If there ever was a fish out of water story of the ages, it’s The Beverly Hillbillies. We all dream of finding treasure, striking oil or winning the lottery, but the Clampetts prove that the journey doesn’t always end there. Talk about a culture shock! For both the Clampetts, but even more so for their new neighbors.
Speaking of shocks, you won’t believe just how messy and complicated things got behind the scenes. Did you know the series was as loved as it was hated? And what do the Clampetts have to do with Levi jeans? Throw in a little John Wayne and you’ve got me hooked. If you enjoy this deep dive, be sure to give it a thumbs up, and subscribe to the channel so you never miss an episode.
Striking crude!
Jed Clampett wasn’t the only one who struck crude – oil, that is. Show creator Paul Henning didn’t mean to stumble across his biggest break. Back in 1959, he visited some Civil War-era sites with his mother while touring through the south. From there came the idea of doing the reverse. Bring a true country spirit into one of the most modern and culturally diverse areas. Originally, the Clampetts were going to end up in New York, but the logistics didn’t line up, so Beverly Hills it was!
A critical miss
Ever watch something and think how great it is, only to hear it got slammed by critics? For a prime example, look no further than these hillbillies. Their reviews will differ from that of regular viewers. Now critics are so-called professionals whose job it is to give assessments of new TV shows, or whatever their expertise is. And boy, did they have a lot to say.
When The Beverly Hillbillies came out, critics called it everything from “strained and unfunny” to quote, – “painful to sit through.” Its humor was even called the lowest of its kind. That’s harsh, and someone should probably have informed the millions who watched the hillbillies for a whopping 9 seasons.
Unprecedented hits
The show’s ratings were off the charts. After just six weeks of being on-air, The Beverly Hillbillies became the most-watched program on TV. And It didn’t stop there. From 1962 to ’64, the show frequently enjoyed on average of 57 million viewers. Some episodes in 1964 became the most-watched of any series in the whole decade. specifically, the episode titled, “The Giant Jackrabbit” – which managed to become one of the most-watched half-hour episodes of anything ever, and it did that while airing the same day as President Johnson’s State of the Union address! Tough competition!
Carry a tune
We could all use some patented Clampett luck. They defied critics’ reviews and got killer ratings, and on top of that even became musical icons! The Beverly Hillbillies’ theme song is formally called “The Ballad of Jed Clampett” and recruited the Foggy Mountain Boys, a country-bluegrass group founded by Flatt and Scruggs, with Jerry Scoggins singing Jed’s tale. Turns out, it was a union that worked in everybody’s favor. The tune became synonymous with the show, and gave the band their first number one hit, topping the country charts in ’63, and even making it to number 44 on the pop charts! When the movie remake started production in ’93, Scoggins actually reached out to the studio to see if they might collaborate again. Apparently, the studio hadn’t even known he was still alive…
Putting his foot down
Part of the whole drawing behind the Beverly Hillbillies was the extreme contrasts between the Clampetts and their community. But Buddy Ebsen had a limit. In fact, he was initially hesitant to take the role and only agreed to if Jed was rewritten. He insisted that certainly, Jed wasn’t traditionally educated, but that his character was not made up as foolish or dumb. So, he was changed to showcase the importance of street smarts and a deeper kind of wisdom that shows up unexpectedly. In turn, the show creators tweaked Jethro, giving him some of the truly painfully dumb lines.
Just like Grandma used to make it!
Irene Ryan as Granny could easily steal a scene, and who could complain? She was outrageous in everything she did and with every word out of her mouth. Now if only someone could tell her, that laughter is the best medicine, maybe she’d give up on that white lightning stuff… Of course, one of her other quirks was finding use in everything. Everything. Even roadkill, or “vittles,” as she liked to dress it up as. Well, if you ever wanted the zany Clampett matriarch to teach you how to cook, you’re in luck. Granny’s Beverly Hillbillies Cookbook is full of recipes inspired by the show. It even has a forward by Max Baer, Jethro himself, as a little informal seal of approval.
Loving Levi’s
Even before Daisy Duke wore those famous denim Daisy Duke shorts, there was a country girl next door named Elly May Clampett. Who was certainly many people’s crush in the 1960s. Donna Douglas perfectly played Elly with mountain beauty and plenty of fire to take on any challenge.
