"Green Acres" (1965) TV series 1965-1971

User Rating:

7.5/10   

Creator:

Jay Sommers
(more)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

Release Date:

15 September 1965 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Family

Plot:

A New York attorney and his wife try to live as genteel farmers in the bizarre community of Hooterville.

Plot Keywords:

Farm | Pig Actor | Famous Opening Theme | Breaking The Fourth Wall | Fish Out Of Water

Awards:

4 nominations

Cast

Eddie Albert	...	Oliver Wendell Douglas / ... (170 episodes, 1965-1971)
Eva Gabor	...	Lisa Douglas / ... (170 episodes, 1965-1971)
Tom Lester	...	Eb Dawson / ... (148 episodes, 1965-1971)
Frank Cady	...	Sam Drucker (141 episodes, 1965-1971)
Pat Buttram	...	Eustace Charleton Haney / ... (71 episodes, 1965-1971)

(more)

Series Directed by
Richard L. Bare		(167 episodes, 1965-1971)
Ralph Levy		(2 episodes, 1965)

Series Writing credits
Dick Chevillat		(160 episodes, 1965-1971)
Jay Sommers		(160 episodes, 1965-1971)
Dan Beaumont		(5 episodes, 1967-1971)
Al Schwartz		(3 episodes, 1965-1967)
Elon Packard		(3 episodes, 1966)
Elroy Schwartz		(2 episodes, 1966-1967)
Sam Locke		(2 episodes, 1967)
Joel Rapp		(2 episodes, 1967)
Bob Marcus		(1 episode, 1967)
Gary Abrams		(unknown episodes)

Series Produced by
Paul Henning	....	executive producer (69 episodes, 1965-1970)
Jay Sommers	....	producer (68 episodes, 1965-1970)
Guy Scarpitta	....	associate producer (41 episodes, 1965-1970)
Al Simon	....	producer (unknown episodes)

Series Original Music by
Vic Mizzy		(43 episodes, 1965-1970)

Series Cinematography by
Bob Gough		(40 episodes, 1965-1970)
Ron McManus		(unknown episodes)

Series Film Editing by
Robert Seiter		(17 episodes, 1965-1970)
James Ballas		(14 episodes, 1965-1966)
Michael Brown		(5 episodes, 1970)
Robert M. Leeds		(2 episodes, 1966)

Series Casting by
Caro Jones		(6 episodes, 1970)
Bill Tinsman		(2 episodes, 1965)
Edward F. Rhine		(unknown episodes)

Series Art Direction by
Walter McKeegan		(38 episodes, 1965-1970)

Series Set Decoration by
Dorcy Howard		(38 episodes, 1965-1970)

Series Costume Design by
Jean Louis		(22 episodes, 1965-1967)

Series Makeup Department
Gene Hibbs	....	makeup artist (38 episodes, 1965-1970)
Peggy Shannon	....	hair stylist (38 episodes, 1965-1970)

Series Production Management
George King	....	production supervisor (40 episodes, 1965-1970)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Tom Andre	....	assistant director (40 episodes, 1965-1970)

Series Art Department
Jerry Fuller	....	property master (42 episodes, 1965-1970)

Series Sound Department
Bernard F. Pincus	....	sound editor (38 episodes, 1965-1970)
Larry Gannon	....	sound mixer (32 episodes, 1965-1966)
C.J. 'Mickey' Emerson	....	sound mixer (32 episodes, 1970-1971)

Series Special Effects by
Robert Cole	....	special effects (38 episodes, 1965-1970)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Ralph Owen	....	chief electrician (32 episodes, 1965-1966)
Ted Hamilton	....	key grip (24 episodes, 1965-1966)
James Wilson	....	key grip (13 episodes, 1966-1970)
Gary R. Wostak	....	chief electrician (6 episodes, 1970)

Series Casting Department
Bill Tinsman	....	casting (31 episodes, 1965-1966)
Mercedes Manzanares	....	casting (22 episodes, 1965-1966)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Gwen Fitzer	....	costume supervisor (32 episodes, 1965-1966)
Bob Spencer	....	costume supervisor (32 episodes, 1965-1966)
Shirley Brewton	....	costume supervisor (6 episodes, 1970)
Nolan Miller	....	wardrobe consultant: Eva Gabor (6 episodes, 1970)
W.T. Zacha	....	costume supervisor (6 episodes, 1970)
Jean Louis	....	gowns: Miss Gabor / gowns: Eva Gabor (5 episodes, 1965-1968)

Series Editorial Department
Robert Freedman	....	post-production coordinator (36 episodes, 1965-1970)
Rusty Tinsley	....	post-production coordinator (2 episodes, 1970)

Series Music Department
Jimmy Bond	....	musician: bass (167 episodes, 1965-1971)
Billy Calkins	....	musician: woodwinds (167 episodes, 1965-1971)
Frank Capp	....	musician: percussion (167 episodes, 1965-1971)
Gene Garf	....	musician: organ (167 episodes, 1965-1971)
Vic Mizzy	....	conductor (167 episodes, 1965-1971)
Tommy Morgan	....	musician: harmonica (167 episodes, 1965-1971)
Bill Pitman	....	musician: bass guitar (167 episodes, 1965-1971)
Lou Singer	....	musician: mallet (167 episodes, 1965-1971)
Tommy Tedesco	....	musician: lead guitar (167 episodes, 1965-1971)
Dave Kahn	....	music supervisor (38 episodes, 1965-1970)

Series Transportation Department
Chris Haynes	....	driver (2 episodes, 1969)

Series Other crew
Frank Inn	....	animal trainer / animal furnisher (39 episodes, 1965-1970)
Jack Bannon	....	dialogue coach (32 episodes, 1965-1966)
Stuart Lippman	....	script supervisor (32 episodes, 1965-1966)
Dick Chevillat	....	story consultant (9 episodes, 1968-1970)
Bill Hansard	....	projectionist: background projection (7 episodes, 1965-1966)
Robert Busch	....	dialogue coach (6 episodes, 1970)
Emilie Ehrlich	....	script supervisor (6 episodes, 1970)
Phil Gordon	....	dialogue coach (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS)
• Filmways Television

Distributors

• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1965) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD) (season 1)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD) (season 2)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD) (season 3)
• MGM Television (????) (USA) (TV) (syndication)
• Orion Pictures Corporation

Other Companies

• General Service Studios  filming location
• Post Cereals of General Foods  original sponsor
• Todd-AO Studios  sound recording

Also Known As:

"Country Cousins" (USA) (working title)
"The Eddie Albert Show" (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

30 min (170 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

General Service Studios - 6625 Romaine Street, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS)

Trivia:

Oliver met Lisa after his plane was shot down over Hungary during World War II,

Goofs:

Continuity: In the opening song when Oliver sings "You are my wife," he reaches for Lisa with his left hand. As Lisa sings "Goodbye city life," Oliver reaches in and grabs her with his right hand.

Quotes:

[the Douglases are looking for clothes to donate to a rummage sale]
Oliver Douglas: Why don't we give away this one?
Lisa Douglas: No that's the dress I graduated from high school in.
Oliver Douglas: How about this one?
Lisa Douglas: That's the dress I wore the first day of college.
Oliver Douglas: [holding a black, low-cut dress] What about this one?
Lisa Douglas: That's the one I got expelled in.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "TV Land Moguls" (2004)

Soundtrack:

Green Acres

Zany 60's comedy that may have inspired "Scrubs"

"Green Acres" was one of the trio of "rural comedies" created and produced by Paul Henning (the other two being "The Beverly Hillbillies" and "Petticoat Junction"). The premise was built around a big city lawyer (Eddie Albert) and his fashionable wife (Eva Gabor) that abandon their affluent and hectic life for the rustic and more "civil" world of farming in the fictional Midwestern town of Hooterville.

Though Oliver Wendell Douglas (Albert) is happy to make the transition to farm life, his wife Lisa (Gabor) is less enthusiastic, though she adapts the best as she can. One of the running gags throughout the series involves her inability to prepare anything other than "hotcakes," and even those leave much to be desired. Another running gag centers around the frequent visits by Douglas's mother (Eleanor Audley) who sides with her daughter-in-law in regards to her own son's desire to live the simple live. Audley is best known for her vocal work as the wicked stepmother in Disney's "Cinderella," as well as Malificent in the studio's "Sleeping Beauty". Her occasional appearances on "Green Acres" show the comedic side of the actress.

By having the series set in the same locale as Henning's "Petticoat Junction" allowed frequent crossover appearances by Edgar Buchanan ("Uncle Joe") and Frank Cady ("Sam Drucker") who would become a regular on "Green Acres".

The other cast members were a mixed bag of crazies unlike anything else on television at the time. Farmhand Eb (Tom Lester) was like "The Beverly Hillbillies" Jethro, a doofus without the muscles. The Monroe "Brothers" (Sid Melton and an androgynous Mary Beth Canfield) were the carpenters from hell, forever starting construction on the Douglas's farmhouse but never quite finishing a project. Traveling salesman Mr. Haney (veteran cowboy sidekick Pat Butram) was forever plying his wares at a significant and unreasonable price.

And who can forget Fred and Doris Ziffel's "son," Arnold the pig. The porcine star had his own fan base the perhaps accounted for much of the show's success during its six-year run.

Though Eddie Albert's character was the most "serious" of the bunch, there were bits of lunacy centered around him, also. One ongoing bit involved his frequent monologues on the greatness of the American farm, while a patriotic fife plays in the background, for no apparent reason to the audience, as well as the listeners to his speeches.

Another inspired bit was during the opening credits of one installment. As Lisa was gathering eggs from the hen house, she discovered writing on the eggs: the names of the episode's writer, creator, and director.

One could best describe "Green Acres" as being the flip-side of "The Beverly Hillbillies" or "The Andy Griffith Show" on acid.