How Did They Handle Charlie the Cannonball train conductor's Death?

I was watching an season 5 episode and it went something like this: Kate is boarding the train, and Floyd yells out, "All Aboard", and Kate tells Floyd he doesn't have to do that because Charlie is not here, and Floyd says he likes to pretend he is, and Kate says, "I understand."

So was that it or did I miss an episode? Did they ever actually say he died or was out of town visiting a relative?

I was a big fan when the show was in reruns in the early 70's.
Smiley Burnette passed away before the end of season 4 finished filming. I remember a couple of episodes with Floyd appearing without Charley. And a number of episodes without both of them appearing. Plus, the probably aired a few episodes with Charley that were filmed in before his death and aired them out of sequence. But I never saw or heard mention in an episode. And I don't know if you remember Joseph Kearn, who played George Wilson on Dennis the Menace, passed away before the third season finished filming. Nothing was mentioned about his passing, either. They just wrote him going away and his brother John visits and buys the house.

Back in those days, death was not handled like it is today. Like Kates death, Charlies wasnt directly refered to. The mentioned episode in which Floyd said "Board" was probably as close as they felt comfortable in dealing with death on the show. Kate was "away" visiting relatives for a long time and it was awhile before they eventually had the girls reminising about swimming in the water tower and I think it was Billie Jo who said that "Mom" taught us to swim in the water tower. We all knew that Bea had passed on but it wasnt directly dealt with on the show so, You didnt miss it, death just was not dealt with in the 60's and early 70's on sitcom's.

How Did They Handle Charlie the Cannonball train conductor's Death?

I was watching an season 5 episode and it went something like this: Kate is boarding the train, and Floyd yells out, "All Aboard", and Kate tells Floyd he doesn't have to do that because Charlie is not here, and Floyd says he likes to pretend he is, and Kate says, "I understand."

So was that it or did I miss an episode? Did they ever actually say he died or was out of town visiting a relative?

I remeber a scene like that in the fifth season. That was the only time that Petticoat Junction dealt with a death. I wish in the 60's they could of dealt with Bea Benaderet's death in 1968 as they dealt with John Ritter's death in 2003.

Bea was a great actress and she deserved a send off like John Ritter had. :)

I agree! Guess we just have to be happy that things have progressed the way they have!

[QUOTE=janet42 I wish in the 60's they could of dealt with Bea Benaderet's death in 1968 as they dealt with John Ritter's death in 2003.

Bea was a great actress and she deserved a send off like John Ritter had. :)[/QUOTE]
Very nicely said janet42. Bea was a vastly underappreciated actress and voiceover professional. Kate Bradley was my favorite TV Character ever, and it was Bea's magnificient handling of the role that made this so.

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Very nicely said [B]janet42. Bea was a vastly underappreciated actress and voiceover professional. Kate Bradley was my favorite TV Character ever, and it was Bea's magnificient handling of the role that made this so.
I agree with you 1000%. I fell in love with the show by watching all the eps of Petticoat Junction Ultimate Collection vol 1. She seemed so sweet, I also liked her in I Love Lucy, Burns & Allen, and as Betty Rubble.

I did not know that Charlie Passed Away I throught he just Left The Show

Yes, I remember the episode in which Floyd yelled "Board", even though he was saying it to himself at that point. There was one other allusion to Charlie's death - in the 5th season episode in whcih Floyd was planning to get married, he asked Kate to give him away. He prefaced it by saying that he had no family, and with Charlie gone, he was alone in the world. Those were the hints to the audience that death had been attributed to Charlie, besides that Floyd was running the train alone, as if one person could run a hand fired steam engine alone.

How Did They Handle Charlie the Cannonball train conductor's Death?

I was watching an season 5 episode and it went something like this: Kate is boarding the train, and Floyd yells out, "All Aboard", and Kate tells Floyd he doesn't have to do that because Charlie is not here, and Floyd says he likes to pretend he is, and Kate says, "I understand."

So was that it or did I miss an episode? Did they ever actually say he died or was out of town visiting a relative?
I thought they just said he retired.

I agree! Guess we just have to be happy that things have progressed the way they have!
I thought I herd Floyd tell Kate one time something about Charlie being retired.