Mike Minor, a singer and actor who wed one of the beautiful daughters on CBS’ Petticoat Junction and then married her in real life about a year later, has died. He was 75.
Minor, the oldest son of Don Fedderson, the producer behind such series as My Three Sons, Family Affair and The Millionaire, died Jan. 28 at his home in New York City, his family announced.
Minor joined Petticoat Junction for the show’s fourth season in September 1966 as Steve Elliott, who crashes his crop-dusting plane when he’s distracted by the sight of the lovely Bradley sisters (played by Meredith MacRae, Linda Kaye Henning and Lori Saunders) swimming in a water tower not far from the Shady Rest Hotel.
Steve and tomboy Betty Jo, played by Henning — the daughter of the series’ creator, Paul Henning — then get hitched on an episode that aired in November 1967.
In real life, Minor and Henning were dating as they worked on the series, and they married in September 1968, only to divorce five years later.
Born in San Francisco, Minor took singing lessons as a teenager and then attended University High School in Los Angeles and Brown Military Academy in San Diego.
In 1966, he recorded the albums The Sensational Mike Minor and This is Mike Minor and later sang the theme song “Primrose Lane” — made famous by country singer Jerry Wallace — for the 1971-72 Henry Fonda ABC series The Smith Family, produced by Fedderson.
Minor went on to appear on episodes of CHiPS, Vegas, L.A. Law, All My Children and other shows.
Survivors include his son John, grandchildren Shane, Morgan and Taylor, brothers Dana and Brian and sisters Monya and Dionne.
Twitter: @mikebarnes4
