Lori Saunders as Bobbie Jo Bradley in "Petticoat Junction"

Bobbie Jo (Roberta Josephine) was the wholesome and beautiful dark-haired middle Bradley daughter. The most

light-hearted but also studious (she attended the local community college) of the three sisters, Bobbie Jo often got relegated to the background due to the air time given

to older sister Billie Jo's (Meredith MacRae) singing career and younger sister Betty Jo's (Linda Kaye Henning) courtship and marriage to crop duster Steve Elliott (Mike Minor).

Lori replaced Pat Woodell, the original Bobbie Jo, the third season (1965), and she appeared in 147 episodes.

With all the hoopla directed at her sisters, Bobbie Jo wasn't involved in as many ongoing storylines. She was feafured in episodes such as when she competed with Betty Jo to be Steve's girlfriend, or the time Sam Drucker (Frank Cady) allowed Bobbie Jo and her boyfriend to publish the "Hooterville Guardian," but it seemed that much of her role was being funny and looking beautiful, which she did.

"Petticoat Junction" was Paul Henning's second of three rural-based programs he created for CBS.

After "The Beverly Hillbillies" proved to be a huge success, Henning developed "Petticoat Junction" as a vehicle for Bea Benaderet, who played hotelier Kate Bradley, mother of the three girls.

Henning told an interviewer the show

"was a way of life where people cared about one another. It was a kinder, gentler time and I tried to reflect that."

Lori's real name was Linda Marie Hines, and because there was already another Linda on the "Petticoat Junction" set, she legally changed her name to Lori Saunders.

Lori had a relatively short acting career, A native of Kansas City,

she made more than 100 commericals. She actually played two

parts on "The Beverly Hillbillies," first as Betty Gordon, a secretary

for Mr. Drysdale (Raymond Bailey), and then several years later as

part of Henning's cross-programming, as Bobbie Jo when she was

proposed to by Jethro Bodine (Max Baer, Jr.).

She appeared in a second TV series, "Dusty's Trail" (1973-74), a

show set in the 1800s about a small group of Wild West travelers

who became separated from their wagon train.

After retiring from acting in the late 1970s, Lori turned her creativity

to oil paintings and art sculptures. Check out her website

www.lorisaunders.com for more info on her art work.