SYNOPSIS

In the small farming town of Hooterville, Kate Bradley was the widowed owner of the only transient housing in town - the Shady Rest Hotel. Helping her run the hotel were her three beautiful daughters, Billie Jo, Bobbie Jo and Betty Jo. Also helping out were the girls' Uncle Joe, who had assumed the title of manager.

Two years after the premiere of Petticoat Junction, CBS added Green Acres to its lineup. For the remainder of their existences, there was interplay between the two shows. The two characters from Green Acres who most frequently appeared on Petticoat Junction were handyman Eb Dawson and farmer Newt Kiley.

In addition to her involvement with the hotel, the romantic lives of her daughters and her dealings with the townsfolk, Kate was constantly at odds with Homer Bedloe, vice-president of the C.F. & W. Railroad. Homer was determined to close down the steam-driven branch of the railroad that ran through Hooterville, scrap its lone engine - the Cannonball - and put its two engineers, Charlie Pratt and Floyd Smoot, out of jobs.

In the fall of 1966, pilot Steve Elliott crashed outside of Hooterville and was nursed back to health by the Bradley girls. He later became romantically involved with Betty Jo and eventually married her. They set up house not far from the hotel and had a daughter, Kathy Jo. All this took place despite the efforts of Kate's hated adversary, Selma Plout, who tried to get Steve Elliott interested in her daughter, Henrietta.

Bea Benaderet passed away soon after production began for the 1968-69 season and her absence left the show without a unifying center of attention. To fill the void, the role of Dr. Janet Craig, a mature woman doctor who became the town physician when old Dr. Stuart retired, was added to the cast in late 1968, but the chemistry was not there anymore and the show was canceled in 1970.

One of the distinguishing aspects of Petticoat Junction was the turnover in its cast. In addition to the roles that were played by more than one performer as listed above, a number of actors had appeared infrequently as Dr. Stuart and barber Bert Smedley. Also, several people who eventually became regulars on the show - Mike Minor, Elvia Allman and Byron Foulger - had shown up previously on the show inn other roles. The one regular who remained through the entire series was Linda Kaye Henning - her father was producer Paul Henning who also produced Green Acres!