Frank Cady
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.
Rear Window
(Man on Fire Escape)
Perfect Strangers
(Geologist (uncredited))
Let's Make It Legal
(Ferguson)
Ace in the Hole
(Mr. Federber)
The Sellout
(Bennie Amboy)
It's a Great Feeling
(Oculist (uncredited))
Experiment Alcatraz
(Max Henry)
The Bad Seed
(Henry Daigle)
7 Faces of Dr. Lao
(Mayor James Sargent)
When Worlds Collide
(Harold Ferris)
Hearts of the West
(Pa Tater)
The Indian Fighter
(Trader Joe)
Marry Me Again
(Dr. Day)
The Atomic City
(F.B.I. Agent George Weinberg)
Zandy's Bride
(Pa Allan)
Young Man with a Horn
(Hotel Clerk (uncredited))
Trial
(Canford (uncredited))
The Next Voice You Hear...
(Bald Plant Worker in Locker Room (uncredited))
Dear Brat
(Parole Officer Creavy)
D.O.A.
(Eddie - Bartender (uncredited))
Half a Hero
(Mr. Watts)
The Crooked Way
Three Husbands
(Elevator Operator (uncredited))
The Checkered Coat
(Skinner)
The Missouri Traveler
(Willie Poole)
Abandoned
(Nolan - City Editor (uncredited))
The Girl Most Likely
(Pop)
Dial 1119
(Fred Backett)
The Asphalt Jungle
(Night Clerk (uncredited))
Return to Green Acres
(Sam Drucker)
Bungalow 13
(Gus Barton)
Special Agent
(Motorist (uncredited))
Mrs. O'Malley and Mr. Malone
(Harry (uncredited))
The Great Rupert
(Mr. Taney - Tax Investigator)
He Walked by Night
(Pete Hammond)
The Tin Star
(Abe Pickett (uncredited))
Sarge Goes to College
(Prof. Edwards)
The Million Dollar Duck
(Assayer)
Three Violent People
(Doctor)
Lightning Strikes Twice
(Gas Station Man)
Pretty Baby
(Janitor (uncredited))
Father of the Bride
(Timid Engagement Party Guest (uncredited))
Convicted
(Eddie (uncredited))
Hunt the Man Down
(Showbox Puppeteer (uncredited))
Take One False Step
(Reporter (uncredited))
The History of Hooterville
(Self)
Soup and Me
(Mr. Sutter)
The Man Who Understood Women
(John Milstead)
Flamingo Road
The Andy Griffith Show
(Luke)
The Great Adventure
(Drover)
Cheyenne
December Bride
The Colgate Comedy Hour
(Self)
Hawaii Five-O
(Judge Bergstrom)
The Beverly Hillbillies
(Sam Drucker)
Perry Mason
(Joe Widlock / Hiram Widlock)
Gunsmoke
(Webb)
General Electric Theater
(George Hanson)
Hawaiian Eye
Glynis
Weekend Special
Klondike
Rawhide
(Storekeeper)
Dennis the Menace
The Virginian
(Mr. Hardy)
Hazel
Pete and Gladys
Private Secretary
You Are There
Grindl
Guestward, Ho!
The Alaskans
The Deputy
Sugarfoot
(Jay Hollis)
These Are the Days
Front Row Center
The Jane Wyman Show
Maverick
(Hamelin)
Petticoat Junction
(Sam Drucker)
The Andy Griffith Show
(Farley Upchurch)
Green Acres
(Sam Drucker)
The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet
(Dr. Williams)
The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet
(Doctor Williams)
The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet
(Doc Williams)
AfterMASH
(Gus Bell)
Green Acres
(Sam Drucker / Ben Drucker)
The Untouchables
(Larry Croft)