The Last Clampett Standing: Where Are The Beverly Hillbillies Show Cast Now In 2025?
Few classic television shows hold the same iconic place in American culture as The Beverly Hillbillies. The saga of the Clampett family—Jed, Granny, Elly May, and Jethro—moving from their humble Ozark shack to a grand Beverly Hills mansion after striking oil captivated millions, becoming one of the highest-rated sitcoms of the 1960s.
As of December 23, 2025, the show's legacy is carried by a single surviving member of the core cast. This article delves into the lives, careers, and ultimate fates of the beloved actors, providing the most current updates on the last remaining star and uncovering the surprising, controversial end of the beloved series.
The Clampett Family and Their Banker: A Complete Cast Biography and Final Fate
The core ensemble of The Beverly Hillbillies was a masterclass in comedic casting, bringing to life the "hillbilly" archetypes with genuine warmth. Here is a look at the main actors, their full profiles, and what happened after the show ended in 1971.
- Buddy Ebsen (Jed Clampett)
- Irene Ryan (Daisy May “Granny” Moses)
- Donna Douglas (Elly May Clampett)
- Max Baer Jr. (Jethro Bodine)
Full Name: Christian Ludolf Ebsen Jr.
Born: April 2, 1908, in Belleville, Illinois
Died: July 6, 2003, in Torrance, California
Cause of Death: Respiratory failure (pneumonia)
Ebsen’s career was long and varied. Before becoming the patriarch Jed Clampett, he was a dancer who famously almost played the Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz before a severe allergic reaction to the aluminum dust forced him to quit. His post-Hillbillies career saw a remarkable second act as the title character in the hit detective series Barnaby Jones, which ran from 1973 to 1980. This made him one of the few actors to star in two long-running, hit television shows.
Full Name: Irene Noblette
Born: October 17, 1902, in El Paso, Texas
Died: April 26, 1973, in Santa Monica, California
Cause of Death: Glioblastoma and arteriosclerotic heart disease
Irene Ryan was a seasoned vaudeville and radio star who found her greatest fame late in life as the feisty, shotgun-toting Granny. After the show’s cancellation, she transitioned to the Broadway stage, earning a Tony Award nomination for her role as Berthe in the musical Pippin. Tragically, she suffered a stroke on stage during a performance of Pippin in 1973 and passed away shortly after. Her will established the Irene Ryan Scholarship Fund, which continues to support college theatre students today.
Full Name: Donna Belle Douglas
Born: September 26, 1933, in Pride, Louisiana
Died: January 1, 2015, in Zachary, Louisiana
Cause of Death: Pancreatic cancer
Chosen from over 500 actresses for the role of the beautiful, animal-loving Elly May, Donna Douglas became an instant sex symbol of the 1960s, receiving more fan mail than any of her co-stars. Following the sitcom, she stepped away from major Hollywood roles, focusing instead on a career as a gospel singer, children's book author, and real estate agent. She often appeared at conventions and religious gatherings, keeping the spirit of Elly May alive for her devoted fans.
Full Name: Maximilian Adelbert Baer Jr.
Born: December 4, 1937, in Oakland, California
Status: The last surviving main cast member (Age 88 in 2025)
The son of boxing champion Max Baer, Max Jr. played the dim-witted but lovable cousin Jethro Bodine, famous for his "six-grade education" and attempts at various careers. After the show, he became a successful producer and director, most notably with the controversial hit film Macon County Line (1974), which was one of the highest-grossing independent films of its time. His business ventures are legendary and continue to this day, as detailed below.
The Banker and The Secretary: Supporting Cast Fates
No discussion of the Clampetts is complete without the two figures who represented their new, bewildering world in Beverly Hills: the greedy banker and his efficient secretary.
- Raymond Bailey (Milburn Drysdale)
- Nancy Kulp (Miss Jane Hathaway)
Role: Jed Clampett’s perpetually nervous, money-obsessed bank president.
Died: April 15, 1980, in Irvine, California
Cause of Death: Heart attack
A veteran character actor, Raymond Bailey was perfectly cast as Milburn Drysdale, the man tasked with managing the Clampett family's vast fortune. He was a familiar face in Hollywood before the sitcom, appearing in dozens of films and TV shows. He retired from acting shortly after The Beverly Hillbillies ended due to poor health.
Role: Drysdale's loyal, intellectual, and often exasperated secretary, known as the "Bird Watcher."
Died: February 3, 1991, in Palm Desert, California
Cause of Death: Cancer
Nancy Kulp had perhaps the most fascinating life off-screen. She was a decorated veteran, having served as a Lieutenant Junior Grade (LTJG) in the U.S. Navy WAVES during World War II. In 1984, she ran for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in Pennsylvania, though she was ultimately defeated. Her character, Miss Jane, remains a beloved icon of the show.
The $50 Million Empire: Max Baer Jr.'s Current Status in 2025
As the sole surviving member of the main cast, Max Baer Jr. has carved out a unique and highly successful post-acting career. While many actors fade from the spotlight, Baer transformed his Jethro Bodine persona into a formidable business empire focused on licensing and development, leading to an estimated net worth of $50 million as of 2025.
The most persistent and current news surrounding Max Baer Jr. is his decades-long effort to launch a themed hotel and casino project in Northern Nevada. The project, titled "Jethro Bodine's Beverly Hillbillies Mansion & Casino," has been a passion project for Baer since the early 2000s, though it has faced numerous regulatory and financial hurdles.
The latest updates in 2025 indicate that Baer remains committed to the development, despite recent setbacks, including losing an appeal over the size of an outdoor sign for the proposed property. This persistent pursuit of a massive, themed entertainment complex perfectly reflects the entrepreneurial spirit of the character he played—a hillbilly who struck it rich and never looked back.
The Shocking Truth Behind the Show's Cancellation: The "Rural Purge"
Despite remaining a top-20 show in the ratings for most of its nine-year run, The Beverly Hillbillies was abruptly canceled in 1971. The reason was not declining viewership, but a strategic decision by the CBS network known as the "Rural Purge."
In the early 1970s, CBS, under new leadership, decided to shed its image as a network that appealed primarily to older, rural audiences. The network wanted to attract younger, more affluent, and urban demographics—the viewers advertisers desired most. To achieve this, CBS systematically canceled all of its highly rated "country" shows, including Green Acres, Mayberry R.F.D., and, most famously, The Beverly Hillbillies.
The show was still a massive hit when it was axed, making its cancellation one of the most controversial decisions in television history. The network replaced these beloved shows with more "relevant" and urban-centric programming like All in the Family and The Mary Tyler Moore Show, successfully shifting its demographic focus, but leaving millions of fans bewildered.
The Ballad of Jed Clampett: A Bluegrass Phenomenon
A key entity that contributed to the show's massive topical authority was its iconic theme song, "The Ballad of Jed Clampett." This wasn't just a simple jingle; it was a bona fide musical hit written by the show's creator, Paul Henning.
The song was performed by the legendary bluegrass duo Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs, with Flatt providing the vocals and Scruggs on banjo. The song reached number one on the Billboard country chart and even cracked the top 40 on the pop chart, a rare feat for a TV theme.
Its success is credited with introducing authentic bluegrass music to a massive mainstream American audience, making Flatt & Scruggs household names and cementing the show's deep-rooted connection to its fictional Ozark origins. The theme song remains one of the most recognizable pieces of television music ever created.
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