Mike Minor Played Steve Elliot on Petticoat Junction Died at 75

Mike Minor played the character Steve Elliott on Petticoat Junction in seasons four through seven (1966-70) .  Mike Minor died of cancer on January 28, 2016, he was 75.  When Petticoat Junction left the air in 1970, Mike began to work in daytime soaps appearing on The Edge of Night, As The World Turns,  Another World, and  All My Children.  His final TV acting appearance was on a 1993 episode of L.A. Law.

Mike Minor was born Michael Fedderson on December 7 1940, the son of Tido Minor and TV producer Don Fedderson, know for bringing us many popular shows of the 1960’s, including Family Affair, and My Three Sons, starring Fred MacMurray.

Minor began voice lessons in 1953 at the age of 13 and appeared in night clubs and hotels throughout North America. In 1968, Minor made his stage debut, playing the romantic lead in The Impossible Years with Ozzie and Harriet Nelson.

A natural athlete, Minor’s childhood ambition was to be a professional baseball player, but as he matured he switched to golf. He was a member of the Hollywood Hackers, an organization of show-biz golfers who travel around the country playing at choice golf courses and entertaining the spectators. Minor was 6’2″, weighed 185 pounds and had brown eyes and hair.

Minor played the character Steve Elliott on Petticoat Junction in seasons four through seven (1966-70). His character, a pilot, crashed his airplane in Hooterville, then recovered. Minor was cast to to play Steve Elliot, Billie Jo Bradley’s romantic interest on the show, but when Minor and Linda Kaye Henning fell in love, they changed the script. In real life, Mike Minor and Henning married, and on Petticoat Junction Steve and Betty Jo Bradley married. Seasons 6 and 7 of Petticoat Junction focused on the couple and their newborn daughter Kathy Jo Elliott.

It has been erroneously reported in many sources that Minor sang the series’ title song; in fact, it was sung by Curt Massey, the series music composer who co-wrote the song with show creator and producer Paul Henning.

In 1973 Minor and Henning divorced, they had no children during the marriage, however Minor had one son by a former marriage.

Among his other television credits were The Donald O’Connor Show (1968 version), The Beverly Hillbillies, CHiPs, Vega$, and L.A. Law.

In the 1970s, Minor took on daytime television. He had some brief roles on The Edge of Night and As the World Turns. In the 1980s, he appeared as Brandon Kingsley on All My Children (1980–1982) and as Dr. Royal Dunning on Another World (1983–1984).

Mike Minor, was cast as Brandon Kingsley on the iconic Agnes Nixon series, All My Children. Soap fans may recall that Erica Kane (Susan Lucci), who was down on her luck at the time met, a charming and handsome CEO of the Sensuelle Cosmetics company, Minor appeared on the soap from 1980-1982.

Minor was also known for his singing voice and made two albums, including This Is Mike Minor (1966), and numerous singles, including the successful “Silver Dollar” and “One Day at a Time”.

Minor sang the theme song (“Primrose Lane”) on season one of the Henry Fonda television series The Smith Family.

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Mike Minor sings “Primrose Lane,” for the opening of “The Smith Family” starring Henry Fonda and Ron Howard

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