Petticoat Junction - Cannonball Christmas Part 3 of 3

I don't know what it was about this show that I found so entertaining, but it's just one of those things you can't really explain. It's not that the show was particularly funny, but it had a certain charm about it that I didn't find in similar shows that depended on a gimmick such as Beverly Hillbillies or Green Acres. There was no pretense about what it was. In the first few seasons, the show did spend way too much time with Homer Bedloe trying to put the Cannonball out of business. When they finally had done all they could with that story line, the show became much better, at least in my opinion. In this episode from Season One, it is Bedloe trying play Scrooge and trying to put the Cannonball out to the scrap heap once again.

Category:

Comedy

Tags:

• Merry Christmas
• Happy Holidays

[IvorBarry]

The credits for this episode are wrong. They are from the episode "The President who came to Dinner" which aired on 8 October 1963.

[Christmasfellow2008]

Yes, I know that. At the time I uploaded this the complete first season wasn't released yet. The Christmas episode was on a generic public domain set, and was not included on the initial official "best of" set that was released. That public domain episode did not include the real them song. So I simply spliced it on there rather than not have it at all. Of course all that changed with the official release of the complete first season which is now available but wasn't at the time.

[Christmasfellow2008]

Just a reminder here. Petticoat Junction Season 1 is available on DVD and Season 2 will be released soon. If you really enjoy these series, I hope some of you will purchase them, otherwise they will stop being released and we may never see them again. I've already pre-ordered Season Two.

[karlakor]

I saw this episode from when it first aired on CBS and have always remembered the last scene of the train decked out in Christmas lights and everyone singing Christmas carols. Seeing it again now causes me to remember how television shows in those days contributed to the sense of security and simplicity that comes with childhood, especially at Christmas. Thanks so much for posting this! I hadn't seen it since it first aired.

[lalamandelala121]

This was my favorite show as a kid, still love it........ wished it was still on tv

[kduideo]

@Christmasfellow2008 I knew that and it was NICE to hear the REAL theme song!!

[railroadflatsweetpea]

@Juliaflo Honey did ya just HAVE to split that hair? Pyle Pyl PILE!

[nanlisa]

Oh this is just beautiful and so inspiring! The Hooterville Cannonball all decked out for Christmas. And going through the countryside at night singing traditional Christmas carols.

[nanlisa]

Oh this is just beautiful and inspiring. The Hooterville Cannonball all decked out and going through the countryside at night.

[4freespeech]

Its in the eye of the beholder. The first season of Petticoat Junction has

always been my favorite, and by that time the railroads HAD scrapped all but

a handful of the great old "Iron Horses" some of us remember so well from

childhood. This show was America, but more like the 1930s, and that was

the premise, that the Hooterville folk were isolated and old fashioned in a

time when Americans were seeking their roots. This episode is a cherished

bit of TV history of a time mostly forgotten.

[mrbrenz]

The innocence of childhood and those grand days of yore...

[mrbrenz]

The innocence of childhood and those grand days of your...

[HymnTimeGospelSongs]

Thank you for this post..I remember as a kid watching this and I have not seen it again till now...I have tears running down my face that year for Christmas I think it was 62 0r maybe 63...I got a toy train and I named it the Cannonball and to this day I call my hometown HOOTERVILLE>

[phuckizlam]

We need TV to go back to shows like this again. I could almost puke my guts out when I see what rot we have today.