One of the characters that helped drive the plot of many episodes of “Green Acres” was Mr. Haney. As fans of the show are aware, Haney was played by actor Pat Buttram.
Buttram was born on this day (June 19) in 1915 in the town of Addison, Alabama, according to IMDb.com. His character on the show was known for his, let’s say, shady business dealings. He also very, very frequently used the character, Oliver Wendell Douglas, to make a profit. Oliver was played by Eddie Albert on “Green Acres.”
Buttram was the son of a Methodist preacher who worked as a circuit rider. These preachers would travel from place to place to preach and share their faith. However, becoming a member of the clergy was not in the young Buttram’s future.
Just before he turned 18 years old, the future “Green Acres” star traveled from his home state of Alabama to Illinois to visit the World’s Fair in Chicago in 1933. While Buttram was visiting that famous event, a reporter from the WLS radio station talked to him for a piece on the air. The radio station employee must have expected it to be a basic interview with someone from quite a distance away. However, what Pat Buttram gave him was so very much more.
It turns out that Buttram’s interview was such a hit that the radio station hired him. While working with the station, he worked on the “National Barn Dance” show. Interestingly, it was while he was working on this show that he met “The Singing Cowboy” himself – Gene Autry.
His friendship with Gene Autry led Pat Buttram to Hollywood. While there he worked with Autry on “The Gene Autry Show,” as well as on Western films. Pat and Gene stayed friends until Buttram passed away.
Pat Buttram Joined the Cast of ‘Green Acres’ in 1965
While working with Gene Autry must have brought Pat Buttram a certain level of fame, it was his role on the popular CBS sitcom “Green Acres” that brought the comedic actor into homes across the United States. The show first hit the small screen in 1965. It stayed on the air until 1971.
His role on the show gave Buttram many opportunities to work as a speaker at dinners, aw well as a toastmaster. He was also the man behind the Golden Boot Awards. This was a prize that highlighted the work of those who work in Western films.
Buttram passed away on Jan. 8, 1994, in Los Angeles, California. His reported cause of death of kidney failure. He was 78 years old at the time of his death.
You can watch a few of Pat Buttram’s best moments on “Green Acres” below. After all, “‘Green Acres’ is the place to be” – unless you’re Eva Gabor’s character, Lisa Douglas.
