Green Acres Appreciation Thread

It doesn't matter if MY makeup is finished or not. When the pig's ready, we shoot.

Watching it as a kid I appreciated the sly humour. It GH is a very different show from other sitcoms from period, almost Dali-esque?

Anyone for hotscakes?

Psychotic, once the characters got into their role. Oliver's "Mudder" comes for a visit, at the same time the Indians come to do their bear dance. Of course the chief likes the "Old squaw". Oliver feeds him one of Lisa's hotscakes to get rid of him. "Old squaw good looker but rotten cooker". Their dance actually bought a bear, which Oliver dispatched again by one the the hotscakes. For Christmas Lisa baked a fruitscake, which was hotscakes with whole pineapples, oranges and apples in it. She also strung whole ears of corn on the tree. The episode where Eb and Oliver see the UFP is LOL also.

As a kid I really disliked Mr. Haney.

Don't forget Arnold Ziffle

I loved the way Eb drove Oliver crazy by calling him dad. I AM NOT YOUR DAD.

R4 UFP? Unidentified Flying Pig?

Or, this blast from the past!

Tom Lester is the only cast member still living.

I like how the show realized they had to change some of the characters. When the show debuted, Lisa was the sensible one and Oliver was the ditz. The producers realized it worked better the other way around. This is the same situation that happened on Andy Griffith Show, when Andy was the hick sheriff and Barney the straight man in the first few shows.

I had a young gayling crush on Lester. I like that type to this day. I think it's an underrated show.

That show was hilarious. I recall an episode where they talked about the Beverly hillbillies being their favorite show.

It was surreal. Anyhoo I just read that Lester went on to become a Baptist lay preacher. Sad.

I bet Tom Lester had a big cock. I would have been his daddy.

He had BDF.

[quote]I recall an episode where they talked about the Beverly hillbillies being their favorite show.

It went beyond that, even. In one episode, they put on a play with Hank Kimball playing Jed, Lisa playing Granny and Oliver playing Jethro.

(Hillbilly talk with a Hungarian accent was hilarious.)

Tom Lester is family. I always thought there was something between us.

METV on cable has been running the series. I occasionally catch an episode and it really is funny. I especially like Mr Kimball and Liz=sa. They have the best lines.

We honor Ralph, who inspired butch girls to explore and appreciate their construction acumen. Only to become our shoppers.

Green Acres does The Beverly Hillbillies. You're welcome.

The towns they are always talking about Bugtussle, Hooterville, and Pixley were all cross-referenced on The Beverly Hillbillies, Petticoat Junction, and Green Acres.

Eb breaks the forth wall, hilariously

R11

It was also that way in Burns and Allen (vaudeville), and George said Gracie got all the laughs with the straight lines.

Paul Henning was a writer for Burns and Allen in the later radio days and early TV days

Here is the original radio pilot with Gale Gordon (who morphed into Oliver Douglas) and Bea Benaderet (who morphed into Lisa)

From March 30, 1950

Gale Gordon makes an entrance. Should have been some crossovers with the Lucy franchise as well.

It was pure corn but I loved it as a kid. I guess my tastes ran to older men even then because I had a crush on Eddie Albert and I still think he is sexy. It's kind of hot thinking of seducing someone so uptight and strait-laced and always in a suit.

I think the chemistry between Eva & Eddie was terrific too.

I liked it when Lisa enrolled in a cooking class at the high school.

She said 'You knew when you married name all I could do was speak Hungarian and do impersonations of Zsa Zsa Gabor.'

Then on class the teacher says 'The way to a man:s heart is through his stomache.' And Lisa pipes in real fast 'Oh there are other ways.'

The opening to South Park this season has been a take off on Green Acres opening.

Ralph was not non--binary, she was all woman. She liked to dress up, use make up and even heavily flirted with Oliver as well as Hank Kimball.

She was just never given the opportunity to because she was a builder.

Is it really strange that I found Hank Kimball sexy?

Not at all, R32, Hank had a certain something.

R33

Like what?

My parents must've parked me in front of the TV when I was a toddler--I have only vague memories of GA, but I loved it and it still gives me the feels. I want(ed) to be LIsa, married to Eddie Albert and having both the glam life and a farmhouse.

R31 Hanky (Alvy Moore) was the most requested speaker at County Agents conventions. Check out the episode where Lisa gets amnesia. (Always a great sitcom plot.) She makes Eggs Benedict and biscuits so light they float off the plate.

I always had my sights on that bald-headed stud Sam Drucker. I couldn't keep my eyes off the bulge in his apron.

Hooterville seemed to be a town filled with confirmed bachelors.

One of my favorite running gags in "Green Acres" relates to Lisa's problems with English. She'll say something obviously wrong and Oliver will condescendingly correct her. Then, a Hooterville native will turn up and say exactly what Lisa said.

I couldn't remember the exact words, so I pilfered this description from a review at IMDB:

[quote]One episode has Lisa, his wife, wanting to play some board games. She suggests they go down to Drucker's store to buy "Scramble" & "Monstrosity." Oliver explains to her, not a little condescendingly, that they're called "Scrabble" & "Monopoly." Like a father placating a bratty daughter, he whisks her off to the store, only to find the board games they have are... "Scramble" & Monstrosity"!

By the way, the IMDB reviews are worth a look. People have very fond feelings for this series.

This show is the epitome of being ahead of its time. It's a shame that it got swept away with the rural show blow-up that happened with CBS. I still laugh out loud when I watch it.

The guy who played Sam Drucker had a sweet thing going. He got to appear on all three shows (BH, GA, PJ), like Richard Anderson on Six Million Dollar Man and Bionic Woman.

^^ That was Sam Cady. He had small roles in many movies in the 50s and 60s, including the husband of the tragic Hortense Daigle (DL fave Eileen Heckart) in The Bad Seed.

R11 I actually took it that Lisa (despite her protestations of returning to NY) acclimated easier and became more and more a part of Hooterville and Oliver never quite fit in.

Yep, Lisa was as nutty as the other town folk and that's what made it funny to me.

Looking back, Ava Gabor was pretty good comedienne. She was so believable and you rooted for her.

^^ She was Eva, dahling!

R41 His name was Frank Cady, not Sam.

[quote]^^ She was Eva, dahling!

What evah!

Eddie Arnold was a hot daddy as Oliver. He had a huge strong chest and big biceps.

I discovered this show due to DL and got the whole collection. I adore it.

r47 Eddie Albert, you mean. His son's name was Edward Albert and died one year after his father.

Lisa was the only sane person in Hooterville.

r50 it's Hootersville

As a little gayling I loved saying, “Goodbye, city life!” the way Lisa said it.

Whenever my boyfriend suggests we do something I'm not thrilled about like going to a football game or going camping, my first response is usually, "Darling, I love you, but give me Park Avenue."

I loved this show as a kid. Lisa climbing the telephone pole in a pink peignoir? That was genius. Later, I realized it would have taken 50 ft of two-wire for them to have the phone in their hovel, even then that was about 5 cents worth of copper.

That’s why so much of this worked.

Arnold the pig was a good plot line

[quote]Arnold the pig was a good plot line

And an even better lunch.

A classic, so many hilarious moments. Eva Gabor was inspired casting and a delight. My husband and I tease each other about his hotcakes and shingling the roof! And wasn’t there a joke about the Hooterville drag races, when the men dress like women and race through town?

The drag race was Monty Python.

I remember a very funny episode where a flamboyant hairdresser opens up shop. All the woman of Hooterville get all excited and can't wait to get an appointment. Apparently he has a secret past and the woman take advantage of the gossip. All they had to say is the word "Scranton" and he would embarrassingly clam up and cater to any unreasonable request

I remember an episode during the original run that I've never seen in reruns.

The Ziffel house is going to be demolished and Doris Ziffel lies down in front of the bulldozer. The bulldozer operator said that he'll back up and come at the house at another direction, so Lisa lies down behind the bulldozer. The dialog may not be totally accurate, but it's close, and still very funny.

Fred Ziffel shouts out at Lisa, "Get up from there Mrs. Douglas, you're going to get hurt."

Doris Ziffel calls out, "What about me, Fred???"

Fred replies, "Shut up and lie down, Doris."

As a kid, I always cackled when Lisa could see the "written bys" of the opening credits.

It got more crazy and surreal, the same way Newhart did in the last three years.

It got more crazy and surreal, the same way Newhart did in the last three years.

Loved Oliver's mother (the formidable Eleanor Audley, voice of the only, true Malificent) who hated him and adored Lisa.

"Lisa, I told you not to marry that man!"

[quote]As a kid, I always cackled when Lisa could see the "written bys" of the opening credits.

One that I especially enjoyed had Lisa seeing the director's name on a hotcake and mentioning it to Oliver. When he looked, there was nothing there.

She said, "No, it just stays there long enough for his mother to see it."

Perpetually aggravated hotheads like Oliver have always been my favorite kind of sitcom character. Much like Joseph Kearns playing Mr. Wilson on Dennis the Menace. Hilarious!

R41 Hortense is under a doctor's care. Frank's little dog was killed by the murderer in "Rear Window" as well.

I always liked the Filmways tag at the end of their shows:

Green Acres (Lisa): “This has been a Filmways Presentation dahling!”

Beverly Hillbillies (Elly May): “This has been a Filmways Presen-TAY-shun!”

As much as I loved GA as a kid, I knew the series was on its last legs when the added the kid Lori in the final season.

Just like Cousin Oliver killed the Brady Bunch, Lori killed Green Acres.

Lori Baker played by Victoria Paige Meyerink

That picture reminded me of a scene. Oliver is working in the field and wonders where the scarecrow is. Eb says Stuffy is getting him a hamburger. Later, Eb is munching away and Stuffy is hanging there. Oliver says to Stuffy go get me one!

Isn't Oliver's mother the same woman who played Fred MacMurray's mother-in-law on My Three Sons?

Which one of you bitches works for MeTV?

I loved it when Lisa's mother showed up and both Haney and Uncle Joe thought she was wealthy and tried to pursue her.

Typical of Uncle Joe but Mr Haney was married, so I wonder if the writers forgot that or is Haney really THAT sleazy?

There was an episode where Hank Kimball had a young girl assistant. Hank, Mr Ziffel , Eb, Sam Drucker Mr Haney all tried to get a date with her to a town dance. Hilarity ensued.

Oliver: I want 200 chicks

Mr Drucker: Sexed or unsexed?

Oliver: Sexed

Lisa: Why do you want sexy chickens?

Ralph: I won't tell, my lips are sealed.

Mr Kimball: Now if we could only keep them that way.

Ralph: If you weren't so sexy, I'd beat your brains out!

Mr Haney's first name was Eustace

Lisa: Remember when we wanted to get married and you were trying to make money as a lawyer, and you threw your first case.

Oliver: I didn't throw it. I lost it.

Lisa: The judge said the only way to lose that case was to throw it.

Eve Gabor was on the Tonight show with Arnold the pig and Arnold peed on her gown. Carson fell apart laughing and Eva just laughed about it. She was really cool.

r80

she was a piss freak? wow first a lez now this.

I'm a huge Green Acres fan and I have never heard about Lori until this thread. How did I miss that? I guess those episodes were never in reruns?

R82. Lori Baker was only in the sixth season, the final season. Perhaps that season wasn't widely syndicated. The final season was by far its weakest.

IMDB says that Lori only appeared in five episodes. I thought Lori was there for a lot more episodes than that, but maybe I'm wrong (although IMDB has gotten things wrong in the past). The Wikipedia entry on Green Acres doesn't even mention Lori.

As a kid, all I really remember is that Lori seemed forced into the show, just like Cousin Oliver was on Brady Bunch. She didn't belong there for more than an episode, in my opinion. Her continued presence changed all the dynamics in a not good way.

Lori started out with a group of other city children who were sent to spend some time on a farm. Then the other children (Lori was the only female) returned but Lori got left behind. The Douglas's kept her for a few more episodes. She was never intended to be a long term character and she wasn't on long. I think Cousin Oliver was only on six episodes of "the Brady Bunch."

Children, no matter who, really never worked on Green Acres, because it was too wacky and children would put too much realism into it. Outside of children holding a sit in to get Arnold reinstated into school (which btw, the children got him expelled by picking on him), none of them were funny.

Lisa) It's a week later

Oliver) I know it's a week later. You don't have to march in here and announce that.

Lisa) Well, that's how they always do it in the movies. It's either somebody comes in carrying a sign which says, "Here it is a week later." Or a calendar falls apart for a week. Or somebody comes out and says, "That week sure went by fast."

Hooterville? Sounds like a mating place for owls

Pixley's zip code is 96344821756

Hooterville's zip code is 3

That ain't the whole evenin'. Afterwards, we go bowling. Then we have a bite at the diner. Dutch treat, of course. I always go dutch on the first date. In case I don't like you, I ain't out nothin'.

R84 Hanky Kimball's niece was a hoot. Comes to visit, I am Hank Kimball's niece, well not really his niece, more like...Oliver: I see the family resemblance!

I had a friend that had a house like that. If you opened the front door, the doorknob came off in your hand. Every time, something like that happened, someone would start singing the opening line, "da-da-da-da-da".

Such a funny show- great characters.

Lisa) Why is it that every time I say I go back to New York unless you fix up this place, I never go and you never fix it.

Oliver) It's a privilege to live in a place like this, this is part of America.

Lisa) One of the worst parts.

The Hoyt Clagwell factory was in Fargo

I don't know who keeps posting the meta quotes from Green Acres, but thanks! Do you see any where Lisa has normalized to the town being weird, and Oliver is odd man out?

There was some episode where they taken into the past. Lisa gets a job at music hall and the owner says "can you can-can?' Lisa: "no, but I can try try". I don't why remembered that but that makes me laugh.

Girls can play softball without being lesbians!

Green Acres? More like "Yuck Manor"

Loved the show, but it turns out Ted Cruz sounds and looks just like Mr. Haney and like him, is also a miserable cheat.

Here's the picture.

Mr. Haney was a joyful swindler!

Eb's often mentioned but rarely seen girlfriend was Darlene Wheeler. She was an off-screen character for several seasons, but they finally cast Darlene in the final season. Darlene appeared in six episodes according to IMDB The actress who played her was a named Judith McConnell.

McConnell went on to be a soap star, best known for playing matriarch Sophia Capwell on Santa Barbara.

She also played Miranda Bishop on Another World and Valerie Conway on As the World Turns, plus Augusta McCloud on early 1970s General Hospital.

They did great casting with the pigs.

I remember the crazy excuses they used to never fix the shit hole they lived in. I believe early on they were going to remodel and my Haney produced a plaque showing the house to have some historical significance. Then later they were going to paint the exterior and the paint would get sucked into the wood. Eventually they found the “pore key hole” and locked it. The house then would gasp for air so they gave up. Crazy shit.

My BF bought a house on the outskirts of the county. I call him Lisa Douglas, and ask if Arnold the Pig is okay. He's a rather prim and proper gay man, and never knew the hazards of rural living. I loved the series when it was on. He sends me texts when he has deer, raccoons, or vultures in his yard. I had a huge crush on Eva Gabor.

Young Eddie Albert was pretty handsome.

I bet Eb was hung.