Which cast of Bradley sisters was your favorite? - Page 2 - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

biffbronson · 08-11-2014, 04:09 AM

I liked seeing Gunilla in Season 3 -- a very pretty lady. Lori is cute, but I didn't really care for her dippity-do hairstyle in Season 3.

As a fan of Meredith too, it's Seasons 4-up for me. Especially how she and Lori looked in Season 7: Both of them rocked with long, straight hair! Lori's bangs became almost too long.

Bonniegirl · 08-12-2014, 02:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by biffbronson

I liked seeing Gunilla in Season 3 -- a very pretty lady. Lori is cute, but I didn't really care for her dippity-do hairstyle in Season 3.

As a fan of Meredith too, it's Seasons 4-up for me. Especially how she and Lori looked in Season 7: Both of them rocked with long, straight hair! Lori's bangs became almost too long.

Oh yes, that hairstyle!!! It was called a flip ! That was really popular back than. Cissy from Family affair and Anne Marie from That girl. AM's was cool because hers was all teased up on the top too!

My older sister wore a flip. I was kinda young , the little girls didn't wear them so much. I guess it would be too much work for mom, she just put me in pig tails! LOL!!! I have a black and white picture of my sister and I together from 1966 or so, ( I have it in a frame in my living room) and she has the flip hair style!! Headband, bangs to the side, the whole bit!!!

storrs19 · 08-12-2014, 11:27 AM

The "flip" was the hair style for sure

Always liked how that looked on young women. My favorite trio would also be from Season 4 onward. I guess it's because that's when I first started watching the show in reruns after school way back in the 1980's.

tlc38tlc38 · 06-08-2015, 08:10 PM

I like a respect all the actresses because they all did an excellent job with their characters but my favorite season was 3 with Gunilla, Lori, and Linda; they seemed to have better chemistry together.

I'm still looking forward to more seasons being released on DVD....hurry up CBS!!

TV Guy · 07-25-2015, 10:43 AM

Jeannine Riley was a very solid comedic actress. She gave her line readings a tart twist and made Billie Jo the sassiest of the three girls. She was terrific. Gunilla was pretty but bland in comparison, and Meredith always seemed too sophisticated to be believable as one of the Bradleys. Pat Woodell was drop-dead gorgeous, but a little dull; Lori Saunders had better comic chops.

Bonniegirl · 07-25-2015, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bonniegirl

I liked Gunilla, Lori Saunders and of course Linda kaye. But than I also liked Meredith as Billie Jo too. She played the role differently though, not like a country girl so much. To me Gunilla was the prettiest Billie Jo. I liked Bobbie Jo when Lori took over. Always liked Betty Jo, but she was cooler in the earlier seasons before she became a wife and cut her hair.

How funny! I posted this exactly one year ago! July 25, 2014! Adding to my post. In the last year, I watched a lot of the early seasons with Jeanine Reilly. She was a really good Billie Jo! Gunilla was prettier but Jeannine was funnier! And the original Bobbie Jo, Pat Woodell was beautiful, but she didn't capture the spirit of Bobbie Jo like Lori did. I loved the silly Bobbie Jo ( Lori) a lot better !!!

Wow, I could imagine what the show would be like with Jeannine and Lori together as Billie Jo and Bobbie Jo, both of them silly and kind of ditzy. They would be hysterical together!

Same thoughts on Meredith and Linda Kaye. Meredith was cool, did a different spin on the Billie Jo character!

And Linda, same thing as I posted before. I liked her longer hair and tom boy persona a little better than the later season Betty Jo!

biffbronson · 07-26-2015, 01:37 AM

I'm fairly certain Linda Kaye Henning began wearing a (relatively short) wig in the seasons where you see her character married to her real-life hubby of the time, Mike Minor ("Steve Elliott"). When Linda did her Family Affair episode from that time period, you could see she hadn't cut her lovely long hair.

By the time she worked on Happy Days years later though, I believe we're seeing Linda wearing her own hair in not-so-long styles (on Mork & Mindy too, though I haven't seen that one in years).

Everyone's made good observations of what Lori and Meredith did with their characters -- each going in opposite directions as far as seriousness. Although the writers must have had something to do with that as well...!

For many of the cast members, my absolute favorite appearances came outside of PJ:

Jeannine Riley: Hot on Gomer Pyle, and a risque upskirt scene on Dusty's Trail

Pat Woodell: Smokin' hot on The Munsters as Eddie's teacher. WOW!

Lori Saunders: Backless swimsuit scene on The Beverly Hillbillies. Very brief scene with ultra-long hair on Dusty's Trail.

Even Frank Cady's best stuff appeared elsewhere, like on Advs. of Ozzie & Harriet, and -- rescued by Steve McGarrett on HAWAII FIVE-O!!!

Will Dockery · 01-25-2016, 04:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robmic

Ultimately, my favorite cast was the 3rd season cast: Gunilla Hutton, Lori Saunders, and Linda Kaye.

I may be in the minority here, but Meredith McRae was my least favorite Billie Jo. I know Meredith was the longest lasting and most remembered, but I liked the other two better. Jeannie Riley and Gunilla Hutton played Billie Jo as she was originally supposed to be: boy crazy and ditzy. Plus, Jeannie and Gunilla looked enough alike to keep the role consistent. Meredith looked way different than the other two and acted way different. Her Billie Jo was not boy crazy, was rather smart, and concentrated more on singing. Totally different personality. Also, Meredith didn't pull off the country girl thing very well. She wasn't as believeable as a country girl. The other two seemed like country girls who would have grown up in Hooterville. Gunilla was probably my favorite Billie Jo, and ironically she was on the least amount of time. Season 3 of "Petticoat Junction" is my favorite season. It is classic PJ, the show at its finest.

As far as Bobbie Jo, I liked both Bobbie Jos the same. I think Pat Woodell and Lori Saunders did equally well. Both could have been in any season and would have gone well with any Billie Jo. They looked enough alike to keep the character consistent, and at least in the early seasons the writers kept Bobbie Jo as the bookish daughter. Later in the show, Bobbie Jo became more ditzy and more of a dingbat. I didn't like the character that way because that wasn't how Bobbie Jo was originally written. If I had to pick one, I might pick Pat as my overall favorite because she played Bobbie Jo as the bookish, smart daughter so very well.

I can't imagine anyone besides Linda Kaye Henning playing Betty Jo. Of course no-one ever did so we never saw anyone else, LOL. Still, I think Betty Jo would have been the hardest to re-cast. Maybe because she was more unique. I don't know of any other actresses that remind me of Linda. She was the one and only Betty Jo.

So, overall it would have to be the 3rd season cast of daughters, but Pat Woodell would have fit just fine in this season too had she stayed. I just don't care for Meredith McRae. I sure wish Gunilla hadn't left.

Definitely tough choice for me, as each one was gorgeous, and so easy to accept.

Will Dockery · 01-25-2016, 04:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bonniegirl

How funny! I posted this exactly one year ago! July 25, 2014! Adding to my post. In the last year, I watched a lot of the early seasons with Jeanine Reilly. She was a really good Billie Jo! Gunilla was prettier but Jeannine was funnier! And the original Bobbie Jo, Pat Woodell was beautiful, but she didn't capture the spirit of Bobbie Jo like Lori did. I loved the silly Bobbie Jo ( Lori) a lot better !!!

Wow, I could imagine what the show would be like with Jeannine and Lori together as Billie Jo and Bobbie Jo, both of them silly and kind of ditzy. They would be hysterical together!

Same thoughts on Meredith and Linda Kaye. Meredith was cool, did a different spin on the Billie Jo character!

And Linda, same thing as I posted before. I liked her longer hair and tom boy persona a little better than the later season Betty Jo!

Okay, I suppose soon I will graduate from long-time casual viewing (50 years I've watched this show!) to a serious study, perhaps pick up the three existing DVD volumes and at least get a good bead on the very early years.

Since, to be honest, all the Bradley sisters seem almost hopelessly complicated, they changed so much.

Ellayn O'Kosh · 08-21-2016, 05:23 PM

Gunilla Hutton was a pretty woman, and did the Billy Jo quite well. I liked her hair up better than Jeanine Riley's hair when put up. I never saw Meredith McRae as "Billie Jo," but from her pictures, is almost a classic example of a miscast. However, Jeanine will be the standard "Billie Jo" for me. Why? The part call for a beautiful young woman, and Jeanine's big wide, "jeepers creepers, where'd you get them peepers" eyes, with her small lower face, is textbook definition of BEAUTY.

As cute as Lori Saunders fit the character, I think Pat Woodell had the poise and the beauty as desperately needed by a "bookworm." Her singing ability certainly fit the old theatric standard of singing or hoofing the way through.

Who would be better than Linda Kay Henning as "Betty Jo?" She need to be at least tolerable looking when she wore a dress to school, and have some true tomboy prowess at other times, even piloting (?)/driving the train.

I do not know. This question could open the door to a franchise reboot. One thing I must advise: Get a motherly aged woman to play "Kate Bradley." Bea Benederet got away with doing so at a grandmother's age, because she was an attractive woman at the time. Since Billie Jo, the eldest, was 21 in season one, that actress should not be far off the 40 mark.

Smiley13 · 10-08-2017, 08:58 PM

Of all of the actresses, Gunilla Hutton was the weak link. In her one season, she missed a lot of episodes too, so there was not time for her to develop in the role. If i have to pick one group, it the the final one. Meredith and Lori were great. I don't really care for Linda Kaye Henning's Betty Jo. She was featured way too heavily due to nepotism.

08-11-2014, 04:09 AM	#16
biffbronson Sentimental Fool Forum Star Join Date: Aug 22, 2009 Location: Near Notre Dame Posts: 10,312	I liked seeing Gunilla in Season 3 -- a very pretty lady. Lori is cute, but I didn't really care for her dippity-do hairstyle in Season 3. As a fan of Meredith too, it's Seasons 4-up for me. Especially how she and Lori looked in Season 7: Both of them rocked with long, straight hair! Lori's bangs became almost too long.
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08-12-2014, 11:27 AM	#18
storrs19 B&W TV Lover Forum Regular Join Date: Jan 07, 2003 Location: Louisville, Kentucky Posts: 742	The "flip" was the hair style for sure Always liked how that looked on young women. My favorite trio would also be from Season 4 onward. I guess it's because that's when I first started watching the show in reruns after school way back in the 1980's.
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06-08-2015, 08:10 PM	#19
tlc38tlc38 Every day’s a Dolly day! Forum Star Join Date: May 02, 2008 Location: I’m just travelin’ thru Posts: 19,257	I like a respect all the actresses because they all did an excellent job with their characters but my favorite season was 3 with Gunilla, Lori, and Linda; they seemed to have better chemistry together. I'm still looking forward to more seasons being released on DVD....hurry up CBS!!
	__________________ Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. Deuteronomy 15:10 In loving memory of my best friend, my Mama.

08-21-2016, 05:23 PM	#25
Ellayn O'Kosh Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Aug 20, 2016 Location: Washington State Posts: 80	My favorite mix for the Bradley sisters Gunilla Hutton was a pretty woman, and did the Billy Jo quite well. I liked her hair up better than Jeanine Riley's hair when put up. I never saw Meredith McRae as "Billie Jo," but from her pictures, is almost a classic example of a miscast. However, Jeanine will be the standard "Billie Jo" for me. Why? The part call for a beautiful young woman, and Jeanine's big wide, "jeepers creepers, where'd you get them peepers" eyes, with her small lower face, is textbook definition of BEAUTY. As cute as Lori Saunders fit the character, I think Pat Woodell had the poise and the beauty as desperately needed by a "bookworm." Her singing ability certainly fit the old theatric standard of singing or hoofing the way through. Who would be better than Linda Kay Henning as "Betty Jo?" She need to be at least tolerable looking when she wore a dress to school, and have some true tomboy prowess at other times, even piloting (?)/driving the train. I do not know. This question could open the door to a franchise reboot. One thing I must advise: Get a motherly aged woman to play "Kate Bradley." Bea Benederet got away with doing so at a grandmother's age, because she was an attractive woman at the time. Since Billie Jo, the eldest, was 21 in season one, that actress should not be far off the 40 mark.

07-25-2015, 10:43 AM	#20
TV Guy Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jun 25, 2001 Location: Boston, MA, USA Posts: 3,419	Jeannine Riley was a very solid comedic actress. She gave her line readings a tart twist and made Billie Jo the sassiest of the three girls. She was terrific. Gunilla was pretty but bland in comparison, and Meredith always seemed too sophisticated to be believable as one of the Bradleys. Pat Woodell was drop-dead gorgeous, but a little dull; Lori Saunders had better comic chops.

07-26-2015, 01:37 AM	#22
biffbronson Sentimental Fool Forum Star Join Date: Aug 22, 2009 Location: Near Notre Dame Posts: 10,312	I'm fairly certain Linda Kaye Henning began wearing a (relatively short) wig in the seasons where you see her character married to her real-life hubby of the time, Mike Minor ("Steve Elliott"). When Linda did her Family Affair episode from that time period, you could see she hadn't cut her lovely long hair. By the time she worked on Happy Days years later though, I believe we're seeing Linda wearing her own hair in not-so-long styles (on Mork & Mindy too, though I haven't seen that one in years). Everyone's made good observations of what Lori and Meredith did with their characters -- each going in opposite directions as far as seriousness. Although the writers must have had something to do with that as well...! For many of the cast members, my absolute favorite appearances came outside of PJ: Jeannine Riley: Hot on Gomer Pyle, and a risque upskirt scene on Dusty's Trail Pat Woodell: Smokin' hot on The Munsters as Eddie's teacher. WOW! Lori Saunders: Backless swimsuit scene on The Beverly Hillbillies. Very brief scene with ultra-long hair on Dusty's Trail. Even Frank Cady's best stuff appeared elsewhere, like on Advs. of Ozzie & Harriet, and -- rescued by Steve McGarrett on HAWAII FIVE-O!!!

10-08-2017, 08:58 PM	#26
Smiley13 Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jan 02, 2015 Posts: 80	Of all of the actresses, Gunilla Hutton was the weak link. In her one season, she missed a lot of episodes too, so there was not time for her to develop in the role. If i have to pick one group, it the the final one. Meredith and Lori were great. I don't really care for Linda Kaye Henning's Betty Jo. She was featured way too heavily due to nepotism.