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Bea Benaderet, “Kate” on Petticoat Junction, grave, tomb, Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery, North Hollywood, California, photo

Bea Benaderet, “Kate” on Petticoat Junction, grave, tomb, Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery, North Hollywood, California, photo

The tomb, crypt or grave site of Beatrice "Bea" Benaderet, best known as "Kate", the owner of the Shady Rest Hotel on the popular Petticoat Junction television series broadcast between 1963 and 1968. Benaderet was born on April 4, 1906 in New York City, New York.

Over the course of a forty year career, Benaderet made more than 1,000 appearances in a wide variety of radio and television episodes. Her career in radio began in 1926 and over the course of the next three decades, the voice of Benaderet was featured in a wide variety of radio programs including: The Jack Benny Program; Fibber McGee and Molly; The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show; The Great Gildersleeve; The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet; The Mel Blanc Show; A Day in the Life of Dennis Day; and My Favorite Husband. In addition to her radio voice work, Benaderet was also the voice of numerous cartoon characters including most notably as the voice of Granny in the Tweety Bird cartoons and as Betty Rubble on The Flintstones.

Benaderet was the first choice of Lucille Ball to play the role of Ethel Mertz on the I Love Lucy television series. Her contract with The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show however prevented her from accepting the role of Ethel and Vivian Vance was cast instead. Benaderet was also originally considered for the role of Granny on The Beverly Hillbillies. The role went instead to Irene Ryan and Benaderet was then selected to play the role of Jed's cousin, Pearl Bodine, who was the mother of Jethro, in early episodes of The Beverly Hillbillies. In 1963, Benaderet was chosen as the lead character in Petticoat Junction, as Kate Bradley, the owner of the Shady Rest Hotel and the widowed mother of three daughters. She continued in this role until her death in 1968.

Bea Benaderet died of lung cancer and pneumonia on October 13, 1968 at Los Angeles, California. She was 62 years old. Her remains are entombed in a crypt within Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery, North Hollywood, California. On the day of her funeral, October 17, her husband, Eugene Twombly, died of a sudden heart attack and is entombed next to her.

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