Sam Drucker

Sam Drucker (portrayed by actor Frank Cady) was the operator of the general store in Hooterville in the fictional world of the 1960s American sitcoms "Petticoat Junction" and "Green Acres" and made several guest appearances on "The Beverly Hillbillies", created by Paul Henning. Drucker was also the town's postmaster and additionally the editor, publisher, and apparently sole employee of the town's weekly newspaper, the "Hooterville World-Guardian". In one episode of Green Acres Drucker was also a Town constable.

Drucker was a fairly minor character in "Petticoat Junction" but much more prominent in "Green Acres", where he seemed to be perhaps the only truly sane character (other than perhaps the leading character Oliver Douglas) in the cast; he was provincial but fairly intelligent. However, like other Hootervillians, he saw nothing unusual in the fact that the Ziffel's "son" Arnold was a pig. One of his personality quirks was his finding the necessity to put on his official postal worker hat whenever his role switched from storekeeper to that of postmaster. Drucker took great pride in his association with the Post Office Department, but was very pleased that his patrons had to come into his store to get their mail. In the era during which the shows aired, post offices were often situated in stores in rural areas, and some still exist even today. There was no "R.F.D." in Hooterville; when Douglas petitioned his Congressman for it to be initiated, Drucker was shocked to learn that an obscure (and fictitious) postal regulation required him to carry the entire route himself — by bicycle. (This situation was, obviously, soon corrected.) In a few episodes it was also said that Drucker operated a bank; this proved to be merely a cash box kept under a counter in his store.

Much was made of the character's baldness; in one episode he dons a toupee when having a photograph made and notes that it marked the first time that he had worn it since he was in high school. In another episode, he states, "We Druckers skin out early." In the episode "The Agricultural Student", Sam quickly throws on his toupé and says he is, "Young Sam Drucker," when a young blonde co-ed, Terry Harper, needs a date for the barn dance.

Drucker and his bank were featured in later episodes of "The Beverly Hillbillies".