Sam Drucker

Sam Drucker

Sam Drucker portrayed by actor Frank Cady was the operator of the general store in Hooterville in the fictional world of the 1960s American sitcoms Petticoat Junction and Green Acres and made several guest appearances on The Beverly Hillbillies, created by Paul Henning. Drucker was also the town's postmaster and additionally the editor, publisher, and apparently sole employee of the town's weekly newspaper, the Hooterville World-Guardian. In one episode of Green Acres Drucker was also a Town constable. In another episode he mentions being Justice of the Peace and Superintendent of Schools as well. In the episode "Milk Machine," Mr. Haney and Mr. Ziffel ask Sam Drucker for 500 dollars to invest in a milk making machine. When he tells them he does not have 500 dollars, Mr. Haney suggests getting a mortgage on the general store. Mr. Drucker tells him that he has 6 mortgages on his store and is "working on a 7th."

Drucker was a supporting character in Petticoat Junction but somewhat more prominent in Green Acres, where he seemed to be perhaps the only truly sane character (other than perhaps the leading character Oliver Douglas) in the cast; he was provincial but fairly intelligent. However, like other Hootervillians, he saw nothing unusual in the fact that the Ziffel's "son" Arnold was a pig. One of his personality quirks was his finding the necessity to put on his official postal worker hat and stand behind a small regulation post office grille next to the register, whenever his role switched from storekeeper to that of postmaster. Drucker took great pride in his association with the Post Office Department, but was very pleased that his patrons had to come into his store to get their mail. In the era during which the shows aired, post offices were often situated in stores in rural areas, and some still exist even today. There was no "R.F.D." in Hooterville; when Douglas petitioned his Congressman for it to be initiated, Drucker was shocked to learn that an obscure (and fictitious) postal regulation required him to carry the entire route himself — by bicycle. (This situation was, obviously, soon corrected.) In a few episodes it was also said that Drucker operated a bank; this proved to be merely a cash box kept under a counter in his store.

Much was made of the character's baldness; in one episode he dons a toupee when having a photograph made and notes that it marked the first time that he had worn it since he was in high school. In another episode, he states, "We Druckers skin out early." In the episode "The Agricultural Student", Sam quickly throws on his toupé and says he is, "Young Sam Drucker," when a young blonde co-ed, Terry Harper, needs a date for the barn dance.

Drucker and his bank were featured in later episodes of The Beverly Hillbillies. He's the only resident of Hooterville to be a regular character on both Petticoat Junction and Green Acres.