The Beverly Hillbillies
Character Jethro Bodine was a hit with viewers, and he was played by a man named Ma Adalbert Baer Jr. While the role gave the man success at the start of his acting career, he later blamed the show for ruining his acting future. Allegedly he was typecast after the show was over, and he rarely got any roles. He only ever managed to get some small roles after the show, but everything was already set in stone.
Terrible Typecast
Granny was a hilarious character on the show, but some of her antics were so crazy that noone picked up on them! Throughout the series, she often referred to herself as “Granny M.D”, which a lot of people just shrugged off. However, it was later revealed that when she was saying that, she was referring to herself as Grammy Mountain Doctor. It was a fitting nickname, since she was often the voice of reason on the show and taking care of everyone.
The Doctor
Buddy Ebsen was meant to play the main role of Jed Clampett on Beverly Hillbillies, but he was a busy actor long before that. In fact, the man was a sought-after dancer, too! His long limbs gave him serious advantages over the competition. Ebsen was actually chosen to play the role of the Tinman in The Wizard of Oz, but he ended up being extremely allergic to the metallic makeup! He eventually had to be replaced, and still had health struggles long after the movie.
A Busy Actor
People loved the little jokes that were fused into the show. The Clampett family used the billiard room as their dining room, and subsequently had a pool table for their dining table! In addition, the group assumed that the large rhino head hung up on the wall must be an animal called a billiard, since it was the focal point of the room. These little jokes lastd throughout the series, since they were jokes that were totally unbeknownst to the characters themselves.
A Place to Eat
Mother-son duo Mrs. Drysdale and Sonny Drysdale had a lot in common, but many people didn’t’ know that they were pretty close in age, too! Even though Sonny Drysdale (played by Louis Nye) was supposedly much younger than his mother, the real people were only eight years apart in age! Most people didn’t question the choice of casting, but it was pretty apparent that Louis was much older than he should have been. These days, that probably wouldn’t go down so well.
Something Was Off
Once the show had finally come to its end after nine successful seasons, the creator was looking for something else to do. Paul Henning would soon come up with some ideas similar to the original show, except that they would reverse the idea of going from rags-to-riches, and instead have a family going from riches-to-rags. The first show was known as Petticoat Junction, and its spin-off was called Green Acres. Of course, neither show would ever do as well as the original.
Moving On
Even though fans were going crazy about the show, the critics did not see what the hype was all about. From the very beginning, the show was getting terrible reviews that carried all the way through the show. In most cases it was more focused on the failure of the storyline, and less about the talent of the actual actors. Critics said that the show was ‘hard to sit through’. Regardless, the show was an absolute hit and has seven Emmy nominations during its time.
Poor Reviews
Nancy Kulp played Jane Hathaway on the show, but she had all kinds of sights set for herself outside of acting as well. When the show finally came to an end, the woman actually tried to get her start in the world of politics! Fitting enough for her character, but Kulp had much bigger goals in the real world. She ended up running for the United States House of Representatives from Pennsylvania! Talk about a forward-thinking woman!
Juggling Professions
Granny was never very impressed with the comments and actions of the character named Jethro. As a response, it was common that Granny was made to slap Jethro anytime she found it necessary to smack some sense into him. The man who played Jethro, Max Baer Jr. would later comment that Irene Ryan who played Granny was more than happy to oblige these slaps, and never held back when they called Action! Jethro said that Ryan sure had a good arm!
Slap to the Face
Bad Blood
One of the biggest secrets that people didn’t know about on the show, was that Buddy Ebsen and Nancy Kulp did not get along. In fact, as soon as Ebsen heard that Kulp was running in politics, he wanted to put a stop to it right away! Ebsen headed to a radio station and created his own radio ad speaking out against the woman. He tried to shine a light on her bad attitude, and it had an immediate effect on her success. She never won, and she never forgave him.
Touchy Subject
Buddy Ebsen, the man who played Jedd Clampett on the show, was close to retiring before he got this gig. Ebsen vowed to make this character a worthwhile final bow, so he worked with the crew to tweak the character to his liking. At first, Jedd had all the dim-witted comments, and wasn’t very bright. Ebsen had his character swapped for a smarter, sharper man, and gave his short-sighted lines to Jethro instead. In the end, it ended up being a very smart move.
Smart Move
It’s all about location when you’re filming a show. The show’s creator, Paul Henning wanted to find the perfect place in Hollywood, and he found it! For the right price, too! Henning found the beautiful mansion the hillbillies would live in, and he paid just $500 to settle the deal. No one has any idea how he got the location for so cheap, but it would be home for the show from the first episode to the very last.
Location, Location
The original idea for the show was much different than the one that finally came to pass. Initially, the creator thought about having a story about a rural family who was living in New York City. Unfortunately, filming in that city was way more expensive than the budget allowed, so they moved everything to the opposite coast for filming. In the end, even the science fiction aspect that was going to be added in was taken out…which was probably a good thing in hindsight.
A New Idea
The only rule of the home’s owner, Arnold Kirkeby, was that the home’s address was never revealed. Sadly, just before the airing of the show, Kirkeby was killed in a plane crash. His wife still lived in the home, but eventually fans began to realize where the mansion was located. They began showing up outside of the home’s gates, completely ignoring the wishes of the homeowner. Fans couldn’t help themselves; they wanted a peek at the cast members.
Unwanted Visitors
Paul Henning was the man responsible for this amazing show, and he often pulled from his own childhood to come up with ideas for the show. Originally, the Clampett family came from a place called the Ozarks, which was a town not too far from Indepence, Missouri where Henning grew up. Even the bank that is in the show has the same name as the one that Henning grew up near. There are little tidbits of the man’s life scattered through every season.
Childhood Memories
Every good sitcom needs a fun and catchy song to welcome the cast. For The Beverly Hillbillies, it was “The Ballad of Jed Clampett”. The song was just too catchy for anyone to bear, and it eventually made its way onto the Billboard Hot 100 in 1962. The song was sung by a country singer named Jerry Scoggins, and people couldn’t get enough of it. As soon as the little tune came on the screen, everyone gathered to watch the show.
The Catchy Song
Throughout the show, there are all kinds of critters that make it onto the set. That’s all thanks to a man named Frank Inn, the animal trainer on set! The good man would take in animals that were meant to be euthanized, and eventually turn them into movie stars! Frank was amazing at his job, and there were never any problems, no matter how big or small the animal was. Inn also worked with “Orangey”, who was the famous animal in Breakfast at Tiffany’s.
Animal Lover
The show was very popular, so much so that even the biggest names in Hollywood started showing up for cameos. One episode in particular, called “The Indians are Coming” had Granny going on about how she wished John Wayne would appear to help. Lo and behold, the real John Wayne did show up on the episode, much to the satisfaction of fans everywhere. The cameo solidified the show as one of the most successful of its time.
The Legend
You would imagine that having cameos from big stars would become pretty expensive. Even though the show could have afforded it, some celebrities were coaxed into cameos in other ways. John Wayne, for example, only asked for a fifth of whiskey to settle his payment. Back in the day, it’s clear things were less about money and more about the fun opportunities that you could be a part of. Safe to say the show got way more than they bargained for with a small amount of whiskey.
A Shot of Whiskey
Back in the day, advertising wasn’t quite as discreet as it can be now. At the end of every episode of The Beverly Hillbillies, one of the shows sponsors, Kellogg’s Corn Flakes, would have their own jingle to close out the show. The boxes were put into episodes all over the place, too. In addition, the show would also advertise for other companies like Winston cigarettes. This in itself speaks to how much things have changed in the last couple of decades.
Best Cereal
Sharon Tate was an up-and-coming actress, and she was said to be one of the most beautiful woman to ever grace the screen. She appeared on the show 15 times as a bank teller named Janet Trego, and fans loved her. Of course, Tate is most well-known for being murdered by followers of the Manson cult. She was killed while she was still pregnant. Her husband’s name was Roman Polanski. It was a terrible loss for the show, and for the entire world.
Gone But Not Forgotten
The home that the family lived in was owned by a real family, and they were adamant to keep the home and its grounds looking amazing. Although the show ended years ago, the mansion has still stayed true to its beauty all these years later. The house actually went up for sale not too long ago, and ended up being sold for a whopping $350 million. We’re going to guess that whoever bought it was a huge fan of this classic show.
Pristine Location
The creators at Mattel weren’t about to miss out on the popularity of the show. The company came out with a doll that looked just like the character Elly May, and fans went wild for it. Unfortunately, Mattel never had an agreement to use the character in their toys, and Elly May wasn’t anything like the Barbie’s that were being made then. Donna Douglas actually sued Mattel for creating the doll without her consent, and it was all settled out of court.
A Bad Move
At one point, 55 full episodes of the show ended up landing in public domain. This had never happened before, and people jumped at the lucky opportunity. Turns out, someone had forgotten to renew the copyright deal, and the show became accessible to low-budget production companies. While the problem was being fixed, companies were able to air the episodes without paying, and even made DVDs and VHSs of the episodes before they were blocked. The only thing missing? The real music.
Big Mistake
As of January 2015, there were hardly any members of the cast still living. The only one that was still left was the man who played Jethro. Max Baer became the last surviving hillbilly after the sad passing of Donna Douglas. There were many ideas tossed around about creating Beverly Hillbilly-themed resorts and hotels, but none of that has ever come to fruition. As the cast dwindles, it’s unlikely it will ever come to pass.
The Last One
Even though critics warned viewers about the show, it looked like all of their warnings went unnoticed. In fact, some of the numbers were staggering! Between 1962 and 1964, the show was averaging 57 million viewers. This number is huge, even for a show today! Back then, there were about 190 million people living in the United States, which means a huge chunk of the population was sharing their love for the hillbillies together. No other show has proven the critics this wrong.
Haters Gonna Hate
After the show ended, only a few of the actors actually went on to play in significant roles elsewhere. Buddy Ebsen was one of those people. He landed a role as a father figure named Barnaby Jones in a detective show, and thankfully the show did quite well. In 1993, when an adaptation of The Beverly Hillbillies aired, Buddy did a cameo as Barnaby Jones. Some people recognized him and some didn’t, but it was as though the show had finally come full circle for him.
Breakfast of Champions
The show got terrible ratings from critics, which made some people hesitant to give the show a try. However, it was impossible to ignore the ratings that this show was getting. After just three weeks of being aired, the show climbed to number one in the TV ratings! It had the fastest climb to the top spot, and made history. The show remained in the top spot for two years, proving that the critics were seriously wrong.
Doing Well
Even though the show was still doing well into the 70’s, the show was eventually canceled in 1971. CBS Executive Fred Silverman could see that rise in sitcoms that were more “rural”, and he didn’t want their show to end up in the same niche as all the rest. The show ended up bowing out with class, which can’t be said for a lot of the shows that are on now. People can always remember the show going out on a high note.
End of an Era
Outside of the cast, there are a few things from the show that people still wonder about. One thing in particular is the 1921 Oldsmobile Model 46 Roadster. The car was a key component of the show, and remained on it for the entire show. The car was even shipped across the ocean for some episodes that were filmed in England! It has spent many years in museums, and recently ended up at an auction. Can you guess how much it sold for?
Hot Wheels
The customized vehicle ended up at an auction in 2015, and eventually went for a whopping $275 million dollars! That was quite a feat, seeing as the car probably cost less than $3,000 when it was brand-new. This roadster was equipped with a V8 engine, and each of the eight cylinders were meant to hold ether or another solution for a quick start. Surprisingly, the car always rode like a dream, even in the winter!
Long-Lasting
With any new show on television, you never know how well it’s going to do. In some cases, some shows only last a few episodes before things fall apart. Luckily for the hillbillies, though, things started to look pretty comfortable after a few years of airing. The Clampett family started out pretty modestly, but ended up walking about with $100 million by the end of the show. That is a heck of a lot of money, even today! We wonder what they did with it all?
Great Success
Buddy Ebsen wasn’t just an actor; he was a poet, too! No one knew it at the time, but years after the show aired, he began to open up about his literary knowledge and savvy for writing. Eventually, Ebsen released a collection of poems in a book called Kelly’s Quest. It followed the life of a young woman through heartache and life-lessons. The book made it to the third spot on the 2001 Los Angeles paperback best-seller list.
The Inner Poet
Naturally, any show or movie that’s done well in the past will have people who want to create re-makes. It’s more of a money grab than anything, and The Beverly Hillbillies experienced it, too. In 1993, a follow-up movie was released, but it performed horribly. True fans didn’t like any of the new characters, and they criticized the flick for lacking any kind charm of the original show. Safe to say the movie tanked, and no one has tried to re-create the show again.
Huge Fail
This show was super unique to anything else that was out at the time, so where did the idea come from? Allegedly, Paul Henning was traveling through Civil War sites in the south. It was 1959, and the man came up with the idea for the show after wondering what it would be like to move from the rural south to more modern communities. In order for the show to be comedic, he knew he’d need a cast that came from a very hillbilly-type of lifestyle.
Inspiration
Fried possum was a common topic on the show, and although it was funny, people really were inspired by the antics of Granny’s cooking. Eventually, cook books started to come out based on the show’s favorite chef. Some cookbooks were all recipes, while others actually included photos of the cast and set, as well as character profiles. Impressively enough, the cook books actually did quite well in sales, both as genuine gifts as well as gag gifts, as you can imagine.
Something is Cooking
There were all kind of episodes throughout the show that had people keeled over in laughter, but there just so happened to be one episode that stuck out amongst all the others. It was called “Hedda Hooper’s Hollywood”, and it ended up ranking super high on the TV Guide’s 100 Greatest Episodes of all Time list. It was 1997, and the episode made it to number 62! The cast and crew were pleasantly surprised by the nod to their hard work.
Hillbilly Recipes
CBS was in the hot seat, after having used the name Jethro for a number of restaurants across the United States. When the real actor, Max Baer Jr. found out about it, he immediately took them to court for trademark infringement. CBS actually knew that they hadn’t asked for the man’s permission, but they went ahead and used it anyway. The case was closed outside of court, probably for a hefty price. It seems a few companies tried to take advantage of the show and its characters.
Breaking the Rules
Oddly enough, the show didn’t always have the same name that it’s known for now. Only one episode stands out from the rest though, and that was the first one. The show was originally called The Hillbillies of Beverly Hills”, but by the second episode, the name had already been changed. It was something the crew just didn’t feel right about, and quickly changed. Luckily, it was much less of a mouthful, and hasn’t been forgotten since.
A New Approach
Mr. Drysdale, the banker who would help the Clampett family deal with their fortune, was having struggles when he wasn’t in character. The man who played him, Raymond Bailey, was actually experiencing the onset of Alzheimer’s. It began apparent during the last few seasons of the show, and eventually got so bad that he had to give up acting altogether. He eventually passed away at the age of 75, but he would always be known as the banker from one of the best sitcoms ever.
A Sad Scene
Fans always get a little crazy about their favorite shows and cast members, but one rumor had Buddy Ebsen cracking up with disbelief. A rumor started that Elly Mae (Donna Douglas), was actually older than Granny, played by Irene Ryan. It was said that Ryan was actually wearing makeup to look much older, and that she was younger than Douglas! In the end, it was confirmed that everyone was crazy, and Ryan was 31 years older than Douglas.
Switching Ages
There were all kinds of animals on the set of this show, thanks to the critter-loving characteristics of Elly Mae. She was always seen tending to or being followed by wild animals, and fans loved this about her. Frank Inn was the man who worked as the animal trainer on set, and he was also responsible for bringing all of the animals in. The man was a professional, and there were never any issues with any of the creatures that graced the set.
Wild on Set
In addition to all of the dogs, skunks and cats on set, Elly Mae was also able to work with two chimpanzees. The creatures were really named Bessie and Skipper, and they were often seen in adorable outfits for the show. Even though the cast had all kinds of fun working with the animals, it’s hard to say how accepted this would be today. With a slew of animal rights activists speaking out, we can only hope these little guys were treated well on the set.
Elly’s Critters
The first two seasons of the show were by far the most successful. This was when the show had its hightest rankings, and when they had the most viewers. In the third season, the show dropped down to number twelve, and it’s rating went from 39.1 to 25.6. Luckily, the numbers became quite steady after that, sitting around 25 for the five years before eventually falling down to 21.7 in their 8th season. The show’s creator was already thinking about taking a final bow.
Dropping
As television grew and grew in popularity, more people wanted to have their big idea make it to the screen. One show that did very well for itself was Bewitched, which followed a rural family’s dilemmas surrounding the matriarch’s magical abilities. The show was a feel-good comedy with a dash of magic, which allowed the show to tie in the ratings with The Beverly Hillbillies in 1965 and 1966. It was safe to say that the idea of the hillbillies and their way of life was being phased out.
Competition
In almost all of the photos from The Beverly Hillbillies, there is almost always at least one person wearing a pair of blue jeans. Back in the day, jeans were still becoming a thing, but this show was all about them! Representatives of the Levi-Strauss company admitted that Donna Douglas’ character did so much for the success and popularity of blue jeans. In fact, it seems she affected the trend more than any famous cowboy ever had.
Jean Machines
Donna Douglas might have been able to handle a serious pin-up girl career, but in this show, she was nothing but a rugged tomboy. She was a lover of animals, and she could “wrassle” with the men whenever she wanted. Douglas’ character was kind, but she was also strong and level-headed. She was, in fact, a great inspiration for young women everywhere, especially for those who struggled to fit into the acceptable social norms back in the day.
Tough Woman
As a new way to entertain viewers, Paul Henning began to overlap his various shows, starting during the seventh season of The Beverly Hillbillies. Characters from his three main shows, including Petticoat Junction, and Green Acres began making appearances in the hillbilly sitcom. Similarly, the Clampett family made multiple trips to Hooterville. Even when Petticoat Junction was cancelled, Henning used some of his actors for his other shows. People loved the crossovers, and they thought it was incredible to embrace the idea that all these characters were connected.
Connections
Jethro Bodine had a twin sister on the show, who showed up only a handful of times. It was probably for the best, since it was Max Baer Jr. himself who played her! Yes, Max was dressed up in women’s clothes, and was able to show off his acting abilities. Show creator Paul Henning got the voice of his wife to talk for Jethrine Bodine, and fans loved the ridiculousness of it all. People would never forget this wild character.
Hilarious Addition
The opening credits have a few little Easter eggs that some people totally overlooked. One in particular, is that of when Jed points out something to everyone, and they all look in the same direction. The camera pans to a billboard for Kellogg’s Cornflakes, which was actually the sponsor of the entire show. As the scene goes on, the catchy tune eventually blends into the Kellogg’s jingle. Marketing for this show was way ahead of its time!
They’re Great!
Initially, casting directors brought in a woman named Bea Benaderet for the role of Granny. Unfortunately, the woman seemed too busty for the role, and they had to re-think their approach. Bea herself actually made a suggestion, telling the team that they should consider Irene Ryan. When Ryan came in for the audition, she ended up blowing everyone away. After that, they had no idea how they could have ever picked anyone better for the role.
The Best Choice
For casting directors, sometimes all it takes is to see an actor in another role. After that, they often insist on seeing that person play their character whether they get the role or not. For Buddy Ebsen, falling into the role of Jed Clampett was easy. He had played a similar part in Breakfast at Tiffany’s in 1961, and casting directors insisted he have the role of Ebsen. It was a stroke of luck, but it was also his hard work that got him the audition.
Meant to Be
Just before 1961, Buddy Ebsen was actually thinking about retiring from the acting world. No one knows exactly how he came to this conclusion, but it was a stroke of luck that he was asked to audition for The Beverly Hillbillies before he had made his mind up. Fortunately, he loved the idea of the show and the character Buddy Ebsen, and the rest was history. Who knows who would have taken his place? Fortunately, we don’t have to wonder!
The Perfect Actor
Buddy was not a stranger to award ceremonies and success in the acting business. The very first movie that he was in was actually nominated for a Best Picture Oscar! Not only that, but Buddy and his sister Vilma has been a part of a musical called Broadway Melody, which ended up being nominated for three Academy Awards! It’s safe to say that success followed Buddy wherever he went, and The Beverly Hillbillies was no exception!
Pure Talent
Buddy Ebsen wasn’t just focused on being an actor. In fact, amidst all of his successes on various sets, he also liked to try his hand at singing! After his debut on Broadway with his sister, Buddy continued to sing throughout the years. For the most part, Buddy was known for singing country-western songs, and often volunteered his voice for various projects. No one was surprised that this man had more than just a few talents up his sleeve.
Voice of an Angel
Before Donna Douglas rose to fame on this amazing show, she was already creating waves in her high school. The athletic woman played on both her basketball and softball teams, and also took a try at some beauty pageants. She was a beautiful young lady, and she eventually won Miss New Orleans and Miss Baton Rouge! Of course, back then she had no idea how famous she would be for the show, but she continued to support pageants even once she sky-rocketed to fame.
A Bright Future
When the show ended in 1971, Irene Ryan was offered a new role that would be similar to that of Granny. However, Ryan was ready to hang up her hillbilly outfits and try something new. She had always dreamed of performing on Broadway, and eventually was able to fulfill that dream on numerous occasions. It’s safe to say that most of the cast did well after the show ended. It was a good thing; so many people wanted the best for the cast once the show was over.
A New Path
Even though the movie remake of the show got horrible reviews, there were some other adaptations that did better. A theatrical adaptation was was create as a three-act stage play in 1968, written by David Rogers. Additionally, Dell Comics did a series based on the show in 1962, and a computer game was even based on the show in 1993. There was also an interactive murdery mystery game called The Deadly Hillbillies, which was a parody that included Jedd Clumpett and Jane Hatchaway.
A New Look
Even though the show ended in 1971, people still talk about and re-watch the episodes today. The Beverly Hillbillies was an iconic show that changed up television sitcom narratives, and changed the world for the better in more ways than one. Fans can still get their fill of the show on vintage television programs, but there’s nothing like the days when those episodes first aired for all to see. One can only hope the show will never be forgotten.
Sad to See It Go
