Paul Henning facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Paul Henning
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Publicity Photo of Paul Henning
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Paul William Henning
September 16, 1911 Independence, Missouri, United States
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| Died | March 25, 2005 (aged 93) Burbank, California, United States
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| Resting place | Tuscumbia Cemetery, Tuscumbia, Missouri |
| Occupation | Television producer and writer |
| Years active | 1930s–1993 |
| Spouse(s) | Ruth Henning (1939–2002) (her death) |
| Children | 3, including Linda Kaye, Carol Alice and Paul Anthony Henning |
Paul William Henning (born September 16, 1911 – died March 25, 2005) was a famous American TV producer and writer. He is best known for creating the popular TV show The Beverly Hillbillies. He also helped create other funny "country" shows like Petticoat Junction (1963–1970) and Green Acres (1965–1971) for the CBS network.
Henning also worked as a writer for the famous comedian George Burns. He wrote for the Burns and Allen radio show and later for their TV show. A writer named Kurt Andersen once called Henning "the Eli Whitney of American television production." This means he was very important in how TV shows were made.
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Growing Up and Starting Out
Paul Henning was born and grew up on a farm in Independence, Missouri. When he was a teenager, he worked in a drugstore. There, he met Harry S. Truman, who later became a President of the United States. Truman told Paul he should become a lawyer.
Paul did go to the Kansas City School of Law. But his real dream was to be a singer on the radio. A local radio station, KMBZ, needed people to write short pieces between songs. Since they didn't have money for writers, Paul became a writer as well as a singer.
Becoming a TV Writer
Writing turned out to be more successful for Paul than singing. So, he stopped singing to focus on writing for shows. He wrote for popular radio series like Fibber McGee and Molly and The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show.
Later, he wrote for TV shows such as The Dennis Day Show, The Real McCoys, and The Andy Griffith Show. Paul Henning also created, wrote, and produced The Bob Cummings Show. On this show, he met many actors who would later appear in his own famous TV series. He also helped write movies like Lover Come Back (1961). For this movie, he was even nominated for an Oscar award!
His Most Popular TV Shows
In 1962, Paul Henning created the CBS show The Beverly Hillbillies. This funny show was based on his own experiences camping in the Ozarks area of Missouri. He wrote or helped write over 200 of the show's 274 episodes. He even wrote the words and music for the famous theme song, "The Ballad of Jed Clampett".
The Beverly Hillbillies was one of the most-watched TV shows ever. It was so popular that it was even made into a movie years later. Because The Beverly Hillbillies was such a big hit, CBS gave Henning another spot on their TV schedule.
In 1963, Petticoat Junction started on CBS and was also very successful. Paul's daughter, Linda Kaye Henning, had a main role in this show. Then, in 1965, Green Acres followed. Paul Henning was the main producer for this show.
All three of these shows were very popular and had high ratings for many years. However, after a while, CBS decided to stop showing these "country" comedies. They wanted more "grown-up" shows like All in the Family and The Mary Tyler Moore Show. So, in 1971, The Beverly Hillbillies and Green Acres were canceled. Petticoat Junction had ended the year before. These shows then became popular in reruns.
Family Life and Legacy
Paul Henning married Ruth Barth in 1939. They had three children: Linda Kaye Henning, Carol Alice Henning, and Paul Anthony Henning. Paul partly based the character of Elly May Clampett from The Beverly Hillbillies on his daughter Linda Kaye.
Ruth Henning often told her husband stories about her female cousins. They used to visit their grandparents at a small hotel near a train station in Eldon, Missouri. These stories later gave Paul the idea for Petticoat Junction.
Later in their lives, Paul and Ruth Henning gave land to help create a special nature area near Branson, Missouri. The Paul and Ruth Henning Conservation Area is a large forest with hills and trails. It's a great place for hiking and watching birds.
Ruth Henning passed away in 2002 at the age of 88. Paul Henning retired to Toluca Lake, California. He died in a hospital in Burbank on March 25, 2005, when he was 93 years old. He was buried in the Tuscumbia Cemetery in Tuscumbia, Missouri.
