You won’t find any postal-themed shows among the nominees at this weekend’s Primetime Emmy Awards, but that doesn’t mean television hasn’t delivered its share of positive postal portrayals.
There have been a few shows about the Pony Express, including the 1957-62 western “Tales of Wells Fargo,” and “The Young Riders,” which aired from 1989-92.
The 1960s sitcoms “Green Acres” and “Petticoat Junction” both featured Frank Cady as jack-of-all-trades Sam Drucker, who served as Hooterville’s Postmaster — as well as its newspaper editor, constable, volunteer firefighter and justice of the peace.
And while everybody knows the name of a certain Boston know-it-all, he’s not the only carrier in the TV archives. A 1957 sitcom version of the “Blondie” films featured Lucien Littlefield as Mr. Beasely, the carrier who always seemed to be in the way of Arthur Lake’s Dagwood Bumstead.
Meanwhile, children’s television has given us Mr. McFeely, David Newell’s beloved speedy deliveryman on “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,” and Reba the Mail Lady, whose route included “Pee-wee’s Playhouse” from 1986-91. Reba was played by S. Epatha Merkerson, who later starred on “Law & Order.”
The tradition continues: Jessica Lundy won a Daytime Emmy this year for her performance on “The Inspectors,” CBS’s family friendly drama about the Postal Inspection Service, which will begin its second season next month.