TLDR: Edgar Buchanan (1903 to 1979) was an Oregon dentist who became a Hollywood character actor and played Uncle Joe Carson in all 222 episodes of Petticoat Junction. He died on April 4, 1979. Checked October 19, 2026.
Before he ever put on Uncle Joe’s rumpled hat, Edgar Buchanan spent years looking into other people’s mouths. He was a licensed dentist with a successful practice, and Hollywood had to talk him out of it.
Wikipedia says he appeared in every episode of Petticoat Junction, and his last film is the one with a certain scruffy dog. Here is his story.
Who Was Edgar Buchanan?
William Edgar Buchanan II was born on March 20, 1903, in Humansville, Missouri, according to Wikipedia. The family moved to Oregon when he was seven.
He died on April 4, 1979, at age 76, in Palm Desert, California, from a stroke complicated by pneumonia. He is buried at Forest Lawn in Hollywood Hills.
Was Edgar Buchanan Really a Dentist?
Yes. His father was a dentist, and Edgar earned his DDS in 1928 from North Pacific College in Portland, per Wikipedia.
He practiced in Eugene, Oregon, and in 1939 the practice moved to Altadena, California. He had been acting in community theater for years, and at the Pasadena Playhouse studio scouts signed him to a seven-year contract.
His first film came in 1939 when he was 36, and he left dentistry for good. His wife, Millie, whom he married in 1928, ran the dental practice and managed his career, according to Wikipedia.
Edgar Buchanan’s Film Career
Wikipedia says he appeared in more than 100 films, often as a crusty sidekick or a small-town know-it-all. He played a dentist in Texas in 1941, which must have felt like a busman’s holiday.
Other credits include Penny Serenade, Shane, Cheaper by the Dozen, Ride the High Country, McLintock! and Move Over, Darling.
Edgar Buchanan on Television
Before Hooterville he was Red Connors on Hopalong Cassidy from 1952 to 1954 and the title character in Judge Roy Bean from 1955 to 1956. Later he was a regular on Cade’s County from 1971 to 1972.
In 1967 he also recorded a narrated single called “Phantom 309,” per Wikipedia. It is an odd little footnote for a man we picture on a hotel porch.
Uncle Joe Carson on Petticoat Junction
Buchanan played Uncle Joe, the lovable schemer at the Shady Rest, from 1963 to 1970. Wikipedia says he appeared in all 222 episodes, the only cast member to do so.
After Bea Benaderet died in 1968, Joe became the hotel’s proprietor and Buchanan received star billing. Meet the family in the Petticoat Junction cast guide and see the Bradley sisters who called him uncle.
Uncle Joe Beyond Petticoat Junction
Joe wandered into the neighboring shows too. Wikipedia credits him with 17 episodes of Green Acres (its table lists 16) and three on The Beverly Hillbillies.
Track every visit in our guide to the Hooterville crossover episodes, and see how the shows fit together in the Hooterville universe.
Edgar Buchanan and Higgins
ME-TV says Higgins, the dog who played the family pet on Petticoat Junction, became friends with Buchanan on the set. That friendship set up a reunion a few years later.
Read the dog’s full story in Higgins, the Petticoat Junction dog who became Benji and meet his trainer in our profile of Frank Inn.
Edgar Buchanan’s Last Film
His final film was the 1974 hit Benji, where Wikipedia says he played a character named Bill. ME-TV adds that it was the last film for both Buchanan and Frances Bavier.
Bavier was Aunt Bee to a generation of viewers, as we explain in Frances Bavier and the real Aunt Bee. For the whole franchise, see our guide to the Benji movies in order.
Why Edgar Buchanan Still Matters
Petticoat Junction ended in 1970 as part of a wave of cancellations, which we explain in our piece on the CBS rural purge. Buchanan went on to make Benji and a final TV run in Cade’s County.
Edgar Buchanan: Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Edgar Buchanan?
Edgar Buchanan was an American character actor best known as Uncle Joe Carson on Petticoat Junction.
Was Edgar Buchanan a dentist?
Yes. He earned his dental degree in 1928 and practiced in Oregon and California before becoming a full-time actor.
When did Edgar Buchanan die?
He died on April 4, 1979, in Palm Desert, California, at age 76.
Was Edgar Buchanan in every Petticoat Junction episode?
Wikipedia says he appeared in all 222 episodes, the only cast member to do so.
What was Edgar Buchanan’s last movie?
His last film was the 1974 hit Benji.
Was Edgar Buchanan on Green Acres?
Yes. Wikipedia credits him with 17 episodes as Uncle Joe Carson, though its table lists 16.
Was Edgar Buchanan on The Beverly Hillbillies?
Yes. He appeared in three episodes as Uncle Joe Carson.
What TV shows was Edgar Buchanan in besides Petticoat Junction?
He was in Hopalong Cassidy, Judge Roy Bean and Cade’s County, along with many guest roles.
Was Edgar Buchanan friends with Higgins the dog?
ME-TV says Higgins became friends with Buchanan on the set of Petticoat Junction.
Where is Edgar Buchanan buried?
He is buried at Forest Lawn in Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles.
