In 1966 he joined the cast of
Petticoat Junction (1963) as the dashing, deep-voiced,
hunky pilot Steve Elliott, who crash-lands in Hooterville and is nursed
back to health by the lovely countrified trio Billie Jo (
Meredith MacRae),
Betty Jo (
Linda Henning)and Bobbie Jo Bradley (
Lori Saunders). Much was made out of
which daughter would eventually walk down the aisle with him. Linda's
Betty Jo, the tomboy who showed the least interest, was the eventual
winner. A real-life romance was set off in the process, and a year
after the two characters married on the show, Mike and Linda married in
real life. They divorced five years later.
