1960s TV Sitcom 'Petticoat Junction' Originated From An Actual Hotel

May 27, 2020 by apost team

Popular 1960s sitcom Petticoat Junction was based on the history of Burris Hotel in Eldon, Missouri. The screenwriter, Paul Henning, found inspiration for the creation of the television series after hearing wild tales about the hotel from his mother-in-law, whose parents were the managing owners.

For many people, television shows or movies pique their interest and enrich their enjoyment when the storylines are based upon real facts or real people. Such is the case with the popular sitcom of the 1960s, Petticoat Junction, a television series spawned from the history of the Burris Hotel in Eldon, Missouri.

The screenwriter of the comedy, Paul Henning, found inspiration for the creation of the television series after hearing wild tales about the Burris Hotel from his wife's mother, whose parents were the managing owners. Perhaps, there is a hidden allusion, then, in the television hotel's name, the Shady Hotel.

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When interviewed, Paul Henning recalled his wife's telling him about her younger years during which she would spend her summers at her grandparents' home and hotel in Elden, Missouri. When she and the other children were at the Burris Hotel, her grandmother warned them not to talk to the traveling salesmen who were, apparently, somewhat "shady" or untrustworthy characters.

But, the men who worked on the train were good and always eager to help the hoteliers. For instance, if the grandmother needed apples, they would stop along the way and fetch what she needed. "It was a kinder, gentler time," Henning observes, a time he wished to portray in the television program.

In his scripts, Mr. Henning wanted to relate the kind and humorous aspects of life, as well as to create a leading role for Bea Benaderet, whose comedic talent he long admired. Interesting, too, is the fact that Edgar Buchanan, who played Uncle Joe in the show, is from Missouri himself. Also, he was sometimes inclined to do some outlandish things that could have made for an episode of the show.

According to Peggy Smith Hake and the Miller County Museum, Mr. Henning relates, the Burris Hotel was considered by the citizens of the town as a "hustling, bustling" hotspot. So, the television series was more realistic than, perhaps, viewers may have thought. With its homespun humor, wild tales, hysterical antics, and delightful characters based on real people, Petticoat Junction provided audiences all across the United States with great entertainment for seven years. Of course, there are episodes that can easily be obtained nowadays.

Dear readers, is this information something you might want a friend to know about so that you can watch episodes together and laugh? If it is, be sure to pass along the origin story of this sitcom and let us know your thoughts about it in the comments.