It's getting so that you'll need a scorecard to keep track of those three girls from Petticoat Junction. The current trio, on TV Showtime cover, are from left Linda Kaye, Gunilla Hutton and Lori Saunders. But come September when Petticoat exhibits itself for a fourth season, Meredith MacRae, daughter of Gordon and Sheila, will replace Miss Hutton. The show, incidentally, is one of WJW's Saturday night color attractions (7, Ch. 8).Ordinarily, when a member of an evening TV show ambles off, the part is terminated - if only to avoid confusion. But last season, CBS decided to break custom when Jeannine Riley, the original Bobbie Jo, and Pat Woodell (Billie Jo) decided to leave. Both were dissatisfied with their small, ginger-peachy roles and hoped to improve their status elsewhere. Their success in a year's time, however, has proved to be unremarkable - with only occasional guest appearances on other network shows.
The two replacements - Miss Hutton and Miss Saunders - were chosen primarily for their facial similarity with the departees. Miss Woodell even got to choose hers from a collection of 8x10 inch glossies of the candidates.
Her pick was Miss Saunders, a former Miss Sacramento, who also is now vocalizing about her disenchantment with the role of Bobbie Jo. She claims that Bobbie is too naive and wholesome to be real - "a sweet young miss of 18 who is all molasses."
Apparently quite satisfied with the look of things is girl No. 3 - Linda Kaye. But as the real life daughter of Petticoat creator, Paul Henning, she is not exactly in a position to be picky.
By Tom Weigel