Mary Grace Canfield Movies

The cast from the popular television cornball comedy series are reunited when Oliver must save Hooterville from developers. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Linda Lavin once again pulls double duty in the dual role of waitress Alice Hyatt and contentious oldster Debbie Walden, the former landlady of Vera and Elliot Novak (Beth Howland, Charles Levin. Now residing in a home of their own, the Novaks hope to raise a bit of extra money by renting out a room. You guessed it: the couple's new tenant is none other than their old nemesis Debbie, who if anything is even more obnoxious than ever. Featured in the cast is future Head of the Class regular Dan Frischman ("Arvid Engen") and former Green Acres recurring player Mary Grace Canfield ("Ralph Monroe"). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

After a carnival comes to Green Town, the good citizens are compelled to follow their deepest desires, caught under the spell of the malevolent Dr. Dark (Jonathan Pryce) who can grant those desires on one condition: that the grantees will forever join his freak show. Dr. Dark is after two young boys from the town in particular, while others in the town would certainly be easy marks. The sour-faced, older schoolteacher (Mary Grace Canfield) wants to be a seductive young woman, Ed the bartender (James Stacy) would like to regain his lost left arm and leg, and the librarian (Jason Robards) worries about a wasted life spent only in books. As Dr. Dark works his own brand of voodoo, the citizens and the two boys -- as well as the whole carnival itself -- approach a final reckoning. Something Wicked This Way Comes was based on a Ray Bradbury novel. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

The merriment continues unabated as Green Acres enters its sixth and last season, with city slickers Oliver and Lisa Douglas (Eddie Albert and Eva Gabor) no more successful at managing a rural farm than they'd been in season one. New to the cast is Judy McConnell as Darlene Wheeler, the latest of handyman Ed Dawson's (Tom Lester) girlfriends; and, during the first few episodes of the season, little Victoria Meyerink as the Douglases' youthful house guest Lori Baker. Also, Fran Ryan replaces Barbara Pepper in the role of Doris Ziffel, co-owner of the celebrated Arnold the pig. In other developments, women's lib comes to Hooterville, with typical 1970-era chauvinistic results; Oliver and Lisa run against each other for the office of mayor; the Douglas farm plays host to a war hero who happens to be a duck; and, in the very last episode filmed (though not the last to be shown), the citizenry of Hooterville decide to secede from the state -- and appoint Oliver as their king! The two final sixth-season episodes were intended as spin-offs for a pair of new (and ultimately unsold) series. "Hawaiian Honeymoon" introduces Don Porter as Bob Carter, owner of the Moana Rexford Hotel, and Pamela Franklin as his daughter Pam. And "Ex-Secretary" was designed as a potential vehicle for Elaine Joyce, in the role of Oliver Douglas' former legal secretary Carol Rush. ~ Rovi

It's hard to believe that the producers of Green Acres could come up with fourth-season episodes that are even crazier than those seen in the previous three seasons, but that's just what happens as city slickers Oliver and Lisa Douglas (Eddie Albert, Eva Gabor) continue to weather the trials and tribulations of farm life for another year. This season begins as the Douglases, along with the entire town of Hooterville, win an all-expense-paid trip to Hawaii, only to end up staging a luau right back where they started. In later episodes, Oliver and Lisa imagine themselves as their own 19th-century ancestors; the Douglases take a two-part journey to Washington, while con artist Mr. Haney (Pat Buttram) transforms their farm into a "tourist inn" during their absence; Uncle Joe Bradley (Edgar Buchanan), a refugee from Green Acres' "sister" series Petticoat Junction, makes a few memorable appearances; and throughout the season, the opening writing and directing credits continue to pop in clever and surrealistic fashions, with Lisa making constant comments about "those little names" on the screen. Season four of Green Acres ends on a characteristically zany note, as Lisa becomes convinced that Eb has died and been reincarnated as a dog (what will Arnold the pig have to say about sharing the animal-star spotlight?). ~ Rovi

Schlockmeister Roger Corman produced this graphically violent chronicle of the Chicago gangster wars of the 1920s and the events that lead to the bloody title showdown between rival mobsters Al Capone (Jason Robards) and Bugs Moran (Ralph Meeker) that marked a brutal end to a terrifying era. Fred Steiner's film score is effectively mixed with popular songs from the 1920s, and the re-creation of gangster-era Chicago is a credit to the set designers. Historic and insightful narration is dramatically provided by Paul Frees, giving the film the flavor of a docudrama. Jean Hale plays Moran's gun moll, who is mercilessly kneed in the stomach while arguing over a fur coat. Though The St. Valentine's Day Massacre was heralded by critics at the time of its initial release, their opinion of the film has changed with each decade as they waver on the cinematic value of all of Corman's work. Audiences continue to relish the film, which is often shown on the anniversary of the bloody executions. Watch for Jack Nicholson as one of the unfortunate victims. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi

Because Hooterville is a "fringe" reception area (one of the fringiest), Oliver (Eddie Albert) must install a roof antenna if he wants to get decent TV service. Unfortunately, the roof collapses under him, leaving poor Oliver with a sprained ankle. On the bright side, Oliver and his neighbors are able to get a good, clear picture the night that "Frankenstein Meets Mary Poppins" is telecast. Petticoat Junction regular Lori Saunders (Bobbie Jo Bradley) makes a crossover appearance. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Back when her husband Oliver (Eddie Albert) decided to move out of their Manhattan penthouse and into a rundown farm in Hooterville, Lisa (Eva Gabor) reluctantly agreed to give rural living a chance -- for six months. If at the end of the trial period she decided that being a farmer's wife wasn't for her, Lisa would be allowed to move back to the Big Apple. Now the six months are up, and now Lisa makes up her mind in her own inimitable fashion -- while the audience is treated to highlights from previous Green Acres episodes. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The Hooterville telephone directory (two full pages this year!) comes out, and Oliver (Eddie Albert) is upset that Lisa (Eva Gabor) has listed him as "Attorney at Law." Oliver is worried that he will receive so many calls for his services that he'll never get his farm chores done -- and remember, every time the phone rings, he has to climb up a telephone pole to answer it! But the biggest crisis in this episode arises when Lisa tries to bake a pound cake, which turns out to be even heavier than her legendary hotcakes. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In the first installment of a two-part story, Robert Strauss is cast as Charlie Leach, a sleazy private detective. Hired by one of Darrin's clients to do a background check on Samantha, Charlie discovers that Sam is really a witch. But instead of reporting to his boss, Charlie makes a beeline to Sam, threatening to tell all if she doesn't pay him off. Written by Bernard Slade, part one of "Follow That Witch" was originally telecast on April 14, 1966. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Samantha braces herself for a visit from Darrin's "kind of eccentric" Uncle Albert (Henry Hunter), whom she has never met. Through a series of silly misunderstandings, Sam mistakes a seedy con artist named Horace (Cliff Hall) for the inimitable Albert. Upon realizing that she's been hoodwinked, Sam turns the tables on the cagey Horace and his partner in skullduggery, William (Herbie Faye). Written by Herman Groves, "A Bum Rap" first aired on April 28, 1966. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The third of producer Paul Henning's enormously successful "rustic" comedies of the 1960s, Green Acres made its CBS bow on September 15, 1965. Reversing the situation established on Henning's The Beverly Hillbillies, in which a group of yokels was transplanted to luxurious Beverly Hills, Green Acres stars Eddie Albert as prosperous Manhattan attorney Oliver Wendell Douglas, who to fulfill a lifelong dream forsook his sophisticated surroundings to become a farmer in the tiny rural community of Hooterville. Reluctantly going along for the ride was Oliver's sexy Hungarian wife, Lisa (Eva Gabor), who though she eventually resigned herself to farm life still insisted upon wearing expensive clothes and jewelry while milking cows and plowing the North 40. Alas, she never quite learned to cook, and her rock-hard hotcakes would soon become the source of many hearty laughs from the viewers. Unfortunately for Oliver, the farm he purchased was in deplorable condition, and the surrounding 160 acres weren't much better. Our hero had been suckered into this situation by bucolic con artist Mr. Haney (Pat Buttram), who continued to fleece the Douglases by selling them expensive -- and generally useless -- farm implements and creature comforts throughout the series' six-season run.

Mr. Haney was but one of the many eccentric characters who seemed to have been put on earth to make Oliver Douglas' life miserable. Others included county agent Hank Kimball (Alvy Moore), who never made a statement without immediately contradicting himself ("Good morning, Mr. Douglas. Well...it isn't really good because it's gonna rain...and it's after noon, so it's not really morning..." etc., etc., etc.); doltish handyman Ed Dawson (Tom Lester), who looked upon the Douglases as his surrogate parents and constantly prevailed upon them to bail him out of trouble (usually girl trouble); carpenters and twin siblings Alf and Ralph Malone (Sid Melton and Mary Grace Canfield), who never quite managed to finish construction on the Douglases' bedroom; and neighboring farmer Hank Ziffel (Hank Patterson) and his wife, Doris (played first by Barbara Pepper, then by Fran Ryan), owners of a TV-watching pig named Arnold, who regarded himself as a human being -- and who developed into the series' biggest "superstar"!

Inasmuch as Green Acres was the sister series to Paul Henning's Petticoat Junction -- also set in the mythical village of Hooterville -- there were a number of crossover episodes between the two programs. Also, Frank Cady appeared as storekeeper Sam Drucker on both shows, while one of Petticoat Junction's main characters, Uncle Joe Bradley (Edgar Buchanan), dropped in from time to time. One of the series' most endearing trademarks was its strain of surrealistic humor. This manifested itself in many ways, but none quite as memorable as the method in which the opening credit titles were presented. In several installments, a confused Lisa Douglas would comment upon "those little names" that appeared in front of her on the screen; and in at least one instance, the directorial credit showed up on a newly laid egg! Although it is not generally known, Green Acres was based on a radio series titled Granby's Green Acres, which like its TV counterpart was created by Jay Sommers and written by Dick Chevillat. All but one of the TV series' episodes was directed by Richard L. Bare, a past master at depicting comic frustration, as could be seen in his wonderful "Joe McDoakes" theatrical shorts of the 1940s and '50s. Green Acres might well have run forever had CBS not decided during the 1970-1971 season to purge itself of all its "rural" comedies; thus, the series came to an end on September 7, 1971, still as popular and hilarious as ever. ~ Rovi