10 Facts About The Beverly Hillbillies You Never Knew
The Beverly Hillbillies was a hilarious show and there are a lot of things about the series you need to know.
The Beverly Hillbillies was a bonafide comedic classic when it debuted in 1962. The show ran for almost nine years, taking America through nearly an entire decade before the Clampetts retired for good. The show has since enjoyed success in syndication, giving new generations a chance to join in on the laughs.
Today we’re looking at 10 facts about the Beverly Hillbillies that you never knew, so feel free to relax in the cement pond and take a load off while we travel back in time.
IT’S NOT ENTIRELY OIL-ACCURATE
The story of the Beverly Hillbillies is a simple and straightforward one. Jed Clampett, a “poor mountaineer” who had trouble putting food on the table, went out hunting and fired at potential game, which unintentionally struck an oil deposit that began spewing crude oil.
All fine and dandy, except for one problem – oil deposits are never found near mountains due to their inherent geological makeup. It would be impossible for a mountainous region to sustain an oil pocket, which is why they are mainly found in desert areas and arctic seas.
IT BROKE #1 RATINGS RECORDS
The Beverly Hillbillies took just 3 weeks to race to the top of the ratings charts and grab the #1 spot. Not only has this broken records that lasted for decades, but it did so within a volatile social climate. CBS even ran episodes after the assassination of John F. Kennedy, yet still managed to weave through America’s mourning long enough to inject a little joy.
The show’s combination of harmless, good-natured humor and lovable characters was certainly a huge catalyst for those who needed a little cheer in their lives at that time.
IT WAS SNUBBED BY CRITICS
The Beverly Hillbillies was the poster child for critic hate throughout its entire run. While audiences lapped it up and adored the characters, the media couldn’t make the connection. Their hatred of the show was legendary, with outlets like Time calling it “the lowest form of humor.”
This may have had something to do with the blossoming urban sprawl which was starting to replace the rural mindset at the time. This kind of division between urban and rural populations has existed right until this very day, with neither side truly understanding the other.
THE FIRST SEASON IS PUBLIC DOMAIN
CBS made a boo-boo by failing to renew their copyrights after the Beverly Hillbillies was canceled, effectively placing the entire first season in the public domain. As such, anyone can legally release it and charge money, if they’re willing to go through the work.
This seemed to be an issue in the 60s, with many movies and TV shows like Night of the Living Dead, Atom Age Vampire, and The Dick Van Dyke Show falling into public domain territory. Granted, it’s obvious studios weren’t as uptight about copyrights as they are today.
THE URBAN RISE KILLED THE SHOW
Many might think that the Beverly Hillbillies had simply run its course, and that everyone was ready to move on. In truth, it was a deliberate move by CBS to capitalize on a growing young urban demographic who supposedly wanted to watch a different kind of show.
CBS led a campaign to eliminate any show that appeals to rural viewers, including Petticoat Junction and Green Acres. The Hillbillies were caught up in the corporate shift which Green Acres actor Pat Buttram described as “canceling every show with a tree in it.”
BUDDY EPSEN WAS FRIENDS WITH MAX BAER SR.
One might think the cast for the Beverly Hillbillies was assembled as per the normal process, but that didn’t stop Buddy Epsen from having someone to relate to when the series began filming. Max Baer Jr. played the lovable Jethro on the show, but Epsen already had a connection that predated the show.
In fact, Epsen was good friends with Max Baer Jr.’s family, a relationship that began when Epsen met his father at a boxing match. Max Baer Sr. Participated in 81 fights during his career, with 68 wins to his name. Now we know where Jethro got all that strength from!
IT WAS A POLITICAL HOTBED OFF-SET
Buddy Epsen often clashed with actress Nancy Kulp, who played the statuesque Jane Hathaway on the show. Epsen, a hardline Conservative Republican will often engage in a number of political debates with Kulp, who leans to the Left.
The feud would reach a boiling point in 1984 when Kulp ran unopposed as the Democratic candidate for the House of Representatives against incumbent candidate Bud Shuster. Buddy Ebsen got involved with Shuster’s campaign by calling Kulp “too Liberal,” after which she lost to Shuster with just 33% of the vote. This created a huge rift between the two which last for years, until Kulp died of cancer in 1991. Ebsen expressed significant remorse regarding the feud, even though the two both buried the hatchet shortly before her death.
