Cruising
The car that the family was seen driving in the opening scene featured Granny strapped to the back was absolutely iconic. Did you know that the car was actually owned by cousin Pearl?
Cruising
Political Actress
Nancy Kulp played Miss Jean Hathaway and made the role all her own. She was also a politician, teacher, and linguist. After the show ended its nine year run, she ran as democratic nominee for US House of Representatives. She represented the state of Pennsylvania.
Political Actress
Cheap Estate
Paul Henning, the show’s creator, paid about $500 to film the show at a Bel Air mansion, called the Kirkeby Mansion. Built in 1933, the mansion was later sold to Jerry Perenchio once the show was no longer being filmed.
Cheap Estate
Camera Friends Only
Buddy Ebsen, the actor who played Jed Clampett, was not great friends with Nancy Kulp behind the scenes. He disagreed with her politically, and he even volunteered to be in a radio ad for her opponent to help hurt her chances of winning.
Camera Friends Only
Sharon Tate’s Wig
Did you know that Janet Trego was played by Sharon Tate? She would wear a brunette wig, which made her less recognizable. She was one of the unfortunate victims of the Manson Family murders in 1969.
Sharon Tate’s Wig
Strike It Rich
Much like the family they portrayed on screen, the actors who starred on the show became quite wealthy thanks to the popularity of the show. They brought in $25 million when the show first aired, and by the end of the show’s run, they brought in a total of $100 million.
Strike It Rich
Alzheimer’s Kicks In
Banker Mr. Drysdale was played by Raymond Bailey. While the last two seasons were being filmed, he began showing signs of Alzheimer’s. As the show went on, this became more clear, and can really be seen in the last few episodes of the show.
Alzheimer’s Kicks In
Shady Business Dealings
Max Baer Jr. played Jethro Bodine, Jed’s adopted nephew and a fan favorite. One day, Max realized that a restaurant was using his name without his consent. He also found out that CBS knew about this and decided to sue them. He ended up winning.
Shady Business Dealings
Two for One
Max Baer Jr. was happy to throw on a dress and play Jethrine, Jethro’s twin sister. Paul Henning’s daughter, Linda Henning, was the voice that was dubbed over for him.
Two For One
Hidden Scandal
When Sonny was purported to be Margaret Drysdale’s son, it was discovered that his actual last name was Adonis, and not Drysdale. The writers did not make mention of this until later seasons.
Hidden Scandal
Animals on Set
The actress who played Elly May Clampett worked with many animals on set, including skunks, pigeons, and raccoons. She was totally fine with this, and there was a trainer on set at all times who made sure she was safe and who trained the animals.
Animals On Set
Start the Day Right
One of the show’s main sponsors was Kellogg’s, and it was quite clear that this was the case. You can see Jed Clampett pointing offscreen at the end of the theme song, and the camera would cut to a billboard showing an ad for Kellogg’s Corn Flakes.
Start The Day Right
Typecasting
Max Baer Jr., whose full name is Maximilian Adalbert Baer Jr. was best known for his role as Jethro Bodine. Once the show ended, he faced an issue that many TV stars face: he was constantly being typecast.
Typecasting
Jed Clampett’s Ballad
The show’s theme song, “The Ballad of Jed Clampett” told the audience the story of how the family went from rags to riches overnight. The theme song was sung by Jerry Scoggins who was accompanied by bluegrass duo Flatt and Scruggs. The song rose to #44 on the Hot 100 Billboard chart.
Jed Clampett’s Ballad
Granny Moses
It’s crazy to imagine anyone playing Granny but Irene Ryan, but the show’s producers initially considered casting Bea Benaderet. They decided against casting her in the end, and luckily she didn’t take any offense.
Granny Moses
Made for Hillbilly Life
A lot of people know Buddy Ebsen from his role in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, where he played a role that was not too different from Jed. He was offered the role in The Beverly Hillbillies a year later.
Made For Hillbilly Life
Almost Retired
Even though Buddy Ebsen was quite successful when the show ended in the 1970’s, he actually considered retiring before the show’s run ended. He wanted to leave show business altogether. He changed his mind and stayed until the end of the series.
Almost Retired
My Levi’s
Levi Strauss realized by the end of the first season of the show that Elly May was great for advertising their jeans. Her character’s popularity was more helpful to the company than over 100 years of cowboys wearing jeans.
My Levi’s
The Right Name
The show was nearly named “The Hillbillies of Beverly Hills,” but the show’s creators decided that it was too long of a title. That’s why they chose The Beverly Hillbillies instead. You can see the original title in the first episode.
The Right Name
Payment for a Cowboy
John Wayne is perhaps the most famous cowboy that ever existed. He had a cameo appearance in the episode “The Indians Are Coming.” There’s a rumor that he was paid for his cameo with a fifth of bourbon.
Payment For A Cowboy
This Show Lives On
Max Baer Jr. is the only remaining member of the cast who is still alive today. He hopes to fulfill his dream of opening up restaurants and casinos in Las Vegas that are Beverly Hillbillies themed.
This Show Lives On
A Talented Family
Buddy Ebsen and his sister Vilma moved to Los Angeles in 1936 and were first cast in Broadway Melody. The show was a success and was nominated for many awards. Buddy was destined to become a star, but Vilma chose to retire and focus on having a family, and later opened a dance studio.
A Talented Family
Iconic Wheels
The famous car that the family was seen driving was a 1921 Oldsmobile Roadster Truck. It was later donated to a museum after the show’s run ended and was even shipped to England for some episodes.
Iconic Wheels
Over the Rainbow
Before he starred as Jed Clampett, Buddy worked with Shirley Temple and Judy Garland. He was supposed to play the scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz, but later switched to playing the Tim Man before he was replaced by Jack Haley.
Over The Rainbow
The Man with Many Talents
Ebsen had talents beyond acting, which included singing and dancing. Once the show ended, he decided to pursue music and released some country music.
The Man With Many Talents
Timeless Beauty
Donna Douglas, who played Elly May, played softball and basketball while growing up before she began entering beauty pageants. She won Miss Baton Rouge as well as Miss New Orleans.
Timeless Beauty
Not Too Old
After she played Granny on the show, Irene Ryan decided to pursue a lifelong dream and moved to New York City to try her hand at Broadway, proving that it’s never too late to go for your dreams.
Not Too Old
Say Goodbye
In 1971, CBS thought that it was time to end the show’s run. Fred Silverman, a CBS executive, said that the show had lost appeal at that point and that it was no longer a unique way to portray rural life.
Say Goodbye
Number One
Just three weeks after the show first premiered, it was already a massive success. It rose to the top, breaking a lot of TV records along the way.
Number One
Too Late
A film adaptation of the show was made in 1993, but it did not do well at all. It would appear that too much time had passed since the show went off the air, and the film was critically panned, and was called one of the worst movies of all time by some.
Too Late
Dr. Granny
Granny was often referred to as Dr. Granny on the show, but the MD stood for Mountain Doctor, not medical doctor, which she certainly was not.
Dr. Granny
The Dinners
Even though the Clampetts were suddenly wealthy, they still believed in saving money. They would eat family dinners on the pool table, as they didn’t think that they needed to buy another table when they already had one they could use.
The Dinners
Fish Out of Water
While the phrase “fish out of water” usually has negative connotations, the show was a fish out of water in that they had actually invented a new genre altogether.
Fish Out Of Water
Small Town Girl
Irene Ryan was born in October 1902 in San Francisco. She died in 1973 in Santa Monica. Though she was a California native, she moved around a lot. She played Granny, who spent the majority of her life in Limestone, Tennessee. Ryan could not be more different than the character she was known for playing.
Small Town Girl
Best Episode
The episode called Hedda Hopper’s Hollywood is often regarded as the best episode of The Beverly Hillbillies to be aired. It was featured in an issue of TV Guide.
Best Episode
Hillbilly Barbie
A Barbie doll version of the family was made, but Donna Douglas had never been asked permission to user her likeness. Despite being flattered, she sued Mattel for not getting her consent first.
Hillbilly Barbie
Street Smart
We all know that “hillbilly” doesn’t have the best connotation, and although Jed Clampett was not formally educated, he used his street smarts to make decisions. He was quite successful after striking oil and making a fortune.
Street Smart
Same Neck of the Woods
Fans of the show will remember when pop singer Pat Boone appeared on the an episode of the show, playing himself. He agreed to appear on the show only on the condition that he would be portrayed as being from the same town that the family came from.
Same Neck Of The Woods
The Fine Print
Once the show was cancelled, CBS bought the rights to the show. They accidentally did not renew the rights for the first 33 episodes, so they are all now part of the public domain.
The Fine Print
Collective Comfort
After JFK was assassinated, the whole country was absolutely stunned. Interestingly, the 8 episodes of Beverly Hillbillies that aired after this event were the highest rated in TV history. It must have offered the country some collective comfort in such trying times.
Collective Comfort
Cut Off At The Peak
In 1966, a Dutch TV station came under the impression that the show had ended, when it was actually at its’ peak popularity. The station didn’t realize that they had made a mistake until 1973, two years after the show actually ended.
Cut Off At The Peak
Critically Panned
Despite the fact that the show was so popular, critics were still not convinced. Some even called it “strained and unfunny,” and said that it was “painful to sit through.” Even though it was critically panned, the show still managed to be nominated for seven Primetime Emmy Awards.
Critically Panned
Reveling In The Punches
An ongoing gag on the show involved Granny hitting Jethro over and over, which Irene Ryan greatly enjoyed filming. She reportedly hit him pretty hard and was very entertained by these scenes.
Reveling In The Punches
Post Show Mansion
Paul Henning found Kirkeby Mansion by chance when he was looking for a perfect spot to film the show. He only paid $500 to use it, but it ended up being worth a lot more after the show’s popularity skyrocketed. Once filming stopped, the mansion was sold. However, it was later torn down.
Post Show Mansion
Granny’s Real Age
A rumor used to go around that Irene Ryan was not actually old in real life and that makeup was used to make her look like a grandma. The truth was she was 31 years older than Donna Douglas. The cast did think that this rumor was hilarious.
Granny’s Real Age
The House
Arnold Kirkeby, the original owner of the mansion, died in a plane crash before the show began filming. His widower let the cast and crew film in the house, but asked that the address be kept secret. Fans eventually discovered its location and it was always crowded.
The House
Branching Out To Bluegrass
Buddy Ebsen decided that it was important to make sure his character felt authentic, which is why he decided to learn how to play instruments that are typical to Appalachian mountain music.
Branching Out To Bluegrass
His Inspiration
Paul Henning was inspired to create a show when he was visiting Civil War battle sights in the South. He thought about the fact that it would be interesting to portray someone who grew up in a rural area moving to an upper-middle class neighborhood. He also considered having the show set in New York City but eventually chose California.
His Inspiration
Cashing In
Max Baer Jr. always tried to opening up a chain of restaurants, casinos, and hotels that were Hillbillies themed, but each time he was close, logistical disputes came in the way, and he was never able to make this happen.
Cashing In
Incredible Ratings
The Beverly Hillbillies had absolutely amazing ratings while it was on. Between 1962 and 1964, the show averaged 57 million viewers on average. Remember, this was when the US population was at 190 million, so 1/3 of the country was watching!
Incredible Ratings
Just As Opulent
The Kirkeby Mansion was just as opulent as it seemed on the show. It featured waterfalls, swimming pools, and a piano organ room. It also spanned over 21,000 square feet.
Just As Opulent
Museum Jalopy
The 1921 Oldsmobile Model 46 Roaster was the jalopy shown on the show. It’s currently located in the Ralph Foster Museum at Missouri’s College College of the Ozarks. It was donated to the museum by Paul Henning in 1976 for their Bicentennial celebrations.
Museum Jalopy
The Rural Purge
The shoe was a ratings success, but it was still cancelled during the “Rural Purge,” a time in which executives felt that people were tired of watching this kind of show and were more interested in newer shows like M*A*S*H, which they felt was more “sophisticated.”
The Rural Purge
Big Time Producer
After Max Baer Jr. was on Beverly Hillbillies, he chose to be a producer. He specialized in taking low budget projects and turn them into big budget returns. This includes Macon County Line.
Big Time Producer
Changed Character
After Ebsen agreed to play Jed Clampett, he said that he wanted the character to be changed from “just a dumb hick” to a smarter man. That’s why Jethro was created as a character.
Changed Character
The Family Fortune
When the show started, the Clampett family fortune stood was $25 million. After the show ended, and adjusting for inflation, their net worth would be a staggering $583 million!
The Family Fortune
Line Of Cookbooks
Irene Ryan was a talented and award winning actress, but she also had other talents. She loved cooking and so she released a line of Beverly Hillbillies cookbooks. All of them did very well.
Line Of Cookbooks
Ebsen’s Cameo
Buddy Ebsen actually appeared in the 1993 adaptation of the show. However, he did not want to play Jed. Instead, he portrayed Barnaby Jones, a character he played from 1973 until 1980.
Ebsen’s Cameo
Actual Location
Despite the fact that the show was called The Beverly Hillbillies, the mansion it was filmed in was actually located in Bel Air. Once fans discovered the location, they came in droves, which made filming very tricky.
Actual Location
Post Show Career
After Beverly Hillbillies ended, Buddy Ebsen decided to pursue writing. He wrote a booked he titled Kelly’s Quest, which ended up being rejected by 9 publishers. He then decided to publish it himself. The book ended up #3 on the Los Angeles Reporter paperback bestseller list.
Post Show Career
