Room 222 Now on ASPiRE; Remembering Mike Minor of Petticoat Junction

Tuesday, February 02, 2016

Room 222 Now on ASPiRE; Remembering Mike Minor of Petticoat Junction

The classic sitcom Room 222 is now on ASPiRE, airing every weekday morning at 7:00am & 7:30am. The sitcom is leading into another classic late '60s comedy, Julia, from 8-9am. ASPiRE also airs The Flip Wilson Show, Soul Food and The Mod Squad. In Room 222, Pete Dixon is a dedicated and popular history teacher who fights the good fight on the side of his students. Joining him in his idealistic approach to education are guidance counselor Liz McIntyre and student teacher Alice Johnson. Experienced and slightly world-weary principal Seymour Kaufman provides a balance to the youthful idealism of the 60s cultural revolution but at the end of the day everyone is on the side of the students.

Mike Minor

Actor Mike Minor, who starred as Steve Elliott in Petticoat Junction, has died. He died in New York City on January 28. Mr. Minor was 75.

Linda Kaye Henning and Mike Minor

Minor appeared as Steve Elliott in over 100 episodes of Petticoat Junction from 1966-1970. He joined the cast in the second episode of the fourth season. His character was a pilot who crashed his airplane in Hooterville when he is distracted by the sight of the Bradley sisters swimming in the Hooterville Cannonball's water tower. After being nursed back to health by the Bradley girls, he became romantically involved with Betty Jo (Linda Kaye Henning). The characters were married in in the fifth season. They had a daughter, Kathy Jo Elliott, in the sixth season. Minor was married to Linda Kaye Henning in real life from 1968-1973. He was interviewed for the "The History of Hooterville" and the "Paul Henning & The Hillbillies" DVD special features in 2005.

His sitcom guest appearances included eight episodes of My Three Sons (he was the son of executive producer Don Fedderson) and eight episodes of The Beverly Hillbillies. Some of his other television guest appearances included The Lieutenant, CHiPs, Vega$ and L.A. Law. He performed the theme song, "Primrose Lane," on the first season of Henry Fonda'a The Smith Family in 1971.

He was later known for his work on daytime television. He appeared as Brandon Kingsley on All My Children from 1980-1981 and as Dr. Royal Dunning on Another World from 1983-1984. He also had brief roles on The Edge of Night and As the World Turns.

Survivors include his wife, Marilyn Minor, and a son, John, with his first wife Monyeen Rae Martini.

Mr. Minor was a talented actor and a fine singer. His singing skills were showcased in many Petticoat Junction episodes. He will be greatly missed.

Share your memories on our Petticoat Junction message board. View photos in our galleries.

Mike Minor - Petticoat Junction

The MeTV Network will be running a tribute to Mike Minor the rest of this week, during the regular Petticoat Junction airing at 6:30am. Here's the list of episodes airing:

Tuesday: How Bugged Was My Valley
Wednesday: Love Rears Its Ugly Head
Thursday: Steve, The Apple Polisher
Friday: Steve's Ol' Buddy

Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Tuesday, April 29

St. Denis Medical - "This Place Is Our Everything" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
A storm causes chaos in the Emergency Department; Alex is torn between an obligation to her husband and her co-workers' needs; Joyce goes on a spending spree with found money.

Night Court - "Blood Moonstruck" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
On the night of the blood moon, Abby and Gurgs help Julianne with a surprising romantic prospect; Wyatt finds himself in hot water when he fills in as Dan's replacement.

Tyler Perry's House of Payne - "Adjust Your Crown, Sis" (BET, 9:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When Ella sponsors the membership of the new wife of a longtime dea-con into her social club, Incomparable Crowns, she begins to suspect something may be going on behind closed doors in the new marriage.

Tyler Perry's Assisted Living - "Ay-Bay-Bay" (BET, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Leah wants to try for another baby, but when Jeremy plays hard to get, Leah hatches a plan to seduce him; Mr. Brown has to babysit Kimberly's grandson who appears to be the perfect angel, until he reveals himself to be a mischievous handful.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of April 28)

Tuesday, April 29

Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Veep/The New Adventures of Old Christine/Watching Ellie/Seinfeld/Day by Day) - Catch Julia on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Mo Amer (Mo/Ramy) - Mo is a guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Mary Lynn Rajskub (Rob Riggle's Ski Master Academy/How to Be a Gentleman/Veronica's Closet/The Larry Sanders Show) - Mary appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Tina Fey (The Four Seasons/Only Murders in the Building/30 Rock) - Tina stops by Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC. She also talks about The Four Seasons on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am.
Tim Bagley (The Great North/Teachers/Grace and Frankie/Web Therapy/Stril Mall) and Andy Richter (Andy Barker, P.I./Quintuplets/Andy Richter Controls the Universe) - Tim and Andy are guests on After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
Paul Feig (Sabrina, the Teenage Witch/The Louie Show/The Jackie Thomas Show/Dirty Dancing) - Paul talks about Another Simple Favor on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
Wanda Sykes (The Upshaws/The New Adventures of Old Christine/Wanda at Large) - Wanda talks about the Wanda Sykes: Please & Thank You Tour on The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
Ed Helms (Rutherford Falls/The Office) - Ed talks about SNAFU: The Definitive Guide to History’s Greatest Screwups on The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT. He will also be on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
Essence Atkins (Poppa's House/Marlon/Mr. Box Office/Are We There Yet?/Half & Half/Smart Guy/Under One Roof) - Essence joins Tamron Hall for a candid conversation on everything from her recent abstinence journey to her career longevity as a working mom, so check your local listings.
Bill Bellamy (Mr. Box Office/Men, Women & Dogs/Cousin Skeeter) - Bill will be on CBS Mornings Plus in the 9am hour.
Stanley Tucci (Central Park) - Stanley drops by Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
Jaleel White (Family Matters/Grown Ups) - Jaleel talks about his CBS game show, Flip Side, and shares stories from his memoir, Growing Up Urkel, on Sherri, so check your local listings.
Erika Alexander (Run the World/Living Single/The Cosby Show) and Kim Coles (Living Single/The Geena Davis Show) - Erika and Kim join Sherri to discuss their latest projects, so check your local listings.
Joe Manganiello (How I Met Your Mother) - NBC's Today catches up with Joe in the 9am hour.
Will Forte (The Four Seasons/HouseBroken/MacGruber/The Last Man on Earth/The Cleveland Show) and Erika Henningsen (The Four Seasons) - Will and Erika talk about The Four Seasons on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
Keegan-Michael Key (Schmigadoon!/Friends from College/Playing House/Gary Unmarried) - Keegan-Michael is a guest on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
Harry Hamlin (Movie Stars) - Harry appears on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.