Barbara Pepper played the role of "Doris Ziffel" for most of the program's run, however, during the first few episodes of "Green Acres", the role was played by a different actress. Can anyone tell me the name of this other lady? What was the reason for the change?

Jimbo: Barbara Pepper, who was the original Doris Ziffel, died on July 18, 1969, the same day as the Chappaquiddick accident. She was in her 50's and had heart failure. She was replaced by Fran Ryan for the remainder of the show.

Nan Elizabeth: You're right! After I posted my question, I looked it up in "The Great TV Sitcom Book" (I guess I should have checked there first!). I only recall seeing Fran Ryan in a few episodes, so I assumed she played the part during the early days of "Green Acres" (you know what happens "when you assume!"). Thanks correcting me on that point.

(BTW, the book I mentioned above is a great resource for sitcom fans. I bought it about 15 years ago. If there is an updated version available, it's defintely worth purchasing)>

Originally posted by NAN ELIZABETH:
Jimbo: Barbara Pepper, who was the original Doris Ziffel, died on July 18, 1969, the same day as the Chappaquiddick accident. She was in her 50's and had heart failure. She was replaced by Fran Ryan for the remainder of the show.

If I'm not mistaken, this is also the same day that Neil Armstrong became the first person to set foot on the Moon. I still have a copy of The Philadelphia Inquirer from that date (it's safely packed away), and remember seeing a small article on the front page about Chappaquiddick.

Are any of you guys aware that Barbara Pepper appeared as a nurse in the "I LOVE LUCY" episode where Lucy gives birth to Little Ricky? Can you imagine?: Lucy Ricardo meets Doris Ziffel?

I knew that Barbara Pepper and Lucy were close friends off-screen, and that Barbara appears in a number of "I Love Lucy" episodes. I did not realize, however, that she played the role of the nurse in that particular episode.

I just had a thought: Wouldn't have been great if they had done a "crossover" episode where Lucy, in her "Lucy Carmichael" role, visited Hooterville on a Green Acres episode? Think of the possibilities!

Barbara Pepper also appeared in other I Love Lucy episodes: 1, She was one of the customers in the butcher store when Lucy was trying to sell the beef (the freezer episode) and 2, she was on the tour bus of the movie stars homes during their stay in Hollywood. Loved her--she was definitely one of my favorites in Green Acres too.

Jimbo: Neil Armstrong first set foot on the moon on July 20, 1969, two days after the Chappaquiddick incident.

I was looking on imdb.com under Barbara Pepper's profile and I noticed she portrayed Doris Ziffel on 3 episodes of "Petticoat Junction" in 1964, a year before "Green Acres" premiered. Also, Hank Patterson, who played her husband Fred Ziffel, was a regular on "Petticoat Junction" from 1963 - 1966.

Barbara Pepper was a beautiful model-like woman at one time, it is said ever since her husband died in a motorcycle accident she never could get over it and went into depression and let herself go, chain smoking and drinking heavily, thus causing an early death.

At some point during the series' run, you'd see Fred and Arnold but no Mrs. Ziffel. This happened for several episodes. when Mrs. Pepper returned you could tell she was recovering from an illness. She played that role wonderfully.

Doris Ziffel was one of my favorite characters on GA but I really only liked her when Barbara Pepper played her. She brought a lot to the character.

Doris Ziffel was one of my favorite characters on GA but I really only liked her when Barbara Pepper played her. She brought a lot to the character.


I loved her too!!! :) She and Lucille Ball were good friends and Barbara made a few appearances on I love Lucy!!! :)


https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTVAziraoz2v86-BXuXXu_lS3tsblxo4IIQQ53etPVxkzL-g7ub


https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ4r6yiHXx0GqlyxE4Eg36GIF3TFPUJGgBB8kaTH_koom3UW6OL


Here she was in her younger days!! WOW, she really was pretty!!! ;)

https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTzBIAMfvtNP68V6mIn61mHmqPhi_1F80scB2zbU94Qa9Q9GISm

The sad thing is that her alcoholism got so out of control that evidently was why she was let go as Mrs. Ziffel before her death AND even back in the early 1950's, it was already bad enough for Lucy not to want to pin too much on her friend so that's why she sadly but firmly ruled out on Miss Pepper playing Ethel but opted on her playing one-shot bit characters over the years in ILL.
I wonder how her sons turned out between their father's fatal accident and their mother's self-destruction?