In the pilot episode of this beloved rags-to-riches sitcom, hayseed mountaineer Jed Clampett becomes an overnight multimillionaire when an oil-rich swamp is discovered on his property. With his newfound fortune, he uproots his family from their cabin in the Ozarks to a Beverly Hills mansion, and fish-out-of-water hijinks ensue — and thus The Beverly Hillbillies and their memorable cast or characters were born. (Fun Fact: Adjusting for inflation, the $25 million minimum payment the Clampetts were offered for their land would be equivalent to around $254 million today.)
When the show premiered in 1962, it was slammed by critics. But viewers disagreed, and the Clampetts quickly rose to the top of the Nielsen ratings. At the peak of its nine-season run, around 60 million viewers were tuning in each week — nearly one-third of the US population at that time. Even the theme song, “The Ballad of Jed Clampett,” was a hit, reaching the #1 spot on the Billboard Hot Country charts.
More than 60 years later, the show continues to reach new audiences through streaming services. So come and listen to a story… about the actors who made this show a beloved classic.
The Beverly Hillbillies cast and surprising facts
Here, catch up with the The Beverly Hillbillies cast, find out what they’re doing now and learn some fun trivia along the way.
Donna Douglas as Elly May Clampett
A former pageant queen from Louisiana — where she was crowned “Miss Baton Rouge” and “Miss New Orleans” — Donna Douglas was a relative newcomer in Hollywood when she was chosen to play the role of Jed Clampett’s daughter. Douglas credits her upbringing as a Southern tomboy with helping her to land the role — especially when she was asked to milk a goat at her audition!
After The Beverly Hillbillies ended, Douglas felt she was being typecast in provocative roles that didn’t align with her personal beliefs. She took a step back from acting, earned her real estate license, and recorded a few gospel albums. Douglas passed away on January 1, 2015 from pancreatic cancer.
Did you know?
In 2010, Mattel released the Classic TV Collection of Barbie dolls based on Samantha from Bewitched, Jeannie from I Dream of Jeannie, and Elly May Clampett. But Douglas wasn’t thrilled with her Barbie moment — she sued Mattel for unauthorized use of her likeness.
Max Baer Jr. as Jethro Bodine
The son of a heavyweight boxing champion Max Baer Jr. played the simpleton son of Jed Clampett’s cousin Pearl. But in real life, he bears little resemblance to his dimwitted character — he served as a medical technician in the US Air Force, and later earned a degree in business administration from Santa Clara University.
Baer Jr. Acting professionally in 1960 and appeared in a handful of TV shows, including Maverick and 77 Sunset Strip. After The Beverly Hillbillies wrapped, he went on to co-write and produce Macon County Line, a low-budget indie that earned $35 million at the box office.
For years, Baer Jr. fought to open a Beverly Hillbillies-themed casino in Nevada, but proposals in multiple locations fell through. Now the only surviving member of the cast of The Beverly Hillbillies, Baer Jr. currently resides in Lake Tahoe.
Did you know?
Born and raised in Northern California, Baer Jr. listen to records by Andy Griffith and Jonathan Winters before auditioning for the cast of The Beverly Hillbillies to master Jethro’s accent.
Raymond Baily as Milburn Drysdale
Raymond Bailey’s path to stardom was paved with perseverance. After moving to Hollywood as a teenager to pursue an acting career, he struggled to find roles. He briefly worked as a laborer at a movie studio, but was fired after sneaking into a scene. In the late 1930s, he got a few bit parts in movies before taking a break to serve in the Merchant Marines during World War II.
Bailey’s luck finally changed in the 1950s when he began landing character roles on shows like Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Gunsmoke, The Twilight Zone, and Bonanza. In 1962, he was added to the cast of The Beverly Hillbillies as Milburn Drysdale, the uptight banker who tries to help the Clampett family adapt to life in the Hills.
Near the end of the final season, Bailey began experiencing symptoms of Alzheimer’s. He retired from acting in 1975, and passed away on April 15, 1980.
Did you know?
Bailey was a jack-of-all-trades. While trying to gain his footing as an actor, he held jobs as a merchant seaman, a pineapple plantation worker…and even a banker!
Nancy Kulp as Jane Hathaway
After graduating college with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a master’s degree in English and French, Nancy Kulp worked as a newspaper writer for several years before joining the US Naval Reserve. She stumbled into acting a few years later, when she moved to Hollywood to work in publicity and a director convinced her to try her hand in front of the camera instead.
