Farewell, Eddie Albert

I'm sad to report that Eddie Albert has died.  He was 99 years old.  While his career in movies and tv spanned over 50 years, Albert was best known for his starring role in the hit tv show "Green Acres."  He portrayed Oliver Wendall Douglas, a New York lawyer to moves to a rural town and becomes a farmer. Oliver's wife Lisa was portrayed by Eva Gabor, and was one of the funniest characters from the old-school comedy shows.  Albert was nominated for Academy Awards for supporting actor in "Roman Holiday" and 'The Heartbreak Kid."  Besides the 1965-1971 run of "Green Acres," Eddie Albert co-starred in "Switch" from 1975 to 1978, and was a semi-regular on the 80's soap "Falcon Crest."

During his career, Eddie Albert did some cool things besides star in "Green Acres."  He appeared as a clown and a trapeze artist in a one-ring Mexican circus.  Albert got out of his contract with Warner Brothers studio by joining the Navy in World War II.  He served in combat in the South Pacific, and received a Bronze Star for a rescue mission. 

"Green Acres" was one of my favorite shows. When I watch the reruns today, I realize how cutting edge the writing was for the show back in its day.  I never heard the name Eddie Albert that I didn't picture him in his trademark Mr. Douglas vest, white shirt and tie. As a kid watching the show, I never wondered why Mr. Douglas would dress up like that to do his farming.  Mr. Douglas was plagued by the antics of Eb his hired hand, Mr. Haney, the county agent Hank Kimbell,Arnold the pig, and the handymen Ralph and Alph. I could just hear him muttering now "Oh, for the love of..." to which his wife Lisa would ask "Who's Ofer?"  They just don't write stuff like that for comedy shows today.  Mr. Douglas also had to endure other hardships as he moved from New York City to Hooterville: his wife Lisa's cooking.  Hotcakes were apparently the only thing she could cook. And they were like rubber.  In one episode, Mr. Douglas used the leftover dough from where she cut out 3 hotcakes as a head gasket to repair an old truck he borrowed to take his vegetables to the market.

I found an appropriate quote from Eddie Albert: "I don't really care how I am remembered as long as I bring happiness and joy to people."  That you did, Eddie.  Thank you for making us laugh.  As long as there's cable tv, your memory will live on.  Green Acres is definitely the place to be.