# Drucker's General Store closes for good (Frank Cady, 1915 - 2012) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 10, 2012, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/druckers-general-store-closes-for-good-frank-cady-1915-2012/624764 "2012-06-10T23:09:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/druckers-general-store-closes-for-good-frank-cady-1915-2012/624764/41 "2012-06-11T20:15:32Z")
Sam’s question to Oliver (when learning of Oliver’s trip to Washington):“is Hoover still president?”😃 ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/druckers-general-store-closes-for-good-frank-cady-1915-2012/624764/42 "2012-06-11T21:25:00Z")
> [@Eve](#): > > Why are all TV-series reunions so horribly written? _Green Acres, Dick Van Dyke, Patty Duke_, etc., etc.–they all seem to completely forget whatever it was that made the original shows funny or charming or quirky. I didn’t see those. But I did see the god-awful _Halloween with the New Addams Family_. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/druckers-general-store-closes-for-good-frank-cady-1915-2012/624764/43 "2012-06-11T22:27:02Z")
Did anyone else say “Zis has been a Filmvays Presentation, dahling” out loud with Eva Gabor at the end? Just me? ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/druckers-general-store-closes-for-good-frank-cady-1915-2012/624764/44 "2012-06-11T22:41:29Z")
A book I read on _The Beverly Hillbillies_ said that the inspiration for _Green Acres_ was Eva Gabor on a talk show (possibly her best friend Merv Griffin’s) bringing the audience into hysterics talking about her visit to a friend’s farm, getting her mink dirty and afraid she’d lose a diamond in the chicken feed, etc., and Henning said “Sitcom!” I’m glad he was confident enough to turn over actual creative maintenance to others or it would have been just another _Beverly Hillbillies_ and _Petticoat Junction_ (i.e. successful at the time, with an occasional moment that holds up maybe, but ultimately _yawn_). There have been talks about bringing it back as a series or a movie before. Bette Midler and Fran Drescher were both attached at one point but neither, thank Arnold, ever came close to fruition. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/druckers-general-store-closes-for-good-frank-cady-1915-2012/624764/45 "2012-06-11T22:55:50Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > A book I read on _The Beverly Hillbillies_ said that the inspiration for _Green Acres_ was Eva Gabor on a talk show (possibly her best friend Merv Griffin’s) bringing the audience into hysterics talking about her visit to a friend’s farm, getting her mink dirty and afraid she’d lose a diamond in the chicken feed, etc., and Henning said “Sitcom!” Maybe so, but it was also a reboot of Sommers’ earlier radio program [Granby’s Green Acres](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Acres) ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/druckers-general-store-closes-for-good-frank-cady-1915-2012/624764/46 "2012-06-11T22:56:54Z")
> [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](#): > > Maybe so, but it was also a reboot of Sommers’ earlier radio program [Granby’s Green Acres](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Acres) Yeah, but the switch from Bea Benadarat to Eva Gabor is what made the show. (No offense to Bea, she was fine as Kate and as Cousin Pearl, but Lisa Douglas she was not.) What was so wonderful about Lisa was that even though “New York was where [she’d] rather stay”, she was just such a sweet and lovable character towards everybody around her. I can’t think of any other actress before or since who could blend that sincere sweetness with natural elegance and the sexy accent. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/druckers-general-store-closes-for-good-frank-cady-1915-2012/624764/47 "2012-06-11T23:04:18Z")
I used to work with a guy whose name was Douglas Haney. I always wondered if his parents were _Green Acres_ fans. he would have been born in the late 60’s. also semi related, last summer I was in a dollar General Store at the check out line. A young girl (~11 yrs old) got behind me in line and started to look at a tabloid which had a hideous picture of Zsa Zsa Gabor. She asked me who it was. I asked her if she had ever heard of the TV Show _Green Acres_? (I was going to explain that she was Lisa Douglas’ sister in real life). Well that didn’t work, and then I explained that Zsa Zsa was married to Paris Hilton’s great grandfather. She got that connection. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/druckers-general-store-closes-for-good-frank-cady-1915-2012/624764/48 "2012-06-11T23:12:40Z")
Much like Oliver and Lisa, Frank Cady has bought the farm. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/druckers-general-store-closes-for-good-frank-cady-1915-2012/624764/49 "2012-06-11T23:17:30Z")
> [@lost4life](#): > > That’s “Hotscakes.” 😉 What was also great was that they knew when the joke got old. For a while, they showed the hotscakes cooking and people would try to eat them. This would happen once or twice, but then the joke would be cut short – you’d just see them on the stove in every episode. Then in every other episode. The from time to time until they stopped using the bit. It kept the joke from getting tired, and often all you needed was Lisa saying “hotscakes” and showing a two second shot of them before moving on. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/druckers-general-store-closes-for-good-frank-cady-1915-2012/624764/50 "2012-06-11T23:43:08Z")
> [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](#): > > Much like Oliver and Lisa, Frank Cady has bought the farm. 😉 I just hope that when he gets to the afterlife, he can see the Eiffel Tower. In this **NOT SAFE FOR WORK** recording of a joke told by Pat Buttram at a 1970s Friar’s Club roast you will hear Mr. Haney discussing things you may not have known he knew about it. [NOT SAFE FOR WORK JOKE](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdLxx5yTJfk) by Pat “Eustace Haney” Buttram. ---
**Author:** ![UntouchedTakeaway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d78d45/32.png) [@UntouchedTakeaway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UntouchedTakeaway)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/druckers-general-store-closes-for-good-frank-cady-1915-2012/624764/51 "2012-06-12T01:31:37Z")
Ever try to convince a non-fan about everything mentioned here? The hilarity, the surrealism? People look at you like you’re from…from…Pixley or somethin’! UT ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/druckers-general-store-closes-for-good-frank-cady-1915-2012/624764/52 "2012-06-12T01:41:18Z")
> [@UntouchedTakeaway](#): > > …People look at you like you’re from…from…Pixley or somethin’!.. Or, God forbid, Bugtussle! ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/druckers-general-store-closes-for-good-frank-cady-1915-2012/624764/53 "2012-06-12T01:49:23Z")
> [@UntouchedTakeaway](#): > > Ever try to convince a non-fan about everything mentioned here? The hilarity, the surrealism? People look at you like you’re from…from…Pixley or somethin’! > > UT I wrote a paper for my college “Humor in Literature” course, discussing the show and only got a C, while another paper about Jacques Tati got an A. It was especially disappointing because I actually came up with some concepts about TV vs film that I still think are valid even though I’ve never seen anyone else mention them. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/druckers-general-store-closes-for-good-frank-cady-1915-2012/624764/54 "2012-06-12T02:10:52Z")
Alvy Moore, who played Mr. Kimball, actually stumbled onto his character’s hallmark rambling. In his first appearance he was trying to find something nice to say about the Douglas farm, but there just wasn’t anything, so the result was a discombobulated pointless qualified series of statements. That becamse Kimball’s spiel. _Newhart_ is probably the closest show to _Green Acres_ in the style of humor. Larry, Darryl, and Darryl could easily have fit in with Monroe Brothers construction, and Eb was probably fathered by George Utley on a youthful jaunt through Hooterville. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/druckers-general-store-closes-for-good-frank-cady-1915-2012/624764/55 "2012-06-12T02:18:36Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > … and Eb was probably fathered by George Utley on a youthful jaunt through Hooterville. I think this may be the most insightful statement I’ve ever seen on the Dope! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/druckers-general-store-closes-for-good-frank-cady-1915-2012/624764/56 "2012-06-12T04:12:16Z")
I loved the mysterious fife that began to play during Oliver’s patriotic speeches. ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/druckers-general-store-closes-for-good-frank-cady-1915-2012/624764/57 "2012-06-12T10:56:57Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Betty Jo, Billie Jo, or Bobbie Jo? The phases of a man’s life can be tracked by which Petticoat Junction female attracts him. When you’re a young boy, it’s Betty Jo. She’s the smallest, and a tomboy, so you could play baseball and tag with her. Puberty hits, and Bobbie Jo and Billie Jo become the focus. I almost married a “lady MD” when I was around 40, proof that Dr. Janet Craig is the one for middle age. These days, with retirement just a few years off, my dream girl is a buxom widow who owns a country motel (Kate). ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/druckers-general-store-closes-for-good-frank-cady-1915-2012/624764/58 "2012-06-12T12:54:15Z")
> [@UntouchedTakeaway](#): > > Ever try to convince a non-fan about everything mentioned here? The hilarity, the surrealism? People look at you like you’re from…from…Pixley or somethin’! > > UT By the way, **UT** , go back and check the Mrs. Clark thread–I was just Bette Davising your Thelma Ritter, is all! ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/druckers-general-store-closes-for-good-frank-cady-1915-2012/624764/59 "2012-06-12T12:56:23Z")
In Mr. Drucker’s own words, from his \*NYT \*obit today: > [@](#): > > Critics found the shows simple-minded, but in 1990 Mr. Cady defended “Green Acres,” about a city couple who move to the country.“The only thing I resent is people calling it a corny show,” he told CBS News. “It’s highly sophisticated, and it’s timeless, as I think all the reruns are establishing.” ---
**Author:** ![UntouchedTakeaway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d78d45/32.png) [@UntouchedTakeaway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UntouchedTakeaway)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/druckers-general-store-closes-for-good-frank-cady-1915-2012/624764/60 "2012-06-12T13:59:02Z")
> [@Eve](#): > > By the way, **UT** , go back and check the Mrs. Clark thread–I was just Bette Davising your Thelma Ritter, is all! Eve: I saw that, and I apologize. I should have recognized the quote, but my mind is still full of “Auntie Mame” lines from having watched it the other night. It’s ghastly, I tell you - simply _ghastly_! You were kind to reply. UT [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/druckers-general-store-closes-for-good-frank-cady-1915-2012/624764.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/druckers-general-store-closes-for-good-frank-cady-1915-2012/624764.md?page=4)