I just finished reviewing "Granny, the Baby Expert" on YouTube. and I found most of what you related above. The crux of the humour in the episode stems from Granny misplacing her eyeglasses and her extreme near-sightedness leads to a number of "Mr. Magoo"-like misconceptions on her part.
When Granny arrives at the Shady Rest, Uncle Joe is napping on the porch swing. Granny leans over him and asks, "You Kate Bradley?". Then she adds, "Hey, they's right about you, Kate---you and cousin Pearl is look-alikes."
Awakened, Joe responds, "I'm not Kate. I'm Joe Carson. Kate's out of town."
As this was the episode immediately following Bea Benaderet's death---the fifth episode of the season---it conformed to what I said about writing off her character as being "out of town". What surprised me was how many more times Kate was referenced in the episode. For example, when Granny is introduced to Betty Jo Elliott, Betty Jo says, "I've heard Mother speak of you many times."
"I'm awful sorry to miss your maw," replies Granny.
"She'll be disappointed, too," says Betty Jo. "But, right after the baby was born, she left town."
There are other stray references to Kate, such as when Uncle Joe samples Granny's prescription on the stove, believing it's soup. He winces and remarks, "I'll be glad when Kate gets home. Them girls got a lot to learn about making soup."
I found that remark interesting because it echoed dialogue in the episode of My Three Sons immediately following WIlliam Frawley's last appearance as the grandfather, Bub. Mr. Frawley was written off the show by way of Bub travelling to Ireland to celebrate his Aunt Kate's one-hundred-fourth birthday, and in the next episode (the one which introduced William Demarest as Uncle Charley) the Douglases make mention of "when Bub gets back". In both cases---Miss Benaderet's death and Mr. Frawley's health having so declined---the producers knew that neither Kate, nor Bub, would ever return to their respective shows. Yet, dialogue was inserted anticipating when their characters would "get back". For some unfathomable reason, the producers wanted to leave the door open for their characters' returns, even though they knew it would never happen.
Incidentally, I didn't come across the second mention of Kate's resemblence to cousin Pearl in "Granny, the Baby Expert". I'm sure that you're right, and there was one; I scrolled past a few scenes which didn't include Granny and I must have missed it.
I appreciate you adding to my knowledge of this. This is the sort of stuff that's always intrigued me in television series. For example, after the sixth season of My Three Sons, departed eldest son Mike was never again mentioned by name. Yet, a couple of times the long-running show played coy about the existence of another son with the viewers by making oblique references. Such as in the ninth-season episode, "The Grandfathers". Steve Douglas is talking to an Air Force general about his experiences when his wife was giving birth. Steve says, "The first two births went fine, but there was a problem with Chip." That must have confused later viewers who had seen only the episodes in the syndicated package, for in all of those, Ernie was the youngest son.
Much obliged, sir.
JD DeLuzio > Commander BensonNovember 27, 2025 at 8:36pm
About four or five minutes in, Joe lampshades the resemblance by indicating that Granny is related to someone named Jed Clampett, whose cousin Pearl is a relative of Kate's. He doesn't expressly say that they look alike, but I count it.
As for dialogue indicating that characters might return, perhaps they kept the door open for the possibility that the character would return after enough time had passed, played by somebody else. But I'm speculating here. Or perhaps they're all in rooms on the same floor as Chuck Cunningham, at some hotel down the street from the 27 Club.
About four or five minutes in, Joe lampshades the resemblance by indicating that Granny is related to someone named Jed Clampett, whose cousin Pearl is a relative of Kate's. He doesn't expressly say that they look alike, but I count it.
Aye. I went back and there it was, just as you said. I missed it because I skipped past everything before Granny's arrival in Hooterville. It's valuable to know too, because "the distant relative of Kate" explains the further interactions between the Clampetts and the Hooterville folk during that year's Thanksgiving and Christmas episodes of The Beverly Hillbillies. Paul Henning's shows were more interconnected than the Warner Brothers detective shows of the late '50's-early '60's!
I really appreciate all your contributions on this.
JD DeLuzio > Commander BensonNovember 28, 2025 at 6:18am
And, of course, in the Green Acres episode, "Wings Over Hooterville," we learn that Oliver met Lisa for the first time during World War II. With his engine failing, he asks his CO what he should do if he gets captured. The reply:
"If you get caught by the Germans, request Stalag 13 prison camp, and ask for a chap named Hogan. "
doc photo > Commander BensonNovember 28, 2025 at 9:27am
I didn't see the first season episodes of The Beverly Hillbillies until CBS began showing daily morning reruns. I was quite surprised to discover Cousin Pearl/Jethro's Ma was the lady I knew as Kate Bradley. Credit to Bea Benaderet for making each character her own person.
Replies
Aye, but what you said before was still helpful.
I just finished reviewing "Granny, the Baby Expert" on YouTube. and I found most of what you related above. The crux of the humour in the episode stems from Granny misplacing her eyeglasses and her extreme near-sightedness leads to a number of "Mr. Magoo"-like misconceptions on her part.
When Granny arrives at the Shady Rest, Uncle Joe is napping on the porch swing. Granny leans over him and asks, "You Kate Bradley?". Then she adds, "Hey, they's right about you, Kate---you and cousin Pearl is look-alikes."
Awakened, Joe responds, "I'm not Kate. I'm Joe Carson. Kate's out of town."
As this was the episode immediately following Bea Benaderet's death---the fifth episode of the season---it conformed to what I said about writing off her character as being "out of town". What surprised me was how many more times Kate was referenced in the episode. For example, when Granny is introduced to Betty Jo Elliott, Betty Jo says, "I've heard Mother speak of you many times."
"I'm awful sorry to miss your maw," replies Granny.
"She'll be disappointed, too," says Betty Jo. "But, right after the baby was born, she left town."
There are other stray references to Kate, such as when Uncle Joe samples Granny's prescription on the stove, believing it's soup. He winces and remarks, "I'll be glad when Kate gets home. Them girls got a lot to learn about making soup."
I found that remark interesting because it echoed dialogue in the episode of My Three Sons immediately following WIlliam Frawley's last appearance as the grandfather, Bub. Mr. Frawley was written off the show by way of Bub travelling to Ireland to celebrate his Aunt Kate's one-hundred-fourth birthday, and in the next episode (the one which introduced William Demarest as Uncle Charley) the Douglases make mention of "when Bub gets back". In both cases---Miss Benaderet's death and Mr. Frawley's health having so declined---the producers knew that neither Kate, nor Bub, would ever return to their respective shows. Yet, dialogue was inserted anticipating when their characters would "get back". For some unfathomable reason, the producers wanted to leave the door open for their characters' returns, even though they knew it would never happen.
Incidentally, I didn't come across the second mention of Kate's resemblence to cousin Pearl in "Granny, the Baby Expert". I'm sure that you're right, and there was one; I scrolled past a few scenes which didn't include Granny and I must have missed it.
I appreciate you adding to my knowledge of this. This is the sort of stuff that's always intrigued me in television series. For example, after the sixth season of My Three Sons, departed eldest son Mike was never again mentioned by name. Yet, a couple of times the long-running show played coy about the existence of another son with the viewers by making oblique references. Such as in the ninth-season episode, "The Grandfathers". Steve Douglas is talking to an Air Force general about his experiences when his wife was giving birth. Steve says, "The first two births went fine, but there was a problem with Chip." That must have confused later viewers who had seen only the episodes in the syndicated package, for in all of those, Ernie was the youngest son.
Much obliged, sir.
About four or five minutes in, Joe lampshades the resemblance by indicating that Granny is related to someone named Jed Clampett, whose cousin Pearl is a relative of Kate's. He doesn't expressly say that they look alike, but I count it.
As for dialogue indicating that characters might return, perhaps they kept the door open for the possibility that the character would return after enough time had passed, played by somebody else. But I'm speculating here. Or perhaps they're all in rooms on the same floor as Chuck Cunningham, at some hotel down the street from the 27 Club.
About four or five minutes in, Joe lampshades the resemblance by indicating that Granny is related to someone named Jed Clampett, whose cousin Pearl is a relative of Kate's. He doesn't expressly say that they look alike, but I count it.
Aye. I went back and there it was, just as you said. I missed it because I skipped past everything before Granny's arrival in Hooterville. It's valuable to know too, because "the distant relative of Kate" explains the further interactions between the Clampetts and the Hooterville folk during that year's Thanksgiving and Christmas episodes of The Beverly Hillbillies. Paul Henning's shows were more interconnected than the Warner Brothers detective shows of the late '50's-early '60's!
I really appreciate all your contributions on this.
And, of course, in the Green Acres episode, "Wings Over Hooterville," we learn that Oliver met Lisa for the first time during World War II. With his engine failing, he asks his CO what he should do if he gets captured. The reply:
I didn't see the first season episodes of The Beverly Hillbillies until CBS began showing daily morning reruns. I was quite surprised to discover Cousin Pearl/Jethro's Ma was the lady I knew as Kate Bradley. Credit to Bea Benaderet for making each character her own person.
Happy (U.S.) Thanksgiving!
Thank you! Happy thanksgiving all!
My new Thanksgiving favorite:
Happy Thanksgiving!
Thanksgiving is not really a thing here at my neck of the woods, but Happy Thanksgiving for all you folks!
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