Beatrice Benaderet (/bndrt/ BEN--DERR-t; April 4, 1906 - October 13, 1968) was an American radio and television actress and voice actress. "The world had been unaware that [Benederet was] diagnosed with lung cancer in 1967. AmoMama creates engaging, meaningful content for women. Oddly enough, she didnt get credit for her work with Warner Bros. as she was a freelance artist rather than under a fixed contract. In 1926, she landed a job with the radio station KFRC based in San Francisco. March 29, 2021, 4:49 am, Way back in 1980, Dolly Parton sat down with Chet Flippo of Rolling Stone magazine for what she thought was just going to be a typical interview. In the show's final two seasons, Gerry Johnson was the voice of Betty Rubble. However, many audience members didnt realize that. 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. Bea had worked with George Burns and Gracie Allen on the radio version of the show. 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. The actress appeared in 179 episodes of Pennicoat Junction wherein she as hotelkeeper of the Shady Rest Hotel, also had three daughters to manage. She performed in a variety of radio plays and involved in acting, singing, writing, and even producing. February 19, 2023, 6:17 am, by So, Henning went right back to the Rural Gold Mine and out popped Green Acres. 1961 . Bea was on THE FLINTSONES only thru season 4 (1963 - 1964). Animator Chuck Jones praised Bea Benaderet for her portrayal as Mama Bear and her incredible range as a voice actress. because the scripts for the season 1 and season 4 Christmas specials were exactly the same. Benaderet did not receive onscreen credit for her work because she was employed by Warner Bros. as a freelance actor [note 2] who voiced peripheral characters, and unlike Mel Blanc, was not under contract with the studio. After she graduated from St. Rose Academy in San Francisco, Bea attended the Reginald Travis School of Acting. Probably the most harrowing was Bea Benaderets. [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. January 27, 2023, 7:23 pm, by There was no planned big grand finale to begin with. [It] just never occurred to me that it mightgolly, my own show! But her best work was arguably in a show created by Paul Henning. She also studied acting at his school. January 27, 2023, 7:28 pm, by 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. The Flintstones are a typical suburban family that just happens to live in the stone-age. . January 27, 2023, 6:25 pm, Trending [74], Benaderet played bit parts in six motion pictures from 1946 to 1962, four of which were uncredited. June 24, 2022, 6:34 am '"[49][50] Benaderet garnered two Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 1954 and 1955. She missed 10 episodes, but they yearned to keep Bea on, so they didnt write the character out. If you liked this story, hit the like button and be sure to Subscribe to FactsVerse for more great stories! 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. Click the bell icon to get notifications from FactsVerse and watch more pop culture videos and interesting stories. Hot She attended the Reginald Travis School of Acting in the same city. A success one of Beas co-stars, Linda Henning, who played Betty Jo, attributed to the content of the show. Vander Pyl recalled in 1994: "I said, 'Oh, I want to be Wilma!' Died She also provided the voice for several Warner Brothers cartoons, usually for females (those Mel Blanc could not do), like Tweety's owner, "Granny". Apparently, they arent subscribers to the old adage that too much of a good thing can actually be a bad thing. Surprisingly, the most beloved performer by the cast and crew was Harriet MacGibbon who had the role of the very unlikeable Margaret Drysdale. They can be enjoyed on their own of course, but fans enjoy the crossover episodes, too. S.Z., Kissimmee. The world had been unaware that Bea got diagnosed with lung cancer in 1967. Jim Bannon(m. 1938; div. [55] Benaderet considered herself "lucky" to be cast in another series out of fear that she had become too closely associated with Burns & Allen. TV Show: The Flintstones Franchise: Flintstones. She was born in New York City but raised in San Francisco. | Photo: Wikimedia Commons Advertisement 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. Hootervilles Druckers General Store has one dedicated shopkeeper! But the shows [] More, You might remember her as Mindy in the off-beat yet endearing 70s and 80s sitcom Mork and Mindy. "Jack Benny, Inc.: Comedian mixes a fiddle, a feud and stock characters in formula which has paid off for 15 years". [91] The fourth show of the sixth season, "The Valley Has a Baby," marked Benaderet's last episode and featured only her voice with her stand-in filmed from the rear.[71]. And all that reminiscing beautifully rounded out the Shady Rest. "I tell you the people who watched it really identified with it because they lived those lives," she told the LA Times in 2008. And thats exactly how we got the plot for Petticoat Junction. The Flintstones is a FANDOM TV Community. [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. Fred, a big fan of golf and bowling, also enjoyed bullying neighbor Barney Rubble, while Barney's saucy wife Betty was best friends . She appeared in several short films for Warner Bros. often voicing female supporting characters in the Looney Tunes shorts. July 2, 2021, 6:38 am, by This was relatively rare for the time. [7] They married in August 1938 and had two children: Jack (19402017),[79] and Maggie (b. What more could you ask for? [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. The actress, whose career spanned four decades, was 62, according to the Los Angeles Times. [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". The dentistry practice responsibilities fell to his wife when Buchanan decided to give acting a go, but he was still known to tend to cast and crews teeth on-set as needed, and even pulled a tooth from his stand-in Jack Henderson! 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. The other women I've played were strictly for laughs. In 1959, they filmed a 90-second pilot. Only . She launched her network radio career in 1936, appearing as a regular on The Campbell Playhouse, The Jack Benny Show, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, The Great Gildersleeve, and Fibber McGee. He would end up having to fight an even tougher battle [] More, What could be more mysterious than an island filled with buried treasure? They just never use it. Bea Benaderet (born Beatrice Benaderet; April 4, 1906 October 13, 1968) was an American actress who was the original voice of Betty Rubbleduring the first four seasons of the original series,The Flintstones. Oddly enough, the switch might have been unnecessary, since years later their major spokes model Marilyn Chambers ended up doing a very similar shoot. The voice actors for the US animated sitcom 'The Flintstones', circa 1962. Did you know about Bea Benaderet and Petticoat Junction? We collect and tell stories of people from all around the world. [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). Daws. Beatrice "Bea" Benaderet (4 April 1906 - 12 October 1968) was an American actress who did work on 44 theatrical cartoons in twelve years. But it didnt stop there. As Bea Benaderet came of age, radio was becoming increasingly popular throughout the United States. 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. Mork, of course, played by the late Robin Williams. For all time, at the moment, 2023 year, Bea Benaderet earned $18 Million. . Unfortunately, the cancer continued to grow and took its toll on her. ANSWER: Actress Benaderet grew ill in early 1968, and she was temporarily replaced by several actresses while Kate was "away." Benaderet returned briefly, but then succumbed to lung cancer. Facts Verse ", Gale Gordon and Bea Benaderet performing in Granby's Green Acres in 1950. 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. Kate Bradely stopped appearing in some episodes of Petticoat Junction so that Bea could look after her health. Instead, I discovered her in a series of satisfying revelations over the years. She was one of the few female voice artists associated with Warner Bros studio in its early days. But if you look closely, you can see the toll the treatment took, as shes noticeably thinner and weaker. Uncle Joe himself, Edgar Buchanan, came into the show with a very unique skill set already. Before long, Bea Benaderet had become a household name both in theater and radio. So audiences may remember Benaderet for her role as Cousin Pearl Bodine in the show. 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. September 14, 2021, 5:02 am, by And while Williams sadly is no longer with us, Pam Dawber is still alive and well. [68][96] For her contributions to television, Benaderet received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960, on 1611 Vine Street,[114] and she was the recipient of a Genii Award in 1966. He was always a contributor for the Hillbillies but reportedly wrote a larger share of Petticoat episodes. At the point when she was 12, she made her professional debut in a children's production of "The Beggar's Opera" in San Francisco. Lets hear your thoughts in the comments. Before going into acting, hed actually been a very successful dentist! Flippo asked Parton about what the most outrageous thing shed [] More, Robert Urich was known throughout the world as a tough guy. [80] However, Bannon's heavy filming and touring schedule required for his portrayal of fictional cowboy hero Red Ryder took a toll on their marriage and she filed for divorce in September 1950. Beatrice "Bea" Benaderet (April 4, 1906 - October 13, 1968) was an American radio and television actress, comedienne, and voice artist. She later co-starred with fellow Looney Tunes voice actor Mel Blanc as the voices of Betty and Barney Rubble in The Flintstones. On October 13, 1968, at the age of sixty-two, Bea lost her battle with cancer at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles. Date Of Birth: Apr 4, 1906. " She was one of the actresses to lend her voice to Betty Rubble on The Flintstones. Benaderet died on October 13, 1968, of lung cancer and pneumonia. 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. In 1961, while The Andy Griffith Show was in its second season, she told The Charlotte News of living in California, "Whenever I feel lonely out here, I . Which memorial do you think is a duplicate of Margaret Benaderet (105540832)? [87][88] Benaderet returned for the March 30 fifth-season finale "Kate's Homecoming",[89] but five months later, after shooting the first three episodes of the sixth season, she took leave from the series due to being too ill to continue. 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. [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. The wedding episode between Betty Jo and Steve aired in November 1967. 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. Popular Pages Check out the New Peacemaker Community Sponsored by While Bea was becoming more popular among radio fans, she was eager to expand her horizons. Bea was better than her medium and her material. Petticoat Junction didnt play up its connection to Beverly Hillbillies as much until season 6. 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. Then, terribly, her illness struck again, and Bea Benaderet passed away on October 13, 1968, at the age of 62. She's Gracie's next door neighbor and best friend Blanche Morton on The George Burns and . In a remarkably similar story, another comedienne from the same era got diagnosed with cancer while in the midst of starring in a comedic television series. "[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. Then they ended up marrying in September 1968. 1960s sitcom fans owe a lot to one man: Paul Henning, the man behind. [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. Sometimes life is more remarkable than fiction. RELATED: Petticoat Junction Cast Then And Now 2021. In the 1960s, she had regular roles in four series up until her death from lung cancer in 1968, including the commercial successes The Beverly Hillbillies, The Flintstones . Benaderet first specialized in voiceover work in the golden age . Beatrice Benaderet (/bndrt/ BEN--DERR-t; April 4, 1906 - October 13, 1968) was an American radio and television actress and voice actress. June Foray, Bea Benaderet, Gerry Johnson are the voices of Betty Rubble in The Flintstones, and Mariko Mukai is the Japanese voice. Collections; Project #ShowUs; Creative Insights; EDITORIAL; . 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. 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. [67] Benaderet described Pearl's curly hair as "just my mental image of the character. It was because of her role as Blanche that she could not accept the part of Ethel Mertz in I Love Lucy (1951), which was offered to her by Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. The Flintstones. Benaderet was cast in the spy film Notorious in 1946, which generated a stunning $24.5 million at the box office against a $1 million budget. After her role on that classic sitcom ended, Jan became more interested in being a mother than being an actress. When she was cast in "Petticoat Junction" as Kate Bradley in 1963, Bea was recognized as having "finally" become a star. [41] Benaderet did not receive onscreen credit for her work because she was employed by Warner Bros. as a freelance actor[note 2] who voiced peripheral characters, and unlike Mel Blanc, was not under contract with the studio. [38][109][110][111] MeTV considered her an "icon" of 1960s television. Before even seeing her face, we knew her voice from radio programs with Jack Benny and Mel Blanc. Trending: 1,920th This Week. Beatrice Benaderet (/bndrt/ ben--DERR-t; April 4, 1906 - October 13, 1968) was an American actress and comedienne. Her voice had become famous on the radio, and it was now time for her to give a shot at animated films. At the age of 9, she moved with her family to San Francisco where she would grow up. Bea was famous for her sound long before most people knew what she looked like. Ruth had loads of fond memories from visiting her grandmother. [84] It was no longer visible at the time of her follow-up visit, but by November 1967, it had returned and grown in size. Hit the bell icon to receive regular notifications! Oddly enough, the switch might have been unnecessary, since years later their major spokes model Marilyn Chambers ended up doing a very similar shoot. 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 died. [72] Petticoat Junction was an immediate hit, peaking at fourth in the Nielsen ratings, and remained in the top 30 during Benaderet's four full seasons on the show from 1963 to 1967. 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. | Source: Wikimedia Commons. [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. Sadly, the cancer returned, and her condition declined. "On October 13, 1968, at the age of sixty-two, Bea lost her battle with cancer at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles. Filmography The Flintstones - Betty Rubble (Seasons 1-4) Categories Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted. [16] Benaderet worked sparsely in 1959,[52] filming one-time appearances on General Electric Theater and The Restless Gun. They can be enjoyed on their own of course, but fans enjoy the crossover episodes, too. 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Share your thoughts in the comments, we read every one! [56] The same year, she was then cast as the voice of Betty Rubble in the Hanna-Barbera primetime animated series The Flintstones. "[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. She especially showed aptitude in performing a variety of characters and speaking with different dialects and accents. Publicity photo of Bea Benadaret, circa 1966. 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. June Foray . [78], Benaderet and her first husband, actor Jim Bannon, met while employed at KHJ in Los Angeles. [71] Linda Henning and Benaderet's son, Jack Bannon, were members of a young actors' theater group at the time. 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. Four days after her demise and the day after her burial service, Bea's husband, Eugene Twombly, passed away from a massive heart attack. She missed 10 episodes, but they yearned to keep Bea on, so they didn't write the character out. But if you look closely, you can see the toll the treatment took, as shes noticeably thinner and weaker. Nevertheless, she worked hard till the very end and is remembered as a brilliant actress and a consummate professional. Bea was part of the The Players Guild run by Reginald Travers. [54], In the late 1940s, Benaderet befriended Paul Henning, a scriptwriter on the radio production of Burns & Allen. But she ended up spilling the beans on one of the most embarrassing chapters of her life instead. 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. 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. She could read and write, and the curled hair seemed to Pearl the height of smartness. Benaderet auditioned with past radio coworker Jean Vander Pyl for Betty and Wilma Flintstone by exchanging dialogue before the show's co-creator Joseph Barbera, who asked afterward what part they preferred. Benaderet first specialized in voiceover work in the golden age of radio . ANSWER: Actress Bea Benaderet (Kate) died of lung cancer in 1968 while Petticoat Junction was still in production. Bea Just as she had gotten into the medium of radio as it becoming more popular, she now eager to try her luck with the medium of television. This made her one of the most popular actresses on TV. Bea was buried in Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery in North Hollywood. In fact, it was Lucille Ball who originally wanted Bea Benaderet to take on the role. She began her career in radio on The Jack Benny Program and as a member of Orson Welles's Mercury Theatre repertory company. With her radio performances, her voice became well-known throughout the country. Benaderet became sick with cancer in 1967, which led to her leaving Petticoat Junction (1963) in what it was hoped would be a temporary retirement. That's when June Lockhart was added to the show as Dr. Janet Craig, presumably. 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. Beatrice BenaderetApril 4, 1906New York City, New York, U.S. [84] A longtime smoker,[16] she cut down her multiple-pack-a-day habit following her initial checkups[84] and quit entirely after her surgery. Even before Cheers and its own spinoffs like Frasier and The Tortellis, Petticoat Junction ignited an ambitious trend to form its own sitcom world with friendly callbacks from previously known characters. She was chosen from 200 actresses for the part of a government file clerk in Alfred Hitchcock's Notorious (1946) and completed filming in half an hour, but her scenes were cut from the final print. [13][75][103][117][118] The Pantagraph columnist Ernie Kreiling remarked in 1965 that "probably no Hollywood personality has spent as many hours in our homes". Leave a Comment Cancel reply. Ironically, if you look at Petticoat Junction promotional material, you usually see Higgins sitting on Edgar Buchanan. [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. Of course, Benaderet was no newcomer. She got her own spinoff. Paul Henning had dreams of a sequel, and his wife Ruth gave him the ammunition. She was also the original voice of Granny in the Looney Tunes/Merrie Melodies franchise. Nevertheless, she worked hard till the very end and is remembered as a brilliant actress and a consummate professional. [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. Sommers created the 1965 sitcom Green Acres, adapted from his 1950 radio program Granby's Green Acres that had starred Benaderet, thus making it a spinoff of her own television show. Why did she leave the show? Producers didnt want to risk losing their biggest sponsor, Ivory Soap, if and when word got out. [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. So, lets dive into Petticoat Junction: How did a dog become the most famous cast member? She also occasionally voiced characters on Top Cat and The Yogi Bear Show. She also became known as the voice of Betty Rubble in The Flinstones. 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!