Lisa Douglas was one of the most interesting characters on television. She oozed elegance and glamour. Like Gracie Allen, she had the ability to be believable in her portrayal of someone who is a bit naïve. She never came across as a dumb blonde. She also was likable. Many stars would have appeared arrogant or snobby in her character. Lisa could wear a sequined designer gown to have hot dogs and beans and fit right in with any Hooterville resident. Oliver, who wanted to be a local farmer and a man of the earth, had a much harder time relating to the local folks. Since Lisa Douglas was my only connection with Eva Gabor, I thought it was time to learn more about the woman behind Hooterville’s wealthiest wife.

Eva was born in 1919 in Budapest, Hungary. She began her career as a cabaret singer and ice skater before migrating to the US. Her older siblings Magda and Zsa Zsa would also end up in the United States. Eva was considered the one with the most talent; apparently even by herself because she once said, “I was the first actress in the family, and I am still the only actress in the family. I shouldn’t be saying it, but it slipped out.”

Zsa Zsa was more the celebrity than the actress. She is known for saying “Dahlink” for “Darling.” She would appear in 54 different episodes on a variety of shows (often portraying herself) including Make Room for Daddy, Mister Ed, Gillgian’s Island, F-Troop, My Three Sons, Batman, Bonanza, Laugh In, Empty Nest, and believe it or not, Tattooed Teenage Alien Fighters from Beverly Hills.

Magda either didn’t enjoy acting or wasn’t very good, because after two credits in 1937 Hungarian films, she was not involved in the industry.

Eva’s first movie was in 1941. She would continue her movie career throughout the next couple of decades appearing in The Last Time I Saw Paris with Elizabeth Taylor in 1954, Artists and Models with Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis in 1955, My Man Godfey with June Allyson and David Niven in 1957, and Gigi with Leslie Caron and Maurice Chevalier in 1958.

Eva would make 36 appearances on shows in the fifties. Most of them were drama such as Pulitzer Prize Playhouse or Kraft Theatre. In 1953 she was given her own talk show. I could not find much information about the show but it was a 15-minute weekly show so she could not have talked too much. Eva was also a successful business woman who sold clothing, wigs, and beauty products. In beauty philosophy was simple: “All any girl needs, at any time in history, is simple velvet and basic diamonds.” Eva also wrote a book in 1954 titled Orchids and Salami. It appears to be about her thoughts on beauty and her ambition and goals.

She continued her television career during the sixties appearing in many shows including The Ann Sothern Show and Here’s Lucy.

In 1965 she accepted the role of Lisa Douglas in Green Acres. The show would continue until 1971, producing 170 episodes. When her lawyer husband Oliver Douglas decides to leave the rat race and buy a small farm, socialite Lisa does not want to leave New York City. However, she adjusts to life in the small town of Hooterville, charming the locals and making friends. In 1971, shows with rural themes were cancelled and Green Acres left the air.

After Green Acres, Gabor would appear in only ten shows from 1975 until 1994.

In 1995 Eva fell in a bathtub in Mexico while on vacation. She experienced complications of respiratory failure and pneumonia, and she passed away in Los Angeles shortly thereafter. Magda passed away two years later from a kidney issue. Zsa Zsa would survive until 2016 when she died of a heart attack.

Apart from Lisa Douglas, she might have been best known for her collection of husbands. She married Dr. Erich Valdemar Drimmer in 1939 and divorced him in 1942. In 1943 she married Charles Isaacs whom she divorced in 1950. From 1956-1957 she was married to Dr. John Williams. After divorcing him, she married Richard Brown in 1959. They were married for a record-lasting 13 years before they divorced and she married Frank Jameson in 1973, divorcing him in 1984. She was quoted as saying that “Marriage is too interesting an experiment to be tried only once.” She had no children in any of her marriages.

Her sister Zsa Zsa surpassed her with eleven husbands between 1937 and 2016. Her sayings about marriage included, “I am a marvelous housekeeper. Every time I leave a man, I keep his house.” She also said, “Getting divorced just because you don’t love a man is almost as silly as getting married just because you do.”

Even Magda could not seem to find the right guy. She was married six times. Her longest marriage was three years! Most of them were one year. Both she and Zsa Zsa were married to actor George Sanders.

The Gabor sisters were an interesting trio. While Eva primarily made her living as an actress, the other two seemed to be socialities and celebrities, rather than true actresses. Apparently, Zsa Zsa made life harrowing for her sisters, getting in trouble for various things including slapping a policeman. Merv Griffin, who knew them all but was involved with Eva for more than twelve years, tried to explain the appeal of the Gabors. “They were so beautiful, they were so outrageous,” he said.