Fred is the most venerable of the Hooterville farmers, filled with sage advice (and his uncanny resemblance to Abe Lincoln only reinforces the impression that he's a man worth listening to.) Unfortunately, Mr. Ziffel almost never knows what he's talking about. Still, ol' Fred Ziffel has been working his farm for so long, and is such a charming and appealing feller, that no matter how angry Oliver gets he never really loses his temper with him. Fred also may be the first "house-husband" on television ­ while he keeps house, his wife Doris does the heavy labor. Fred is the father of Hooterville's most celebrated resident, Arnold the Pig.

Doris Ziffel - The wife of Fred and devoted mother of Arnold the Pig, Doris is the salt of the earth, an all-American farmwife and helpmate. Doris can sew, plow, cook, clean, and bring home the bacon... in time to give him dinner and his regular bath! Doris wears the pants in the family, and she pushes Fred around like a plow (not that he minds, it's less work for him.)