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The Last Clampett Standing: What Happened To The Beverly Hillbillies TV Series Cast In 2025?

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The Beverly Hillbillies remains one of the most iconic and successful sitcoms in television history, a cultural phenomenon that ran for nine seasons from 1962 to 1971. The show centered on the Clampett family—Jed, Granny, Elly May, and Jethro—who struck oil in their humble mountain home and moved their 'cement pond' to the opulent hills of Beverly Hills, California. The hilarious culture clash between the simple, honest hillbillies and the sophisticated, greedy city dwellers captivated millions, often dominating the Nielsen ratings. This article, updated in late 2025, looks back at the beloved cast and reveals the surprising, sometimes tragic, paths their lives took after the cameras stopped rolling.

The show's enduring legacy is a testament to the talent of its ensemble. Given that the series concluded over five decades ago, most of the principal actors have since passed away. However, the story of their careers, their post-show projects, and the one core cast member still with us today offers a fascinating look into the golden age of television and the lasting impact of the Clampett clan.

The Core Clampett Family and Their Surprising Post-Show Careers

The heart of The Beverly Hillbillies was the Clampett family, whose innocence and good nature were the constant foil to the avarice of their new surroundings. Their professional lives after the show were as varied and unique as their characters.

Buddy Ebsen (Jed Clampett)

  • Full Name: Christian Ludolf Ebsen Jr.
  • Role: Jed Clampett, the kind, sensible patriarch who became a millionaire.
  • Born: April 2, 1908, in Belleville, Illinois.
  • Died: July 6, 2003, in Torrance, California (Age 95).

Ebsen had an incredibly long and successful career spanning vaudeville, Broadway, film, and television. He was originally cast as the Tin Man in *The Wizard of Oz* but had to leave the role due to a severe allergic reaction to the aluminum dust in the makeup.

His post-Hillbillies career was perhaps the most successful of the entire cast. Just two years after the sitcom ended, Ebsen secured the title role in the detective series *Barnaby Jones* (1973–1980). The show ran for eight seasons and 178 episodes, giving Ebsen the rare distinction of starring in two long-running, hit television series. He continued to act and even wrote a novel, *The Other Side of Midnight*, before his death at the age of 95 in 2003.

Irene Ryan (Granny / Daisy Moses)

  • Full Name: Irene Noblitt Ryan
  • Role: Granny (Daisy Moses), Jed’s feisty, shotgun-toting mother-in-law.
  • Born: October 17, 1902, in El Paso, Texas.
  • Died: April 26, 1973, in Santa Monica, California (Age 70).

Irene Ryan was a seasoned veteran of vaudeville and radio long before she became the iconic Granny. She received two Emmy nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for her portrayal of the character.

Immediately after the show's cancellation, Ryan returned to her roots in theater. She took on the role of Berthe in the original Broadway production of the musical *Pippin* in 1972. Her performance was a triumph, earning her a 1973 Tony Award nomination for Best Supporting or Featured Actress in a Musical. Tragically, she suffered a stroke while performing on stage during the run of *Pippin* and passed away shortly after the Tony Awards ceremony.

Donna Douglas (Elly May Clampett)

  • Full Name: Doris Ione Smith
  • Role: Elly May Clampett, the beautiful, nature-loving daughter with a penchant for "critters."
  • Born: September 26, 1932, in Pride, Louisiana.
  • Died: January 1, 2015, in Zachary, Louisiana (Age 82).

Donna Douglas was a former Miss New Orleans before landing the career-defining role of Elly May. After *The Beverly Hillbillies*, she made a conscious shift away from secular acting roles, choosing instead to focus on her devout Christian faith.

Douglas dedicated her later life to gospel music and public speaking. She recorded two full-length gospel albums, including *Donna Douglas Sings Gospel* and *Donna Douglas Sings Country and Gospel Back on the Mountain*. She frequently performed at churches, youth groups, and Christian assemblies, signing her autographs with the phrase, "Love, Donna Douglas, Elly May, Jesus Saves."

Max Baer Jr. (Jethro Bodine) - The Last Surviving Core Member

  • Full Name: Maximilian Adelbert Baer Jr.
  • Role: Jethro Bodine, Jed's dim-witted but well-meaning nephew.
  • Born: December 4, 1937, in Oakland, California.
  • Current Status: Still alive as of late 2025 (Age 88).

Max Baer Jr. is the last surviving core cast member of The Beverly Hillbillies. Unlike his co-stars who continued acting, Baer Jr. transitioned almost entirely behind the camera, becoming a successful writer, producer, and director.

His most notable post-show ventures were the films *Macon County Line* (1974) and *Ode to Billy Joe* (1976), both of which were major box office successes. However, his most unique and enduring business endeavor has been his decades-long pursuit of developing *Beverly Hillbillies*-themed casinos, resorts, and restaurants. Baer Jr. retained the exclusive rights to the Jethro Bodine character and the show's title for such ventures, a move that secured his financial independence and gave him a legacy far beyond acting. As of 2025, he remains active, occasionally appearing at fan conventions.

The Businessmen and The Secretary: The Supporting Cast’s Legacy

The supporting cast provided the perfect comedic contrast to the Clampetts, with their characters often driven by greed or a misguided sense of superiority.

Raymond Bailey (Milburn Drysdale)

  • Full Name: Raymond Thomas Bailey
  • Role: Milburn Drysdale, the greedy, high-strung president of the Commerce Bank of Beverly Hills.
  • Born: May 6, 1904, in San Francisco, California.
  • Died: April 15, 1980, in Irvine, California (Age 75).

Before becoming the iconic Milburn Drysdale, Raymond Bailey was a prolific character actor with appearances in over 100 films and numerous television shows. He was a veteran of the Broadway stage and served in the U.S. Army during World War II.

Bailey retired from acting shortly after the series ended due to his declining health. He passed away from a heart attack in 1980. His character, the perpetually stressed bank president obsessed with the Clampetts' oil money, remains a masterclass in comedic anxiety.

Nancy Kulp (Miss Jane Hathaway)

  • Full Name: Nancy Jane Kulp
  • Role: Miss Jane Hathaway, Drysdale’s loyal, no-nonsense, and fiercely intelligent secretary.
  • Born: August 28, 1921, in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
  • Died: February 3, 1991, in Palm Springs, California (Age 69).

Nancy Kulp's character, Miss Jane Hathaway, was the perfect 'straight man' to the Clampetts' antics and Drysdale's panic. Kulp had a fascinating life outside of acting. In 1984, she made a surprising run for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, running as a Democratic candidate for Pennsylvania’s 9th congressional district (PA-09).

The political race became national news when her former co-star, Buddy Ebsen, publicly campaigned against her, stating she was "too liberal." Kulp ultimately lost the election. She was also one of the few prominent television figures of her era to publicly acknowledge her lesbianism late in life, cementing her legacy as an intelligent and pioneering figure both on and off-screen.

The Mind Behind the Millions: Paul Henning and The Rural Trilogy

No discussion of The Beverly Hillbillies cast is complete without mentioning the man who brought them all together: creator Paul Henning. Henning was a prolific writer and producer who drew on his own childhood experiences in the Ozarks near Branson, Missouri, to create the show's premise.

Henning is responsible for the famous "rural trilogy" of 1960s television, which included *The Beverly Hillbillies*, *Petticoat Junction* (1963–1970), and *Green Acres* (1965–1971). A touching piece of trivia is that the character of Granny, Daisy Moses, was based directly on Henning’s own mother, who was known for her feisty spirit and homespun wisdom. Henning's vision created a cultural touchstone, but the show was controversially cancelled in 1971 as part of CBS's "rural purge," a network effort to appeal to younger, urban demographics despite the show's consistently high ratings.

The Enduring Topical Authority of The Clampetts

The success of *The Beverly Hillbillies* was massive, with the show quickly becoming the number one program in the United States. Its cultural impact was so profound that it led to a successful 1993 feature film adaptation, starring Jim Varney as Jed Clampett and Cloris Leachman as Granny. The show’s theme song, "The Ballad of Jed Clampett," performed by Jerry Scoggins, was the first TV theme song to reach number one on the Billboard Country chart.

The stories of the main cast members—from Buddy Ebsen's second act in *Barnaby Jones* to Irene Ryan's Tony-nominated turn on Broadway and Max Baer Jr.'s unique entrepreneurial empire—demonstrate a group of actors who were far more complex and ambitious than their on-screen personas. Their individual legacies continue to be celebrated by classic television fans in 2025, ensuring that the saga of the Clampetts' journey from the hills to Beverly Hills will never truly fade.

beverly hillbillies tv series cast
beverly hillbillies tv series cast

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