Whatever Happened To The Cast Of Green Acres?

When "Green Acres" first aired back in 1965, few could have predicted just how beloved the sitcom —and its stars — would become. Created by Jay Sommers, the CBS comedy followed wealthy New York attorney Oliver Wendell Douglas, played by Eddie Albert, as he traded city life for a rundown farm in the fictional town of Hooterville. Along for the ride was his reluctant wife, Lisa, portrayed by Eva Gabor, whose fondness for luxury and disdain for farm life led to some of the show's funniest moments. Over the course of six seasons and 170 episodes, "Green Acres" delighted viewers with its cast of eccentric characters. Even decades after its final episode aired in 1971, "Green Acres" remains a favorite among classic television fans. And, if you're lucky enough, you can still catch reruns, as the show is frequently broadcast on classic TV stations.

While viewers may never get the catchy theme song out of their heads, many years have passed since the show was in its prime. And in that time, the lives of many cast members have endured heartbreaking tragedies. Some faced devastating health battles, while others endured personal heartbreaks or saw their careers cut short far too soon. Here's a look at the often tragic fates of the talented actors who brought "Green Acres" to life.

Eddie Albert was best known for portraying the role of Oliver Wendell Douglas in "Green Acres." As the show's male lead, Albert was in every single episode for all six seasons. Naturally, after the show ended in 1971, Albert went on to star in dozens of other projects, from television shows to major motion pictures. His performance in "The Heartbreak Kid" (1972) earned him his second of only two Oscar nominations over the course of his career — the first being "Roman Holiday" in 1953. Although he didn't win an Academy Award, Albert's career continued to flourish. He remained a familiar face in Hollywood for decades, taking on a variety of roles that showcased his versatility as both a dramatic and comedic actor.

Albert would eventually retire from show business in the '90s after being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. He lived a quiet, private life at his home in the Pacific Palisades and didn't share his diagnosis publicly. It wasn't until he died in May 2005 that his son, Edward Laurence Albert, revealed the news. At the age of 99, Albert contracted pneumonia and passed away in his California home.

Eva Gabor had an impressive career that spanned decades, and but it was also marked with deep emotional scars that the camera didn't show. Gabor was best known for her role as Lisa Douglas on "Green Acres." As the female lead on the series, she appeared in all 170 episodes of the sitcom, charming audiences with her wit and, of course, her elegance. Not unlike her "Green Acres" co-stars, Gabor starred in several more shows and movies following her time on the sitcom. She even found success as a voice actor, lending her distinctive European accent to several animated films. She voiced Duchess in "The Aristocats," Miss Bianca in "The Rescuers" and "The Rescuers Down Under," and the Queen of Time in "Nutcracker Fantasy."

Gabor never officially retired from the entertainment business, and she kept doing what she loved until she physically couldn't any longer. In 1995, she broke her hip and was admitted to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. A short while later, she came down with pneumonia and passed away from respiratory failure. "It was a big shock because Eva has been one of those people who had boundless energy and strength — a zest for living," Gabor's publicist, Kevin Sasaki, said at the time, according to the Los Angeles Times. "She traveled, did charity work. She kept herself busy, always juggling eight plates at a time."

Tom Lester portrayed Eb Dawson on "Green Acres," and his character was practically universally beloved by viewers. Perhaps it was his on-screen charm or just his authenticity, but Lester managed to land himself a full-time role on the sitcom, and he appeared in 150 episodes. As fate would have it, Lester was the only cast member to actually have first-hand experience with farm life: He was raised on his grandfather's farm in Jackson, Mississippi. Following his time on "Green Acres," Lester appeared in well over a dozen other projects, including the 1974 film, "Benji." In 1990, he joined some of his co-stars to reprise their roles for the TV movie, "Return to Green Acres." Though his output slowed significantly after 1994, Lester was still taking on roles until his last in 2014.

Lester died in April 2020 at the age of 81 from complications related to Parkinson's disease, though it's unclear when he was first diagnosed with the condition. At the time of his death, Lester had been living in Nashville, Tennessee, with his fiancée and caregiver, Jackie Peters. Lester was the last surviving actor of the original "Green Acres" cast, according to Variety. 

Who could possibly forget Mr. Haney on "Green Acres?" Pat Buttram starred in 146 episodes of the popular series, reprising his role from "Petticoat Junction," but many fans remembered him most as Gene Autry's comedic sidekick — the pair were quite the entertainment duo back in the day. After "Green Acres" came to a close in 1971, Buttram's career flourished. He landed various roles and even did some voice work, like his "Green Acres" co-star, Eva Gabor. Buttram lent his voice to the Sheriff of Nottingham in the 1973 animated film "Robin Hood" and Chief in the 1981 film "The Fox and the Hound" — both of which were Disney productions. He also did quite a bit of work in radio and was a frequent guest on television variety programs, including "The Ed Sullivan Show."

Buttram didn't retire from show business and was still taking on roles well into his 70s. He died in January 1994 at the University of California Los Angeles Medical Center after suffering kidney failure. Following Buttram's death, Autry remembered his longtime friend as "just a natural comedian," according to Deseret News. "He was great, off the film and on the film. If I was ... doing a stage show, he would be sitting back there. If I needed a good one-liner right quick, he would give me a good routine," Autry added.

Alvy Moore was best known for his role on "Green Acres," but it's one that he almost didn't get — and not because he wasn't talented. Prior to landing the part of county agent Hank Kimball, Moore admitted that he almost gave up on his career because he found it challenging to get a job in the industry. He even told the Los Angeles Times that he considered getting into manufacturing instead. After starring in 142 episodes of "Green Acres," Moore didn't seem to have any trouble landing jobs in Hollywood, and he has more than 150 credits to his name. He worked on a variety of television shows and commercials through the '90s, right up until his death.

In 1997, the Los Angeles Times reported that Moore had died at his home in Palm Desert at the age of 74. His "Green Acres" co-star and longtime friend, Tom Lester, was by his side when he took his last breath. "I heard him breathe three times and he fell over dead," Lester said during an interview on "The Hinton & Collier Show." Lester went on to say that it was a "terrible" thing, and he called Moore his 'best friend in the world.'" 

Mary Grace Canfield rose to fame in the 1950s and landed a key role in the popular 1960 film "Pollyanna," just a few years before she was cast in "Green Acres." Canfield took on the role of handywoman Ralph Monroe and became a fan-favorite on the series. Following her being cast on the show, Canfield landed smaller roles in TV sitcoms like "Bewitched" and "The Love Boat." 

Though she remained active throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Canfield never achieved the same level of fame she found on "Green Acres." Canfield was well aware that audiences continued to associate her with Ralph Monroe. "To be remembered for Ralph kind of upsets me — only in the sense that it was so easy and undemanding," she said in a 2006 interview with the Bangor Daily News, via Los Angeles Times. "It's being known for something easy to do instead of something you worked hard to achieve." Later on in life, Canfield was diagnosed with lung cancer. She died in hospice in February 2014 at the age of 89.

Sid Melton's career dates back to the 1940s. He started off taking on small, often uncredited roles, getting his feet wet before diving headfirst into the industry. In 1954, he landed a recurring role in "Captain Midnight" and, in 1959, he joined "The Danny Thomas Show." These experiences undoubtedly prepared him for his role as Alf Monroe on "Green Acres." 

Although he only appeared in 31 episodes, Melton definitely made his mark on comedy. For the next three decades, Melton served as a source of comic relief in several projects that kept him moving and shaking until he retired in 1999. However, Melton really wanted "to do drama, not comedy," according to The New York Times (NYT), citing a 1970 interview he did with the Christian Science Monitor. In that same interview, Melton said he believed he was landing comedic roles because he wasn't "tall and handsome," (per NYT).

Melton kept his personal life largely out of the public eye. He was married briefly, but the marriage was later annulled. He never remarried and, as far as is publicly known, did not have any children. The actor died at a hospital in Burbank, California, in November 2011 after coming down with pneumonia, his family told the Los Angeles Times. He was 94 years old.

Edgar Buchanan was best known for playing Uncle Joe Carson on "Petticoat Junction," a role he also portrayed in "The Beverly Hillbillies" and in 16 episodes of "Green Acres." After saying goodbye to Uncle Joe in 1970, Buchanan signed on to do about a dozen more projects, even landing another recurring role in a show called "Cade's County." By that point, he had established himself as one of television's most recognizable character actors. However, after more than three decades working in Hollywood, Buchanan retired.

Five years after his final screen appearance in "Benji," Buchanan fell ill. He had undergone brain surgery at Eisenhower Medical Center to relieve a buildup of pressure caused by excess fluid — a surgery he'd also had three years prior. However, things didn't go as planned, and Buchanan was hospitalized with complications, including meningitis and pneumonia. Two months after his surgery, Buchanan died at the age of 76. He was survived by his wife, Dr. Mildred Spence, and their son, Buck Buchanan.

Actor Frank Cady played the role of shopkeeper Sam Drucker on both "Petticoat Junction" and "Green Acres." After his time on the shows ended, he went on to appear in about a dozen other projects, though most were smaller parts. Cady would retire in the late '70s, and he and his wife, Shirley, moved to California's central coast. Over the years, however, it's clear that Cady's heart remained in Hooterville, which made it fitting that his very last role was the TV movie "Return to Green Acres" in 1990. He came out of retirement to play Sam Drucker before retiring for good. "The only thing I resent is people calling it a corny show," he once told CBS News (via The New York Times). "It's highly sophisticated, and it's timeless, as I think all the reruns are establishing," he added.

In the '90s, Cady and his wife moved to Wilsonville, Oregon, to be closer to their kids. Shirley died in 2008, which was undoubtedly heartbreaking for Cady as the two had been married since 1940. Four years later, Cady died at the age of 96. His cause of death is unknown.

Hank Patterson's career spanned decades, and his time on "Green Acres" came toward the end of a long and successful run in Hollywood. When Patterson signed on to play farmer Fred Ziffel, he was already in his late 70s and had established himself as a familiar face for television audiences through a steady stream of TV and film appearances. As Fred Ziffel, Patterson portrayed the lovable farmer who famously treated his pig, Arnold, like a member of the family. The character became a fan favorite during the show's six-season run. Patterson appeared in 84 episodes of "Green Acres," helping to make the quirky sitcom one of television's most memorable comedies of the 1960s. His work on the series overlapped with his recurring role on "Gunsmoke," another television classic.

Patterson died from bronchial pneumonia in 1975, about a year after his final appearance in "Gunsmoke" had aired. His memorable performances on both "Green Acres" and "Gunsmoke" helped cement his place in television history.

Not unlike Hank Patterson — who played her on-screen husband — actress Barbara Pepper's role in "Green Acres" came toward the end of her career. Pepper had already seen a lot in her life, both personally and professionally, by the time she joined the "Green Acres" cast in the role of Doris Ziffel. She had well over 150 credits to her name when the offer for "Green Acres" came around. More than two decades prior, Pepper married Craig Reynolds. In 1949, however, Reynolds died in a motorcycle accident, leaving her heartbroken. During this time, she received support from close friends, including the legendary Lucille Ball, but struggled to maintain an acting career before joining the show. 

Pepper was the perfect addition to the "Green Acres" cast when she took on the role of Doris Ziffel. She was the no-nonsense wife of Fred Ziffel and the devoted "mother" to Arnold the pig. In 1968, Pepper was forced to leave the show due to her declining health. She died of a coronary thrombosis on July 18, 1969, at the age of 54.

Kay E. Kuter seemed destined to be in show business from the moment he was born. His father was motion picture art director Leo "K" Kuter, and his mother was a silent-screen actress by the name of Evelyn Edler. After graduating from college, Kay knew what he wanted to do and he never looked back. He starred in numerous plays, films, and more than 400 television shows over the course of his successful career. In 1964, he joined the cast of "Petticoat Junction" as a farmer named Newt Kiley and the role carried over to "Green Acres" as well. After 26 episodes of "Green Acres," Kay took on dozens more projects. In fact, some of his best-known works — like his role in "The Last Starfighter" — came in the years that followed his time in Hooterville. 

Kay was recognizable both for his face and his voice, and he put both talents to good use throughout his career. He even did commercials, serving as the voice of Hershey's Kisses for more than a decade, and voiced characters in video games, such as 1998's "Grim Fandango." Kay died of pulmonary complications in November 2003. He was 78 years old.