Betty Blake (Pat Kirkland and then Betty Lynn) and her husband Jim (John Craven) are “city slickers” who sell their Manhattan home for the pleasures of living in the small farming community of Allegan County in upstate New York as the owners of a chicken farm.
Betty takes care of the planting while Jim and their handyman Jed Simmons (Grady Sutton) tackle the other chores.
Ma and Pa Kettle (Doris Rich and Frank Tweddell) are the Blakes’ neighbours who have a pig named Penny.
Goods are purchased at Ed Peabody’s General Store.
Based on the book by Betty MacDonald, the series was the highest-rated afternoon serial for CBS – with 15-minute episodes broadcast live five days a week at noon – garnering much higher ratings than Search for Tomorrow and Love of Life.
The sponsor on Monday, Wednesday and Friday was Colgate, and on Tuesday and Thursday, it was Procter and Gamble. The inability of CBS to secure a five-day sponsor doomed the show to cancellation.
Betty Blake
Pat Kirkland (1)
Betty Lynn (2) Jim Blake
John Craven Jed Simmons
Grady Sutton Bob MacDonald
Bob Craven Paula French
Karen Hale Ma Kettle
Doris Rich Pa Kettle
Frank Tweddell Lisa Schumacher
Ingeborg Theek Announcer
Allyn Edwards
