FC
Frank Cady
Actor
Died June 8, 2012 (96 years)
Although Frank Cady's most famous role would be that of general-store owner Sam Drucker, one of the less nutty residents of Hooterville in both Green Acres (1965) and Petticoat Junction (1963), he had a history as a film, stage and television actor long before those shows. Cady also appeared on some radio programs including Gunsmoke.
In the 1950s, Cady played Doc Williams in The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet (1952), along with numerous supporting parts in movies and also appeared in television commercials for (among other products) Shasta Grape Soda. Cady has been most prolific in television and was the only actor to play a recurring character on three TV sitcoms at the same time, The Beverly Hillbillies (1962), Green Acres (1965), and Petticoat Junction (1963). Usually cast as a gregarious small-town businessman, druggist, store clerk or other type of all-around Midwestern-type good guy, Cady was actually a California native, born in Susanville in 1915.
The acting bug bit him when he sang in an elementary school play, and after graduating from Stanford University he headed to London, England, to train in the theater.
When World War II broke out he was already in Europe, so he enlisted in the Army Air Force and spent the next several years in postings all over the continent. After his discharge he returned to the US and headed for Hollywood.
An agent saw him in a local play, signed him, and he was on his way. One of his earlier--and more atypical--roles was as a seedy underworld character pulled in for questioning in a cop's murder in the noir classic He Walked by Night (1948), and he played a succession of hotel clerks, bureaucrats, henpecked husbands and the like for the next 40+ years. He did much television work from the mid-'50s onward.
Cady resided in Wilsonville, Oregon and at the time of his death had two children, three grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.
Filmography
| 1990 | Return to Green Acres · as Sam Drucker |
| 1977 | Eight is Enough (TV Series) · as actor |
| 1977 | ABC Weekend Special (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1976 | Monster Squad (TV Series) · as The Farmer |
| 1975 | Hearts of the West · as Pa Tater |
| 1974 | Zandy's Bride · as Pa Allan |
| 1974 | These Are the Days (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1971 | The Million Dollar Duck · as Assayer |
| 1968 | Hawaii Five-O (TV Series) · as Judge Bergstrom |
| 1967 | The Gnome-Mobile · as Charlie Pettibone |
| 1965 | Green Acres (TV Series) · as Sam Drucker |
| 1964 | 7 Faces of Dr. Lao · as Mayor James Sargent |
| 1963 | Petticoat Junction (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1962 | The Virginian (TV Series) · as Mr. Hardy |
| 1962 | The Beverly Hillbillies (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1961 | The Joey Bishop Show (TV Series) · as Mr. Andrews |
| 1961 | Hazel (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1960 | The Andy Griffith Show (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1960 | The Jim Backus Show (TV Series) · as Lawyer |
| 1959 | The Man Who Understood Women · as John Milstead |
| 1959 | Rawhide (TV Series) · as Storekeeper |
| 1959 | Dennis the Menace (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1959 | The Deputy (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1959 | The Untouchables (TV Series) · as Larry Croft |
| 1958 | The Missouri Traveler · as Willie Poole |
| 1958 | 77 Sunset Strip (TV Series) · as Beverly Hills Hotel Clerk |
| 1957 | The Tin Star · as Abe Pickett (uncredited) |
| 1957 | The Girl Most Likely · as Pop |
| 1957 | Perry Mason (TV Series) · as Joe Widlock / Hiram Widlock |
| 1957 | Maverick (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1957 | Trackdown (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1957 | Sugarfoot (TV Series) · as Jay Hollis |
| 1957 | The Real McCoys (TV Series) · as Cousin Edgar |
| 1957 | Wagon Train (TV Series) · as Fitch |
| 1956 | The Bad Seed · as Henry Daigle |
| 1956 | Three Violent People · as Doctor |
| 1956 | The Gale Storm Show (TV Series) · as Director |
| 1955 | The Indian Fighter · as Trader Joe |
| 1955 | Trial · as Canford |
| 1955 | Gunsmoke (TV Series) · as Webb |
| 1955 | Cheyenne (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1954 | Rear Window · as Man on Fire Escape (uncredited) |
| 1954 | Climax! (TV Series) · as actor |
| 1953 | Half a Hero · as Mr. Watts |
| 1953 | Private Secretary (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1953 | Make Room for Daddy (TV Series) · as Will - Town Drunk |
| 1953 | General Electric Theater (TV Series) · as George Hanson |
| 1952 | The Atomic City · as F.B.I. Agent George Weinberg |
| 1952 | The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet (TV Series) · as Doc Williams |
| 1951 | Let's Make It Legal · as Ferguson |
| 1951 | Lightning Strikes Twice · as Gas Station Man |
| 1951 | Dear Brat · as Parole Officer Creavy |
| 1951 | Ace in the Hole · as Mr. Federber |
| 1951 | When Worlds Collide · as Harold Ferris |
| 1950 | The Asphalt Jungle · as Night Clerk |
| 1950 | Father of the Bride · as Timid Engagement Party Guest (uncredited) |
| 1950 | Young Man with a Horn · as Hotel Clerk |
| 1950 | Convicted · as Eddie (uncredited) |
| 1950 | The Next Voice You Hear... · as Bald Plant Worker in Locker Room (uncredited) |
| 1950 | Three Husbands · as Elevator Operator (uncredited) |
| 1950 | Perfect Strangers · as Geologist |
| 1950 | Pretty Baby · as Janitor (uncredited) |
| 1950 | The Great Rupert · as Mr. Taney - Tax Investigator |
| 1950 | The Colgate Comedy Hour (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1949 | |
| 1949 | Flamingo Road · as Tom Hill (uncredited) |
| 1949 | It's a Great Feeling · as Oculist (uncredited) |
| 1949 | The Crooked Way · as Barnes - Man at Bar |
| 1949 | The Lady Takes a Sailor · as Mr. Wentworth |
| 1948 | He Walked by Night · as Pete Hammond |
| 1948 | The Vicious Circle · as Court Clerk |
| 1947 | Violence · as Jepson - United Defenders Committee Member |