You know how some actors just show up in a classic show, do their thing, and then become a total mystery to the internet decades later? That’s exactly what happened with Bettina Brenna. If you’re a fan of the 1960s sitcom era, specifically The Beverly Hillbillies, you might recognize her face, even if the name doesn't immediately ring a bell.
She wasn't one of the Clampetts. She wasn't Granny, and she definitely wasn't Mr. Drysdale. But she was part of that rotating door of colorful characters that made the Commerce Bank of Beverly Hills feel like a real (and ridiculous) place. Specifically, Bettina Brenna played Gloria Buckles, a secretary who appeared during the later seasons of the show.
Who Was Gloria Buckles?
Honestly, the role of a secretary at Mr. Drysdale’s bank was basically a rite of passage for tall, glamorous actresses in Hollywood back then. Gloria Buckles appeared in roughly six episodes between 1969 and 1971. This was right toward the end of the show’s massive nine-season run.
By the time Bettina Brenna joined the cast, The Beverly Hillbillies was leaning hard into its wacky, slapstick roots. The storylines were getting weirder. Shorty Kellems (played by George "Shug" Fisher) was often the center of these later-season subplots, and Gloria was frequently caught in the crossfire of his romantic "pursuits" or Mr. Drysdale’s desperate schemes to keep the Clampett millions in his bank.
If you go back and watch episodes like "Midnight Shorty" or "The Wedding," you'll see Brenna. She had this classic late-60s look—tall, polished, and perfectly suited for the high-end Beverly Hills aesthetic that the show loved to contrast against the Clampetts' homespun vibe.
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Life Beyond the Clampetts
It’s easy to think these actors just disappeared once the credits rolled, but Bettina Brenna actually had a pretty interesting, if brief, run in some major Hollywood productions. She wasn't just a TV guest star.
- Funny Girl (1968): Before she ever stepped foot on the Hillbillies set, she had an uncredited role in the Barbra Streisand classic Funny Girl.
- Hello, Dolly! (1969): She also showed up in Hello, Dolly!, which was a massive production at the time.
- An Italian in America (1967): She even had a part in this Alberto Sordi film, showing she was working pretty steadily in that late-60s window.
Born Bettina Brenna Blunt on September 1, 1945, she was part of that generation of Hollywood hopefuls who seemed to be everywhere for a few years. It’s wild to think that someone could be in two of the biggest musical movies of all time and a top-rated sitcom, yet remain a bit of a "hidden" figure in TV history today.
Why the Late Seasons of The Beverly Hillbillies Matter
A lot of people dismiss the final years of the show. They say it lost its magic once it went to color or when the plots moved away from the simple "fish out of water" stories. But the era of Bettina Brenna Beverly Hillbillies appearances is actually quite fascinating.
This was the time of the "Rural Purge." For those who don't know, CBS basically went on a killing spree in 1971, canceling every show that had a "country" feel—including The Beverly Hillbillies, Green Acres, and Mayberry R.F.D.—even though they still had decent ratings. They wanted to attract a younger, more "urban" audience.
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Brenna was there for the final curtain call. Her character, Gloria Buckles, represented the "new" Hollywood style that the network was trying to pivot toward, even while she was interacting with characters like Jed and Granny who represented the old-school rural charm.
What Most People Get Wrong
The biggest misconception? That every girl in the bank was "just an extra."
While many actresses were uncredited, Brenna's role as Gloria Buckles was a recurring guest spot with actual dialogue and character beats. She was part of the "Bank Girls" ensemble that provided the necessary straight-man (or straight-woman) reactions to the Clampetts' antics. Without characters like Gloria to look confused, the jokes wouldn't have landed half as well.
How to Find Her Episodes
If you’re looking to do a deep dive and actually spot her, you need to look at Season 8 and Season 9. Specifically, look for these titles:
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- "Midnight Shorty" (Season 8, Episode 11)
- "What Happened to Shorty?" (Season 8, Episode 17)
- "Marry Me, Shorty" (Season 8, Episode 18)
- "The Wedding" (Season 8, Episode 21)
- "Annul That Marriage" (Season 8, Episode 22)
It’s fun to watch these back-to-back because you can see how the writers tried to integrate these "city" characters into the lives of the hillbillies. It wasn't just about the main four family members anymore; it was about the world they had built in California.
Actionable Tips for Classic TV Fans
If you're hunting down info on actors from this era, don't just rely on the main IMDB page. Often, actors like Bettina Brenna are listed under their birth names or have credits that are buried in "uncredited" sections of major films.
- Check the credits of the "Big Three": If an actress was in The Beverly Hillbillies, there is a 90% chance she also appeared in Petticoat Junction or Green Acres. These shows shared producers and often "recycled" talent.
- Look for Variety Show appearances: Many of the bank secretaries on the show were actually professional models or dancers who appeared on The Red Skelton Hour or The Dean Martin Show.
- Archive Sites: Websites like the Television Academy Interviews or specific fan forums often have call sheets that list guest stars who never made it into the digital databases we use today.
Bettina Brenna might not be a household name in 2026, but for a few years at the end of the sixties, she was right in the middle of the action, helping define the look and feel of one of the most successful shows in television history.
To see her in action, your best bet is to check streaming services that carry the later seasons of the show. While the early black-and-white episodes are in the public domain and everywhere, the color episodes featuring Gloria Buckles usually require a subscription to a service like MeTV or a purchase through Amazon/Apple TV. Look for Season 8, Episode 11 to start your search.