Let’s be honest. When Paul Henning first pitched a show about "hillbillies" striking it rich and moving to a Bel Air mansion, nobody expected it to become a permanent fixture of American pop culture. It sounded goofy. Maybe even a little too simple. But the cast of the Beverly Hillbillies TV series turned what could have been a one-note joke into a ratings powerhouse that stayed at number one for two straight years.
People still watch the reruns today. Why? It wasn’t just the writing. It was the chemistry. You had Buddy Ebsen, a former song-and-dance man, playing the moral center, and Irene Ryan, a vaudeville veteran, basically stealing every scene she was in.
They weren't just playing caricatures. They were playing a family.
Buddy Ebsen as Jed Clampett: The Accidental Patriarch
Jed was the glue. If Jed didn't work, the show would have collapsed into a heap of mean-spirited stereotypes. Buddy Ebsen brought a weirdly dignified stillness to the role of Jed Clampett. It’s a bit of a "what if" in Hollywood history, too. Ebsen was originally cast as the Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz, but he had a near-fatal allergic reaction to the aluminum dust makeup. Decades later, that health disaster paved the way for him to become the most famous mountaineer in television history.
Jed wasn't stupid. That’s the thing most people forget. He was just uneducated in the ways of "city folk." Ebsen played him with this calm, squinty-eyed wisdom. While everyone around him—especially Mr. Drysdale—was losing their minds over money or status, Jed just wanted to know where to find a good "varmint" to cook.
Irene Ryan: The Firecracker Known as Granny
Daisy May "Granny" Moses was the show’s secret weapon. Irene Ryan was actually much younger than she looked on screen. With the help of some heavy makeup and a lot of energy, she became the feisty, moonshine-distilling heart of the Clampett house. She was tiny, but she dominated the screen.
Granny was constantly looking for a fight, usually with "Revenooers" or Mrs. Drysdale. She represented the part of the family that refused to change. While Elly May and Jethro tried to fit in (sorta), Granny brought her wood-burning stove and her "physic" medicine to the mansion and dared anyone to say something about it. Ryan was so good she actually got two Emmy nominations for the role. Not bad for a character who spent half her time screaming about "giant jackrabbits" (which were actually kangaroos).
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Donna Douglas and the Burden of Elly May
Donna Douglas beat out over 500 other actresses to play Elly May Clampett. She had the look, sure—the blonde hair and the denim—but she also had a genuine love for animals that mirrored her character. In real life, Douglas was deeply religious and eventually became a gospel singer.
Elly May was a tricky character. She had to be "critter-fixated" and tomboyish while also being the show's primary source of glamour. It’s a weird tightrope to walk. She wasn't just there for eye candy; she was the innocent soul of the group. Douglas often spoke about how she received thousands of letters from fans who saw Elly May as a symbol of purity in a world that was changing way too fast in the 1960s.
Max Baer Jr. and the "Jethro Curse"
Then there’s Jethro Bodine. Max Baer Jr. played Jethro as a lovable oaf with a "sixth-grade education" (which he was very proud of). Jethro was the one who most wanted to embrace the Hollywood lifestyle. One week he was a "double-naught spy," the next he was a brain surgeon or a movie producer.
But here is the sad part. Baer Jr. was actually highly intelligent—he had a degree in Business Administration—but he played Jethro so convincingly that he found it almost impossible to get serious acting work after the show ended. He’s the last surviving member of the main cast of the Beverly Hillbillies TV production, and he’s spent much of his later life as a successful businessman and producer, even trying to develop a Beverly Hillbillies-themed casino.
The Supporting Players: Drysdale and Hathaway
You can’t talk about the cast without Milburn Drysdale and Jane Hathaway. Raymond Bailey and Nancy Kulp were the perfect "straight men" for the Clampetts' antics.
Drysdale was the quintessential greedy banker. His only motivation was keeping the Clampetts’ $95 million (which would be over $800 million today) in the Commerce Bank of Beverly Hills. Every time Jed threatened to move back to the hills, Drysdale’s blood pressure would skyrocket.
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Nancy Kulp’s Miss Jane was the most relatable person in the show. She was sophisticated and educated, yet she was the only "city person" who truly respected the Clampetts. She also had that hilarious, unrequited crush on Jethro, which was always uncomfortable in the best possible way.
Why the Critics Hated It (and Why They Were Wrong)
When the show premiered in 1962, critics absolutely trashed it. The New York Times called it "painfully dull." They thought it was "low-brow."
But the audience didn't care.
The show was a massive hit because it flipped the script. In the early 60s, TV was full of "perfect" families. The Clampetts were messy. They were outsiders. In the middle of the Cold War and the Civil Rights movement, there was something comforting about a family that didn't care about social climbing. They had all the money in the world, but they still preferred eating "hog jowls" by the pool.
The cast of the Beverly Hillbillies TV show understood the assignment. They didn't play it for laughs—they played it straight. That’s why it worked. If Buddy Ebsen had winked at the camera, the illusion would have shattered.
The Tragic and Humble Ends
Unlike modern stars who stay in the spotlight forever, many of the cast members transitioned into quieter lives.
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- Irene Ryan died in 1973, shortly after the show ended, while she was performing on Broadway in Pippin. She actually collapsed on stage.
- Raymond Bailey suffered from Alzheimer’s in his final years and passed away in 1980.
- Buddy Ebsen had a massive second act with Barnaby Jones, proving he was one of the most durable actors in Hollywood history. He lived to be 95.
- Donna Douglas stayed active in the fan community until her death in 2015, always embracing the Elly May persona with grace.
What We Can Learn from the Clampetts Today
It’s easy to dismiss old sitcoms as "relics." But look at the themes. The show was basically an exploration of "new money" versus "old money." It mocked the pretension of Beverly Hills far more than it mocked the ignorance of the Clampetts.
If you're looking to revisit the series or understand its impact, don't just look at the gags. Look at the timing. The show peaked during the 1963-1964 season. That was a time of intense national anxiety. People wanted to see Jed Clampett sit on his porch and tell everyone to "take your shoes off and set a spell."
Practical Next Steps for Fans
If you're diving back into the world of the Clampetts, here is how to get the most out of it:
- Watch the Pilot Episode Again: Notice how different the tone is. It’s actually quite grounded. You can see the genuine shock on their faces when they see the "cement pond" for the first time.
- Look for the Crossovers: The Beverly Hillbillies existed in a shared universe with Petticoat Junction and Green Acres. Watching the crossover episodes gives you a better sense of how Paul Henning built a rural TV empire.
- Check Out Max Baer Jr.'s Work: If you want to see Jethro in a different light, watch Macon County Line. He produced and wrote it, and it became one of the highest-grossing independent films of its time. It shows the sharp business mind behind the "oafish" character.
- Avoid the 1993 Movie (Mostly): While Jim Varney did his best as Jed, the movie lacks the subtle heart that Ebsen and Ryan brought to the original. The magic was in the specific chemistry of that 1960s ensemble.
The legacy of the cast of the Beverly Hillbillies TV show isn't just about the laughs. It's about a group of actors who took a "silly" premise and turned it into a piece of American folklore. They reminded us that you can change your zip code, but you don't have to change your soul.
Next Step for You: Visit the official Archive of American Television website to watch long-form interviews with Max Baer Jr. and Donna Douglas. They provide incredible behind-the-scenes context on how the show was filmed and how the cast handled their sudden, massive fame in an era before social media.