Mike Minor (actor)

Early life

Minor was born on December 7, 1940 in San Francisco to television producer Don Fedderson and Tido Minor.

He began voice lessons in 1953 at the age of 13. His first singing job was at Ye Little Club in Beverly Hills, where he was engaged for two weeks and held over for 10. He attended University High School in Los Angeles and Brown Military Academy in San Diego. Since then he had appeared at Bimbo's in San Francisco, the Rat Fink Room in New York City, the Elegante in Brooklyn, Izzy's Supper Club in Vancouver and the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles.

Television

Minor played the character Ray in an episode of My Three Sons (1961) and Steve Elliott on Petticoat Junction in seasons four through seven (1966–70). His character, a pilot, crashed his airplane in Hooterville, then recovered and later married Betty Jo Bradley. Seasons 6 and 7 of the series focuses 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.

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).

Stage

In 1968, Minor made his stage debut, playing the romantic lead in The Impossible Years with Ozzie and Harriet Nelson.

Music

Minor had 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.

Personal life and death

Minor's childhood ambition was to be a professional baseball player, but when 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. On July 22, 1961, Minor married Monyeen Rae Martini; the couple had one son but the marriage ended in divorce.

On September 7, 1968, he married Linda Kaye Henning, who played Betty Jo on Petticoat Junction, following a romance that began on the set. A year before their real-life wedding, they were married in the television series. Mike and Linda were divorced after five years. They had no children. Minor married Marilyn Minor in 1981.

Death

Minor died on January 28, 2016, aged 75.