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The first Benji movie was the final screen role for three beloved classic TV stars, including the dog
Francis Bavier and Edgar Buchanan would never be seen again. The same goes for Higgins the dog.
In 2000, Patricia Hitchcock, daughter of cinema master Alfred Hitchcock, was speaking about her father at the University of Southern California. She revealed something shocking about the master of suspense — his guilty pleasure.
The Seventies were loaded with groundbreaking horror films — from The Exorcist to Alien. But Hitchcock loved Benji. Yes, Benji, the 1974 movie about the adorable dog. Patricia claimed her father was fond of the flick. Perhaps it was because many of the actors were familiar to him.
Benji stars Frances Bavier (Lady with the Cat) and Edgar Buchanan (Bill) had both appeared on episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents. We count half a dozen Benji cast members who also appeared on TV in Hitchock shows.
But back to Bavier and Buchanan. These beloved performers were part of the folksy wave of feel-good comedy in 1960s television. You know them best as Aunt Bee from The Andy Griffith Show and Uncle Joe from Petticoat Junction. The two had a lot in common — playing the elder family members on rural sitcoms. Perhaps their biggest commonality is Benji.
Benji would be the final screen roles for both Bavier and Buchanan. They were born four months apart at the start of the century, though they grew up on opposite ends of the country. Buchanan studied dentistry in Oregon while Manhattanite Bavier trained on the stage. Their career paths would lead them both to CBS sitcoms in the Sixties. And they would end their careers together in Benji.
They were not the only two thespians bowing out with Benji. The canine himself said goodbye, too.
Playing Benji was Higgins, arguably the biggest dog star of his era… and Buchanan's former costar. Yes, Higgins was indeed the dog who played, well, "Dog" on Petticoat Junction. Higgins — believed to be a Miniature Poodle, Cocker Spaniel, and Schnauzer mix — was long in the tooth in Benji, in his 16th year of life. He would die in 1975. Buchanan would pass in 1979, and Bavier a decade later. Knowing Benji was the last hurrah for all of them only adds to the tugging on the heartstrings.
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49 Comments
Lou Ann Poovie.
Mary Ann Summers.
Coming down the tracks to the
Junction .Forget about your fears it is time to relax at the
Junction Lots.of curves you bet
Even more when get to the junction . There's a little hotel
Called The Shady Rest at the
Junction .It is run by Kate
And there's Uncle Joe
And he's moving kind of slow
At the Junction .
Petticoat Junction.
It is run by.Kate come and
Be her guest at the junction
Howard Sprague and Millie
Hutchins
Sam Jones and Millie Swanson
Emmett Clark and Martha Clark
Oliver Douglas and Lisa
EB Dawson and Darlene
Molly Turgis had a sad life
According to Hank Kimball
“rollin’ down the tracks”
Thanks for the correction
About the lyrics to the
Petticoat Junction Theme
Song.
Green Acres who made
Sense when they talked
Were:
Oliver Douglas
Sam Drucker
Hank Kimball and Lisa
Douglas usually didn't make sense when they talked but Lisa Douglas and Hank Kimball were
Funny characters.
Mr. Haney talked okay for a
Con artist but Haney talked
silly too sometimes .
I noticed that Robert Foulk
played Roy Trendell and later he played Mr. Wheeler.Also farmer Newt Kiley (Kay Kuter) was not
Seen on season six of
Green Acres but Hooterville
residents still mentioned
Newt Kiley s name during
season six of Green Acres.
Doee anyone know if Oliver
Douglas ever heard the Phyfe playing Yankie Doodle
Dandy . It seems like everytime the Phyfe played
that song Oliver Douglas was the ONLY HOOTERVILLE RESIDENT
Who did not hear the Phyfe
Playing that song..
Also Arnold the pig had more sense than some of the Hooterville Residents.
Buddy Sorrell and Pickles.
Latka and Simka
Possible Couples
Eddie Cantor and Fanya(Kid
Millions)
Pee Wee Herman and Dixie
(Pee WEEs Playhouse)
Pee Wee Herman and Dottie(Pee WEEs Big Adventure)
Marilee And Sticks
Cute Girl and Moose
Archie and Veronica or
Archie and Betty
Moose and Midge
Jughead and Big Ethel
Andy Taylor and Charlene
Darling?????
Films:
Benji (1974)
For the Love of Benji (1977)
Benji the Hunted (1987)
Benji: Off the Leash! (2004)
Benji (2018)
Television:
Benji's Very Own Christmas Story (1978)
Benji at Work (1980 - short)
Benji Takes a Dive at Marineland (1981 - short)
Benji, Zax & the Alien Prince (1983 - series)
Documentaries:
Benji's Life Story (1976)
The Phenomenon of Benji (1978)
There are a few others but the character name is not in the title.
