucky souls sustain injuries so severe that they end up dying. 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. Instead, they brought in Rosemary DeCamp to play Aunt Helen. Oddly enough, the switch might have been unnecessary, since years later their major spokes model Marilyn Chambers ended up doing a very similar shoot.