It’s been over 2 decades since CBS canceled the American television sitcom “Green Acres” as part of the rural purge. However, before the series ended in 1971, it had already captured viewers’ hearts with its humorous storyline and quirky characters such as Oliver Wendell Douglas, Lisa Douglas, Ed Dawson, Sam Drucker, Mr. Haney, and Hank Kimball.
Though many years have gone by since the show ended, fans of the show often wonder what happened to the cast members after the show ended. If you are also in this category, here’s your treat.
All the Top Cast of Green Acres are Dead
From our findings, all the main cast members of Green Acres have passed away. As of the latest available information, the last surviving main cast member, TomLester, who portrayed the lovable farmhand Ed Dawson passed away in April 2020 marking the end for the b”Green Acres” family.
However, before their passing most of them made other appearances in films and television series while others switched to voice acting and explored other career paths.
1. Eddie Albert -Oliver Wendell Douglas
The American actor and humanitarian Eddie Albert who portrayed the lead character Oliver Wendell Douglas passed away on May 26, 2005, at the age of 99. His portrayal of the down-to-earth lawyer-turned-farmer endeared him to audiences and solidified his place in television history.
Prior to his appearance on “Green Acres”, Eddie was already in the limelight for his 1954 performance in “Roman Holiday”, A romantic comedy film that earned him an Academy Award nomination. Asides from this, he was known for films such as “The Heartbreak Kid”, “The Fuller Brush Girl”, “The Sun Also Rises”, “Carrie”, “Oklahoma”, and “Who’s Got the Action”.
Eddie also ran his daytime variety program “The Eddie Albert Show” and was a host on Saturday Night Live in 1954. He made his last screen appearance as Herbert Gower in the 1995 television film “The Barefoot Executive”.
He was married to the Mexican actress Margo Arbert in 1945 and together they had a son named Edward Jr. and an adopted daughter, Maria.
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2. Eva Gabor -Lisa Douglas
The Hungarian-American actress, Eva Gabor who played the glamorous and eccentric Lisa Douglas passed away on July 4, 1995, at the age of 76 following respiratory failure and pneumonia. Her portrayal of Oliver’s wife brought a touch of comedic flair to the show, making her character one of the most admired.
Eva’s appearance in the TV series quickly earned her fame and recognition even though she had been in the entertainment industry since the early 40s. After the series, she explored her talent as a voice actor which also garnered her more recognition. Some of the characters she voiced include Duchess in “The Aristocats”, and Miss Bianca in “The Rescuer”..
She later switched to business and focused on marketing wigs, clothing, and beauty products thanks to the fame she already garnered. In 1972, she launched her fashion collection with Luis Estevez, a Cuban-born American fashion designer.
Aside from being famed as an actress, her personal life particularly her marriage also made headlines a few times. As you would find, she was married 5 different times but had no children.
3. Tom Lester -Ed Dawson
The American actor Tom Lester who portrayed the lovable farmhand Ed Dawson was the last surviving main cast member of “Green Acres” until his passing on April 20, 2020, following complications of Parkinson’s disease. Unlike other cast, Tom grew up on a farm in Mississippi and his ability to milk cows earned him the role.
After the show ended, he was typecast as Eb Dawson and later reunited with Albert and Eva Gabor to reprise his role in Return to Green Acres. Following this, he returned to his parent’s home in Laurel Mississippi but was not out of show business. He later landed a few more roles in films and television series such as “Little House on the Prairie”, “Knight Rider”, “Love”, “American Style”, and
Tom later retired from the entertainment industry and spent several years of his life as an evangelist. He traveled from one country to the other to declare the message of faith and God’s love.
Not much has been recorded about his personal life however, records have it that he got married to Kaylie in July 2008 at the age of 68.
4. Frank Cady – Sam Drucker
The American actor Frank Cady was 96 years old when he died in June 2012. In “Green Acres” he portrayed Sam Drucker, the genial storekeeper and this became his last role in the entertainment industry. After the show ended, he focused on writing poems, parodies of songs, and limericks.
Being a graduate of journalism and drama from Stanford, Frank previously worked on the campus humor magazine and at the Westminster Theatre in London as an apprentice. He was also a teaching assistant at his alma mater following his graduate studies. He had also served in the Military in the 1940s and was discharged in 1946.
It was after the military service that he made an appearance in a series of plays in the Los Angeles area before making his film debut in an uncredited role Pete Hammond in “He Walked by Night”. Frank later landed a few more roles in films and television series such as “Emergency Wedding”, Dear Brat”, “Heart of the West”, “The Virginian” and “ABC Weekend Special” which became his last screen appearance.
As for his personal life, he was married to Shirley Katherine Jones for 68 years and their union saw the birth of two children -Catherine Turk and Steven Cady.
5. Patt Buttram – Mr. Haney
Patt Buttram, known for his portrayal of the conniving salesman Mr. Haney passed away on January 8, 1994, at the age of 78 as a result of kidney failure. In the television series, it was Patt’s comedic timing and distinctive voice that brought charm to his character.
Many years before joining the entertainment industry, he served in the US Army Air Force during World War II. However, he later met Gene Autry who introduced him to show business, and together he co-starred in more than 40 films and in over 100 episodes of Autry’s television show. This was after his film debut in “The Strawberry Roan” in 1948.
Like Gabor, Patt also focused on voice acting after the show ended thanks to his distinctive voice. According to him, he probably “never quite made it through puberty.” He earned a number of roles in animated films and TV series such as “The Arstocats”, “Robin Hood”, “The Rescuers”, “Who Framed Roger Robbit” and “Garfield and Friends”.
In 1988, he was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and one on the “Alabama Stars of Fame” in Birmingham, Alabama for his contributions to the industry.
As for his personal life, he was first married to Dorothy McFadden from 1936 to 1946. Following their divorce, he married Sheila Ryan in 1952 and they welcomed their daughter Kathrine Buttram in 1954. However, their union ended in 1975.
6. Alvy Moore -Hank Kimball
Alvy Moore, who played the scatterbrained county agricultural agent Hank Kimball passed away on May 4, 1997, at the age of 75 as a result of heart failure. His portrayal of the well-meaning but often confused character added a delightful comedic element to the show.
After his role as Hank in the television series, Alvy made a few guest appearances in shows and films such as “The Dick Van Dyke Show”, “Little House on the Prairie”, “Scream”, “Intruder”, and “The Horror Show”.
Alvy was married to the actress Carolyn in 1950 and together, they had three children: Janet, Alyson, and Barry.
