| Source: Wikimedia Commons. [83], During a routine checkup in 1963, a spot was discovered on one of Benaderet's lungs. The world had been unaware that Bea got diagnosed with lung cancer in 1967. 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. She initiated her acting journey after performing in Bay Area theatre and various radio shows before she embarked on the Hollywood. Facts Verse She headlined the sitcom Petticoat Junction, which ran for seven seasons from 1963-69, though she passed away three episodes into the sixth season. She was also the original voice of Granny in the Looney Tunes/Merrie Melodies franchise. Goldmark & Granata (2002), pg. 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. Or has the show become dated and wont resonate with a newer generation? Beatrice Benaderet was an American actress and comedienne. The Flintstones. by Beatrice Benaderet (/bndrt/ ben--DERR-t; April 4, 1906 October 13, 1968) was an American actress and comedienne. Unfortunately, the cancer continued to grow and took its toll on her. Throughout its 7 season run, Petticoat Junction had a few noteworthy cast changes. Ironically, if you look at Petticoat Junction promotional material, you usually see Higgins sitting on Edgar Buchanan. And so [] More, Sex, Drugs, and Rock n Roll. Bea Benaderet. January 28, 2023, 4:29 pm, by February 19, 2023, 6:17 am, by Benaderet made one final appearance as Pearl in the October 11, 1967 fifth-season episode "Greetings From the President". Benaderet died on 10/13/68. 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. June Foray . Bea Benaderet October 13, 1968 (aged 62)Los Angeles, California, U.S. Bea Benaderet met Paul Henning back in the 1940s while she was working on the radio production of Burns and Allen. 1961 . "Jack Benny, Inc.: Comedian mixes a fiddle, a feud and stock characters in formula which has paid off for 15 years". 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. January 27, 2023, 6:25 pm, Trending Her acting job was her main source of income. 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. And if something isnt broke, dont fix it. Before joining the Shady Rest Hotel, Bea Benaderet was a cartoon regular, specifically for. June Lockhart joined Petticoat Junction after Benaderet's departure. "She had an infallible eye for a script and for a character. [22][23], Initially seeking work as a dramatic actress, she switched to comedy and performed on multiple programs, in particular the Blue Monday Jamboree variety show,[22] where her castmates included Meredith Willson, Elvia Allman, and future I Love Lucy producer Jess Oppenheimer. The actress, whose career spanned four decades, was 62, according to the Los Angeles Times. Yeah, Id say the resemblance is pretty strong! they ended up marrying in September 1968. From this young age, she decided that she wanted to pursue acting as a full-time career. [61][62] After reading the 1961 first script for The Beverly Hillbillies, Benaderet wanted to audition for the role of Granny. [85] Initial plans were for her to record her voice to be inserted into future episodes. CREATIVE. Children [citation needed], Henning was again given free rein for a new show with no pilot needed, which he bestowed to colleague Jay Sommers due to his busy schedule. Theres nothing like a wholesome holiday-themed episodeWait anyone else getting deja vu? 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. Bea Benaderet's Volunteering Her most famous roles included Granny in the film Tweetie Pie and Mama Bear in several of the Three Bears short films. [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. Bea Benaderet in 1966. AmoMama creates engaging, meaningful content for women. During a routine checkup, a spot was found on one of her lungs. Ironically, if you look at Petticoat Junction promotional material, you usually see Higgins sitting on Edgar Buchanan. Before even seeing her face, we knew her voice from radio programs with Jack Benny and Mel Blanc. Nevertheless, she worked hard till the very end and is remembered as a brilliant actress and a consummate professional. They can be enjoyed on their own of course, but fans enjoy the crossover episodes, too. . 'Whos the Boss? Beatrice BenaderetApril 4, 1906New York City, New York, U.S. Find where to watch Bea Benaderet's latest movies and tv shows . [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. Name . She cut down on smoking and started to improve her health. [71] Linda Henning and Benaderet's son, Jack Bannon, were members of a young actors' theater group at the time. If you need a good, strong role model, look no further than Dog, the precious cocker spaniel, schnauzer, poodle mix who could steal the show with those adorable eyes of his. 19261968 Staff (September 1, 1965). Even next to the beautiful girls. 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 . But actually, Buchanan was the only cast member that Higgins behaved for. Bea Benaderet. Petticoat Junction Cast Then And Now 2021, Gregg Allmans Son Is Paying Tribute To His Dad With An Allman Family Revival Tour, Betty Whites Top 3 Secrets To Living To 99 Years Old. "That was what they wanted to see. So, it shouldnt really be that big of a surprise that, with numbers like those, celebrities would face the same risk of dying [] More, Bea Benaderets Last Episode of Petticoat Junction is Hard to Watch, How Each Blazing Saddles Cast Member Died, Scientists Discovered Evidence That Exposes An Ancient Lie About Woolly Mammoths, Handlers Thought This Owl Was Male For 23 Years Then He Laid An Egg, This Baby Elephant Decided To Spend His Last Days Alongside This Creature, Woman Adpots Tiny, Adorable Puppy. Why did Bea benaderet leave the Flintstones? Thats right, he was the titular Benji, still ready to help out anyone in need. [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? But if you look closely, you can see the toll the treatment took, as shes noticeably thinner and weaker. She is the black-haired wife of caveman Barney Rubble and the adoptive mother of Bamm-Bamm Rubble. Barney (Mel Blanc), wife Betty (Bea Benaderet, later Gerry Johnson), and their super-strong adopted . 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.. 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. [112] Donna Douglas said, "Watching her timing is like watching a ballerina. [84] On November 26, she underwent the surgery at Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles, when it was discovered the tumor could not be removed. "[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. Benaderet was then a prominent figure on television in situation comedies, first with The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show from 1950 to 1958, for which she earned two Emmy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actress. 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. [92] She was entombed in Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery in North Hollywood. Busch, Noel F. (February 3, 1947). Filmography The Flintstones - Betty Rubble (Seasons 1-4) Categories Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted. Sometimes, it really was a family! Prior to shooting the pilot, Benaderet enlisted a dialect coach to help her learn a hillbilly accent. "[29] It was misspelled in a 1946 press release created specifically about its proper spelling,[122] and Radio Life wrote in 1947: "If someone were to conduct a survey to decide the radio personality with the most frequently misspelled name, Bea Benaderet would probably win hands down. Benaderet received her big break when she was cast as a regular on "The Jack Benny Program" (CBS 1932-1955) in 1939 and subsequently became a ubiquitous radio presence with high society matron Mrs Carstairs in "Fibber McGee and Molly" (NBC 1935-1959), nasal-voiced maid Gloria in "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet" (CBS Radio 1944-1954) and There was no planned big grand finale to begin with. She's so effortless. When Bea saw Irene Ryan at the audition, she told producer/creator Paul Henning, " There's your Granny! | Photo: Wikimedia Commons Advertisement Betty Rubble is a fictional character in the television animated series The Flintstones and its spin-offs and live-action motion pictures. And thats exactly how we got the plot for. 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. By the mid-1950s, she also began looking for on-screen work. Actress. "[120], Keeping the spelling of her surname, which has been misspelled as Benederet or Benadaret,[96] was a choice she had to make. Nevertheless, she worked hard till the very end and is remembered as a brilliant actress and a consummate professional. Select from premium Bea Benaderet of the highest quality. Bea Benaderet is a late radio and TV actress and voice actress. So, Henning went right back to the Rural Gold Mine and out popped Green Acres. 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! Bea Benaderet . "[98] Benaderet often discussed facets of the acting profession in promotional interviews for the show,[95][99][100][101] and believed that leading a series required a "feeling of responsibility", including her being more observant of on-set activity and her costars' performances, while continuously evolving her character. [6][22] She additionally hosted the musical variety show Salon Moderne and gained attention for her work as a female announcer,[23][26] a rarity in 1930s radio. Date Of Death: Oct 13, 1968. Beatrice Benaderet (/bndrt/ ben--DERR-t; April 4, 1906 - October 13, 1968) was an American actress and comedienne. Some theorists even [] More, Are you a fan of sitcom My Three Sons? This made her realize that she had a gift for entertaining others. She later co-starred with fellow Looney Tunes voice actor Mel Blanc as the voices of Betty and Barney Rubble in The Flintstones. Other than being the original voice of Betty Rubble in The Flintstones other than the pilot, The Flagstones in which June Foray voiced, she is also the original voice of Granny from Looney Tunes. Share your thoughts in the comments, we read every one! [54] She played housekeeper Wilma in the lone season of the 1960 sitcom Peter Loves Mary, a part she received because of references from Burns. Nevertheless, though its hard to watch her last episode of Petticoat Junction her life was one that serves as an inspiration to us all. [30][31][32] Intended as a one-time appearance, the pair became a recurring role starting in the 194546 season, and in early 1947, Benaderet and Berner momentarily took over the NBC switchboards in Hollywood for publicity photos. Facts Verse 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 Benny, Burns and Allen, and Lucille Ball. Vander Pyl recalled in 1994: "I said, 'Oh, I want to be Wilma!' [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". Left to right: Alan Reed as Fred Flintstone, Jean Vander Pyl . Move over, Partridge Family, theres another rocking set of relatives with a band ready to step out of the TV and onto the stage! 1950)Eugene Twombly(m. 1957; her death 1968) One of the most popular characters from the show was Kate Bradley played by Bea Benaderet. Maybe this was a preview of things to come, because they split up five years later. 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. She performed in a variety of radio plays and involved in acting, singing, writing, and even producing. [55][82] However, in January 1963, following CBS' acquisition of Petticoat Junction, she enthused to columnist Eve Starr of The Mercury: "Isn't it nice? 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. Bea Benaderet was only 62 when she passed away. Instead, I discovered her in a series of satisfying revelations over the years. Please fill in your e-mail so we can share with you our top stories! Elizabeth Jean "Betty" Rubble (ne McBricker/O'Shale) is a fictional character in the television animated series The Flintstones and its spin-offs and live-action motion pictures. American Then, terribly, her illness struck again, and Bea Benaderet passed away on October 13, 1968, at the age of 62. She died. Paul Henning had dreams of a sequel, and his wife Ruth gave him the ammunition. Edgar Buchanan and Linda Henning were in all 222 episodes. Family members linked to this person will appear here. "[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. 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. [45] She was the only secondary cast member who appeared in every episode[16] and the first six shows were shot live in New York, resulting in Benaderet commuting to Los Angeles, where she was working several radio assignments at the time. Benaderet died on October 13, 1968, of lung cancer and pneumonia. After all these years. Beatrice Benaderet (/bndrt/ BEN--DERR-t; April 4, 1906 - October 13, 1968) was an American radio and television actress and voice actress. They were, Birthplace of a Future President, The Singing Sweethearts, Only a Husband and The Valley Has a Baby. [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. She especially showed aptitude in performing a variety of characters and speaking with different dialects and accents. Nationality When a sitcom universe spans three shows, everyone can feel like family. You come to life right away. 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. She was born in New York City but raised in San Francisco. Died October 13, 1968 Biography Read More One of the busiest voice actors of the post-war era, radio star Bea Benaderet then became a fixture of CBS TV comedy with roles in "The Burns and Allen Show" (CBS 1950-1958), "The Beverly Hillbillies" (CBS 1962-1971) and "Petticoat Junction" (CBS 1963-1970). Following the success of The Beverly Hillbillies, he wanted to create another rural sitcom and use this sitcom as a starring vehicle for Bea Benaderet. Roughly a quarter million of these unlucky souls sustain injuries so severe that they end up dying. Daws. June Foray, Bea Benaderet, Gerry Johnson are the voices of Betty Rubble in The Flintstones, and Mariko Mukai is the Japanese voice. "She was, in my opinion, a fine judge of material. Her father Samuel was a Turkish Jewish emigrant and her mother Margaret was Irish-American. She also occasionally voiced characters on Top Cat and The Yogi Bear Show. "I tell you the people who watched it really identified with it because they lived those lives," she told the LA Times in 2008. On October 13, 1968, at the age of sixty-two, Bea lost her battle with cancer at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles. [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. June 20, 2021, 9:06 am, by Hassan Popular, by 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. 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. [56] The same year, she was then cast as the voice of Betty Rubble in the Hanna-Barbera primetime animated series The Flintstones. Related searches. Click the bell icon to get notifications from FactsVerse and watch more pop culture videos and interesting stories. "I think it is the most wonderful profession in the world. Benaderet voiced various one-time parts before joining the main cast as Iris, neighbor and friend of Ball's character Liz Cooper. 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. At the age of 9, she moved with her family to San Francisco where she would grow up. Bea was diagnosed with lung cancer and underwent weeks of laser radiation treatment at Stanford University Medical Center. Her best friend is her next-door neighbor Wilma Flintstone. [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. Was Higgins the pup your favorite character, too? Trending: 1,920th This Week. Beatrice Benaderet (BEN--DERR-t; April 4, 1906- October 13, 1968) was an American actress and comedienne. In his own mind he believed he was the reason for the success of the show. The voice actors for the US animated sitcom 'The Flintstones', circa 1962. Lets look back at Bea Benaderets incredible life and career and her final episodes of Petticoat Junction. During a routine medical checkup in the early 1960s, it was discovered that Bea had a spot on one of her lungs. She is the beautiful and very attractive wife of caveman Barney Rubble, the adoptive mother of Bamm-Bamm Rubble, and the grandmother of Chip and Roxy. We believe that every person's story is important as it provides our community with an opportunity to feel a sense of belonging, share their hopes and dreams. She missed 10 episodes, but they yearned to keep Bea on, so they didn't write the character out. Then they ended up marrying in September 1968. [25] The 1950 CBS program Granby's Green Acres, a perceived spinoff of My Favorite Husband,[36] was her one radio lead role and reunited her with Gordon as a husband and wife who abandon city life to become farmers, but it lasted only eight episodes. 1950s-1967 Gerry Johnson (April 4, 1918 - January 24, 1990) was an American radio, film and television actress best known for the second voice of Betty Rubble in the fifth and sixth seasons of the original series, The Flintstones after she took over Bea Benaderet 's role in the first through fourth seasons. 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. [46], Blanche Morton's long-suffering husband, Harry, was played by four actors over the show's eight-year run; the last, Larry Keating, was introduced on the October 5, 1953 fourth-season premiere when George Burns entered the set and halted a scene of an angered Blanche preparing to hit Harry with a book. [78], Benaderet and her first husband, actor Jim Bannon, met while employed at KHJ in Los Angeles. [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. Bea was part of the The Players Guild run by Reginald Travers. 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.