Edgar Buchanan

Edgar Buchanan was born March 20, 1903 in Humansville, Missouri. One of the most recognizable actors of his time, he had a most distinct gravelly voice. He was featured in over one-hundred films. He studied at the University of Oregon and became a dentist. From 1929-37 he was the head of oral surgery in Eugene, Oregon. He gave up dentistry at the age of 36, turning the practice over to his wife, to become an actor making his film debut in 1939. Among his television appearances are "Leave It To Beaver" as Captain Jack and again as Uncle Billy, "Wagon Train", "Wanted Dead Or Alive", "Perry Mason", and "Gunsmoke". His own co-starring roles in television series include "Hopalong Cassidy" 1949(as Red Connors), "Judge Roy Bean" 1956, and "Cades County" 1971(as Deputy J.J. Jackson). He is best remembered as Uncle Joe Carson "movin' kinda slow, at the junction.....Petticoat Junction" from 1963-70. His movie work features appearances in "Cheaper By The Dozen", "The Big Trees", "Shane", "Rage At Dawn", and "McLintock", and "Donovan's Reef". Buchanan had a recurring role as Doc Burrage, the gruff town doctor on "The Rifleman" during the early years of the program. One exceptional episode was "The Pet" which showed the doctor's dealing with the frustration of an anthrax outbreak. The episode also contains one of the most emotional scenes between Lucas and Mark. Both "Petticoat Junction" and "The Rifleman" continue in reruns today. Edgar Buchanan died April 4, 1979 in California.


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