Frank Cady

Frank Randolph Cady (September 8, 1915 – June 8, 2012) was an American actor best known for his role as storekeeper Sam Drucker in three American television series during the 1960s – Petticoat Junction, Green Acres, and The Beverly Hillbillies – and his earlier role as Doc Williams on The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet.

Early life Cady was born in Susanville, California, the youngest of three children of Leon and Clara Cady. In high school, he worked at a local newspaper, The Lassen County Advocate. Cady's family later moved to Wilsonville, Oregon.

He studied journalism and drama at Stanford University, where he was involved with the campus humor magazine, the Stanford Chaparral. Following college graduation, Cady served an apprenticeship at the Westminster Theater in London, appearing in four plays. In England, he made an early television appearance on the BBC in late 1938.

In the 1950s, Cady played Doc Williams in Ozzie and Harriet (1953–1964). In 1961, he made a guest appearance on Perry Mason as twin brothers Joe and Hiram Widlock in "The Case of the Pathetic Patient".

In 1964, he played Webb Norton, an angry and abusive father (to Dylan Cannon’s character Ivy Norton) on Gunsmoke, in the episode “Aunt Thede” (S10E13).

He worked in television and was the only actor to play a recurring character on three television sitcoms at the same time, which he did from 1968 to 1969. He appeared on The Beverly Hillbillies, Green Acres, and Petticoat Junction simultaneously. As Sam Drucker, he appeared in 142 of 170 Green Acres episodes during its six-year run from 1965 to 1971. Also as Drucker, he was one of only three co-stars of Petticoat Junction who stayed with the series for its entire seven-year run (1963–1970), along with Edgar Buchanan and Linda Henning, appearing in 152 of the show's 222 episodes. He played Drucker in 10 episodes of The Beverly Hillbillies from 1968 to 1970, and he continued his Drucker role in the final season of Green Acres after Petticoat Junction ended in 1970.

His final acting role was in the television movie Return to Green Acres (1990). In a 1995 interview with the Portland Oregonian Cady spoke of his television career: "You get typecast. I'm remembered for those shows and not for some pretty good acting jobs I did other times. I suppose I ought to be grateful for that, because otherwise I wouldn't be remembered at all. I've got to be one of the luckiest guys in the world."

In 2005, Cady attended Eddie Albert's funeral, along with Green Acres co-stars Sid Melton and Mary Grace Canfield.

Death Shirley Cady died on August 22, 2008, at the age of 96. The Cadys, who were married 68 years, had two children – daughter Catherine Turk and son Steven Cady. They had three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Frank Cady died at his home on June 8, 2012, at age 96. No specific cause was given. Upon his death he was cremated and his ashes are buried at Los Osos Valley Memorial Park, Los Osos, California in the same plot as his wife.

Filmography Year Title Role Notes 1948 He Walked by Night Pete Hammond Uncredited1949 Flamingo Road Tom Hill Uncredited D.O.A. Eddie - Bartender Uncredited1950 Perfect Strangers Geologist Uncredited The Asphalt Jungle Night Clerk Uncredited The Great Rupert Mr. Taney - Tax Collector Father of the Bride Engagement Party Guest Uncredited Emergency Wedding Mr. Hoff Uncredited Experiment Alcatraz Max Henry Mrs. O'Malley and Mr. Malone Harry UncreditedA Christmas WishTax Investigator 1951 Hunt the Man Down Showbox PuppeteerUncredited Lightning Strikes Twice Gas Station Man Uncredited Dear Brat Creavy Ace in the Hole Al Ferderber Let's Make It Legal Ferguson When Worlds Collide Harold Ferris1952 The Atomic City F.B.I. Agent George Weinberg The Sellout Bennie Amboy1953 Half a Hero Mr. Watts Marry Me Again Dr. Day 1954 Rear Window Man on Fire Escape1955 Trial Canford Uncredited The Indian Fighter Trader Joe1956 The Bad Seed Henry Daigle Three Violent People Dr. Graham Uncredited 1957 The Tin Star Abe Pickett Uncredited1958 The Missouri Traveler Willie Poole The Girl Most Likely Pop 1959 The Man Who Understood Women John Milstead 1964 7 Faces of Dr. Lao Mayor James Sargent 1967 The Gnome-Mobile Charlie Pettibone Uncredited 1970 The Million Dollar Duck Assayer 1974 Zandy's Bride Pa Allan 1975 Hearts of the West Pa Tater 1990 Return to Green Acres Sam Drucker TV movie; final film role

Television credits Year Series Role Episode(s) 1954–1965 The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet Doc Williams 71 episodes1956 December Bride "Lily in a Gas Station" Private Secretary Barney "Passing the Buck"1957 Broken Arrow Thaddeus Parker "Devil's Eye"1958 Maverick Hamelin "Rope of Cards" Trackdown Bob Tail "The Wedding"1959 The Gale Storm Show Director "It's Murder My Dear" Sugarfoot Lawyer Jay Hollis "The Mysterious Stranger"1960 The Alaskans Bradshaw "The Last Bullet" Make Room for Daddy Will Hoople - Town Drunk "Danny Meets Andy Griffith" Klondike Lester "Swoger's Mule"1961 Guestward, Ho! Harry Crawford "Bill, the Fireman" Hawaiian Eye Harvey Gamson "The Stanhope Brand" Pete and Gladys Teller "The Live-In Couple" Perry Mason Joe/Hiram Widlock "The Case of the Pathetic Patient" Rawhide Storekeeper S3:E14, "Incident of the Big Blowout"1962 Dennis the Menace Dr. Ferguson "The Club Initiation" "The Joey Bishop Show" Defense Attorney "Very Warm For Christmas" Cheyenne Wayne "The Quick and the Deadly"1963 The Virginian Mr. Hardy "The Exiles" Glynis George "The Pros and Cons" Grindl Mr. Burroughs "The Great Bank Robbery" 1963–1970 Petticoat Junction Mr. Drucker, The General Store Shopkeeper 168 episodes1964 Hazel Mr. Pincus "The Flagpole" Gunsmoke Webb Norton "Aunt Thede" 1965–1966 The Andy Griffith Show Luke 2 episodes 1965–1971 Green Acres Mr. Drucker, The General Store Shopkeeper 142 episodes 1968–1970 The Beverly Hillbillies Sam Drucker 10 episodes1974 Hawaii Five-O Judge Edgar Bergstrom "Mother's Deadly Helper" 1974–1975 These Are the Days Homer (voice) 16 episodes 1977 Eight Is Enough "Hit and Run" 1977 ABC Weekend Special Mr. Minney "The Winged Colt" 1978 ABC Weekend Special Mr. Sutter "Soup and Me" 1978 ABC Weekend Special Mr. Sutter "Soup for President"