When Meredith MacRae replaced Gunilla Hutton as Billie Jo beginning with the 1966–67 season, viewers might have expected the opening credits to change accordingly.
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They didn’t — at least not completely.Kate Bradley collectibles
In the distant shot showing the Bradley sisters climbing down from the water tower, Hutton reportedly remained visible for years after MacRae had already taken over the character.
In other words, Billie Jo had technically been replaced everywhere except the water tower.
There were other subtle changes.
During the first two seasons, the sisters appeared in the credits in the order Billie Jo, Bobbie Jo and Betty Jo. Beginning with Season 3, the sequence shifted to Betty Jo, Bobbie Jo and Billie Jo.
Finding the right Bradley sisters hadn’t been easy either.
Series creator Paul Henning reportedly considered an enormous number of young women before settling on the actresses who would become the faces of the Shady Rest.
