Daisy May Moses wasn't supposed to be the star. When Paul Henning was dreaming up a show about "hillbillies" strike-it-rich in California, the focus was arguably on Jed Clampett’s stoic wisdom or Elly May’s pin-up-meets-nature-girl charm. But then Irene Ryan walked into the audition. She didn't just play the role; she inhabited the weathered skin of Granny from The Beverly Hillbillies so thoroughly that she became the show's comedic engine.
She was tiny. Barely five feet tall and weighing maybe a hundred pounds soaking wet. Yet, she commanded every frame she was in.
People remember the "rheumatiz" medicine. They remember the crow hop. But if you look closer at the 274 episodes that aired between 1962 and 1971, you see a masterclass in character acting that most modern sitcoms can't touch. Ryan wasn't just playing a caricature of a mountain woman; she was playing a woman who refused to let the "civilized" world of Beverly Hills break her spirit. She was the anchor of the Clampett family's identity.
The Audition That Changed Television History
Irene Ryan wasn't some newcomer found in a casting call for "old ladies." By the time she auditioned for the role of Granny from The Beverly Hillbillies, she was a veteran of vaudeville and radio. She had toured with Bob Hope. She knew how to time a joke down to the millisecond.
Interestingly, she almost didn't get the part.
The producers were looking at Beatrice Kay, a popular singer and performer of the era. But Ryan wanted it. She didn't just show up in a dress; she showed up as Daisy Moses. She tied her hair back in that iconic, tight bun, wore a raggedy dress, and walked into the room with that signature feisty gait. Paul Henning later remarked that the moment he saw her, the search was over. She brought a ferocity that the other actresses lacked.
She was 59 when the show started.
Think about that. In an era where women in Hollywood were often pushed to the sidelines once they hit 40, Irene Ryan became a household name and a fashion icon of sorts—even if that fashion involved linsey-woolsey and combat boots—well into her 60s. She earned two Emmy nominations for the role, which is a rare feat for a broad slapstick comedy.
The Science of Granny’s "Medicine" and Mountain Logic
One of the longest-running gags on the show involved Granny’s "moonshine" or her "rheumatiz medicine." To the dry, sophisticated neighbors like Milburn Drysdale, it was an alcoholic nightmare. To Granny, it was a legitimate cure-all.
It wasn't just about getting tipsy.
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Daisy Moses represented a specific type of Appalachian folk medicine that actually existed. While the show exaggerated it for laughs, the character’s reliance on herbs, "potions," and "varmint" parts reflected a very real cultural distrust of modern "city doctors." Granny often called herself a "Doctor of Dunghill Medicine," a title she wore with more pride than any Ph.D. from Harvard.
Remember the episode where she "cures" the common cold?
Her secret was simple: take her special brew and stay in bed for a week. The joke, of course, was that a cold goes away in seven days anyway. It was brilliant writing. It poked fun at her "backward" ways while simultaneously showing that her common-sense approach worked just as well as the high-priced Beverly Hills physicians.
Why the Character Resonated During the 1960s
The 1960s was a decade of massive upheaval. You had the Space Race, the Civil Rights Movement, and the Vietnam War. In the middle of all this chaotic progress, Granny from The Beverly Hillbillies stood as a wall of stubborn tradition.
She hated the "ce-ment pond."
She hated the "smoke-breathing" cars.
She was the proxy for an older generation of Americans who felt the world was moving too fast. When Granny complained about the price of groceries or the rudeness of city folk, she was speaking for millions of viewers who felt the same way. The show was a ratings juggernaut, holding the number one spot for years, and a lot of that was due to the relatability of a woman who refused to change just because she had a few million dollars in the bank.
There's a specific kind of integrity in that.
The Physicality of Irene Ryan’s Performance
Acting is as much about the body as the voice. Ryan understood this. If you watch her scenes with Max Baer Jr. (Jethro), the height difference is comical—he was a giant, and she was a bird. Yet, when she chased him with a broom, you genuinely believed he was terrified.
She did a lot of her own stunts.
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Whether it was climbing trees, wrestling "critters," or that frantic, high-kneed run she did whenever she was excited, Ryan put her whole body into the role. It’s exhausting just watching her. She had an energy level that put her younger co-stars to shame. Off-camera, she was known for being incredibly professional, often the first one on set and the last to leave. She took the "business of being funny" very seriously.
The Sad Reality of the "Rural Purge"
Despite the massive success of the show, it came to a screeching halt in 1971. This wasn't because the ratings were bad. In fact, The Beverly Hillbillies was still pulling in millions of viewers.
It was the "Rural Purge."
CBS executives wanted to attract a "cooler," more urban demographic. They wanted the "MQS"—the Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island crowd. They felt that shows featuring characters like Granny from The Beverly Hillbillies were "too country" and "too old." They cancelled almost every show with a rural theme, including Green Acres and Petticoat Junction.
Pat Buttram, who played Mr. Haney on Green Acres, famously said, "CBS cancelled every show with a tree in it—including Lassie."
It was a cold move. It left a massive void in the television landscape that wasn't filled for years. For Irene Ryan, it was the end of an era, but not the end of her career. She moved back to the stage, proving her range by starring in the Broadway musical Pippin. She was nominated for a Tony Award for her performance, proving once and for all that she was more than just a woman in a bonnet with a jug of moonshine.
Debunking the Myths: Was Granny Actually Mean?
Some modern critics look back and see Granny as a "cranky" or "mean-spirited" character. They point to her constant yelling at Jethro or her suspicion of Mrs. Drysdale.
That’s a total misunderstanding of the character.
Daisy Moses was the protector. Her "meanest" moments always came from a place of defending her family. She sensed that the "city slickers" were trying to take advantage of Jed, and she was the only one with the fire to fight back. Jed was too polite. Elly May was too innocent. Jethro was... well, Jethro. Granny was the vanguard.
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She was also the most emotional character. When she got homesick for the hills, you felt it. There’s a quietness in some of those scenes where she looks out over the smog of Los Angeles and yearns for a clean mountain breeze. Irene Ryan played those moments with a subtle heartbreak that balanced out the screaming and the slapstick.
Essential Lessons from the Life of Daisy Moses
If we look at the legacy of Granny from The Beverly Hillbillies, there are a few "Granny-isms" that actually hold up as pretty decent life advice, even in 2026.
- Don't let the money change the menu. Despite being worth hundreds of millions (in 1960s dollars!), Granny still wanted to cook "vittles." She knew that happiness isn't found in fancy French cooking; it’s found in the food that reminds you of home.
- Respect the elders, but keep them on their toes. Granny demanded respect, but she also worked harder than anyone else in the house. She led by example.
- Trust your gut over the experts. How many times was Mr. Drysdale "certain" about a business deal that turned out to be a disaster? Granny usually saw through the nonsense before the first contract was even signed.
- Physical activity is the fountain of youth. Irene Ryan attributed her longevity and health to the fact that she never stopped moving.
Finding the Spirit of Granny Today
You can still find the influence of Daisy Moses in modern television. Any time you see a "tough-as-nails" older woman who refuses to take crap from the younger generation—think Sophia Petrillo from The Golden Girls or even some of the grit in modern dramedies—you’re seeing a bit of the DNA that Irene Ryan baked into the cultural consciousness.
She created a template.
Before her, "Grandma" characters were usually baking cookies or rocking in a chair. Granny Moses was a disruptor. She was a chemist, a chef, a brawler, and a philosopher.
To truly appreciate the character, you have to look past the laugh track. Look at the way Irene Ryan uses her eyes. Look at the way she handles a shotgun or a soup ladle with the same level of expertise. She was a woman of the earth who found herself in a world of plastic and neon, and she never once blinked.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Historians
If you’re looking to dive deeper into the world of Irene Ryan and the Clampetts, don't just stick to the highlight reels on YouTube.
- Watch the Black and White Episodes: The first two seasons have a different, slightly grittier tone than the later color seasons. You can see more of the "mountain" realism in Ryan’s performance early on.
- Check out the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarships: Before she passed away in 1973, she used her wealth to establish a foundation. The Irene Ryan Acting Scholarships are still a huge deal for college actors today. It’s a great way to see how her legacy supports the next generation of performers.
- Study the "Rural Purge" History: If you're interested in how TV is made, look up the 1971 CBS lineup change. It's a fascinating study in how corporate demographics can kill even the most popular art forms.
- Visit the Branson "Hillbilly" Culture: While the show was set in California, the heart was in the Ozarks. There are still museums and cultural sites in Missouri and Arkansas that celebrate the real-life inspirations for characters like Granny.
The character of Granny wasn't just a joke; she was a tribute to a disappearing way of life. Irene Ryan made sure that even if the world moved on, we would never forget the woman in the bonnet.