Happy 104th Birthday, Bea Benaderet!

Shown here with the lovely Eva Gabor, Bea had quite the career. Though she started in radio, my first recollections of her are as Blanche Morton on The Burns and Allen Show (in reruns, I'm not that old). Her double takes with Gracie were perfect. Seems Lucy Ball & Desi wanted Bea to play Ethel Mertz on a certain show you may have seen, but because of her commitment to George & Gracie, well, we know who nabbed that role (Bea did do a guest spot I Love Lucy). I guess she was also considered to play Granny Clampett on The Beverly Hillbillies, but got the part of Jethro's mother, Pearl instead. Then she landed the lead on Petticoat Junction, which led to the spin-off, Green Acres, which she guested on. In between all of this, Bea also voiced adorable Betty Rubble on The Flintstones.

Wikipedia just enlightened me to the fact that Bea's second husband died the day of Bea's funeral, four days after the death of his wife. He was interred next to Bea in North Hollywood.



And I never knew that Jack Bannon who played Art Donovan on Lou Grant was Bea's son. Live and learn.