Television in the 1960s ranged from the ridiculous to the sublime, and then there was The Beverly Hillbillies, about a poor family going West after striking it rich. Jed Clampett was shooting for some food out in the wild with his dog Duke. It turns out that he ended up hitting a spot where crude oil spurted up from the ground. Thus begins the journey for Jed, Granny, Elly May, and Jethro out to Beverly Hills.
Where to Watch ‘The Beverly Hillbillies’
Buddy Ebsen stars as Jed, a widower who spends time whittling at the front of his mansion. He also has to play referee when Granny, played by Irene Ryan, gets out of hand. Donna Douglas stars as the tomboy-ish and beautiful Elly May. Rugged handsome Max Baer plays Jethro. Baer also can be seen doing double duty in the show’s early seasons as Jethrine. Be on the lookout for the always-funny Bea Benadaret, who gets some screen time as Pearl Bodine, Jethro’s mother, on The Beverly Hillbillies.
Watch Out For Mr. Drysdale, Miss Jane
With Jed’s millions at stake, they had to go somewhere for safekeeping. Thankfully, Milburn Drysdale, president of the Commerce Bank of Beverly Hills, makes sure Jed’s money is in good hands. Raymond Bailey shows up as Drysdale throughout the show’s entire run. Anytime Drysdale appears, there’s usually some scheme going down to keep Jed’s money right where it is. Nancy Kulp beautifully portrays Jane Hathaway, Drysdale’s secretary. If you notice, then Miss Jane appears to have the hots for Jethro. That is one underlying theme in this hilarious sitcom. But we’re not through with Drysdale just yet. He has to deal with his nagging wife Margaret, played by Harriet MacGibbon. It happens to be a bone of contention for Milburn because there is no love lost between Margaret and Granny. Make sure and be on the lookout for occasional appearances on The Beverly Hillbillies of Sonny Drysdale, expertly played by comedian Louis Nye.
When watching an episode of this sitcom, it’s best to simply sit back and enjoy the hilarity. You will see Granny working to keep a hungry Jethro fed, see Jethro try and become a movie star or double-naught spy, watch Elly May deal with her critters (animals), and Jed occasionally dance a jig. If you didn’t know better, then you might think Ebsen was not too good at hoofing it up. In reality, he had a previous life as one of Hollywood’s premiere dancers on the big screen.
The Beverly Hillbillies was the brainchild of Paul Henning, who also created Green Acres and Petticoat Junction. One time, we do see Granny making a trip to Hooterville in a crossover appearance. But her main residence, of course, was out in Beverly Hills.
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