See ‘The Beverly Hillbillies’ Cast Young—Before They Struck TV Gold in Beverly Hills

Take any successful television series—regardless of decade, genre or format—and you’ll almost always find a cast of actors who become so associated with their roles that, to the audience, they are those characters forever. Comedy or drama, it doesn’t matter—that connection becomes part of the show’s legacy. And yet, there’s something endlessly fascinating about looking back at where those actors came from before they stepped into such iconic shoes. That’s definitely true when it comes to the young cast of The Beverly Hillbillies.

Airing on CBS from 1962 to 1971, The Beverly Hillbillies centered on a poor Ozark family whose lives are turned upside down when they strike oil on their land. Suddenly flush with cash, they pack up and head to Beverly Hills, where their folksy ways clash hilariously with high society, often proving the “simple” folks are a lot more grounded than the people around them. The core cast features Buddy Ebsen as patriarch Jed Clampett, Irene Ryan as his feisty mother-in-law, Daisy May “Granny” Moses, Donna Douglas as animal-loving daughter Elly May and Max Baer Jr. as Jethro Bodine, Jed’s good-natured but dim-witted second cousin who always refers to him as “Uncle Jed.”

So come and listen to the story of The Beverly Hillbillies cast young, and y’all come back now, ya hear?

Buddy Ebsen (Jed Clampett)

Born April 2, 1908, in Belleville, Illinois, Buddy Ebsen had a career that stretched from 1935’s Broadway Melody of 1936 all the way to voicing a character in a 1999 episode of King of the Hill. While The Beverly Hillbillies gave him his most enduring fame, his second-best-known role was as private detective Barnaby Jones, which aired on CBS from 1973 to 1980. Ebsen was married three times, had seven children and passed away on July 6, 2003, at the age of 95.

1935

Buddy Ebsen (second from left) appears with Robert Taylor, sister Vilma Ebsen and Eleanor Powell in Broadway Melody of 1936 (1935). A gifted dancer and vaudeville performer, Ebsen’s Hollywood journey began with roles like this, long before trading in his tap shoes for a jug of “black gold” on The Beverly Hillbillies.

1936

Buddy Ebsen joins Shirley Temple in a joyful dance scene from Captain January (1936). Ebsen’s effortless, lanky style proved a perfect match for Temple’s energy, making their duet one of the most memorable highlights of the film.

Shirley Temple and Buddy Ebsen teamed up for this performance of “At the Codfish Ball,” part of the 1936 move Captain January. The clip has been colorized.

1937

Buddy Ebsen showcases his signature rubber-legged dance style in a promotional still for Broadway Melody of 1938 (1937). His playful physicality and expressive movement made him a standout in the era’s musical comedies.

1938

Taking a break from the soundstage, actors Dewey Robinson, Buddy Ebsen and Henry Armetta (with Al S. Hall at far left) trade scripts for sports as they suit up for a 1938 celebrity baseball game. It was a chance for film stars to show off their athletic chops—and their comedic instincts—before a crowd of cheering fans.

1939

In the video above, Buddy Ebsen is adorned in the costume for the Tin Man in 1939’s The Wizard of Oz; he’d leave the project due to an allergic reaction to the makeup. It does feature his version of the character’s song, “If I Only Had a Heart.” In the end, Jack Haley would assume the part.

1942

Buddy Ebsen and Bert Lahr get into icy trouble in Sing Your Worries Away (1942). The musical comedy paired Ebsen’s easygoing charm with Lahr’s trademark zaniness in a crime caper with plenty of tunes and laughs. Had Ebsen remained with The Wizard of Oz, it would have been a reunion for the actors.

1945

Buddy Ebsen shares a light moment with then-wife Nancy Wolcott around 1945. Both dressed in naval attire, the couple were photographed during Ebsen’s service in the U.S. Coast Guard during World War II, reflecting a quieter chapter away from Hollywood lights.

1949

Comedy legend Ed Wynn shares the stage with Buddy Ebsen in an episode of The Ed Wynn Show, which aired December 15, 1949. The live variety series bridged the gap between old-school vaudeville and the early days of television, giving performers like Ebsen a platform to showcase their comic timing and musical abilities.

1951

In this vibrant lobby card for Thunder in God’s Country (1951), Buddy Ebsen, Mary Ellen Kay and Rex Allen find themselves in a classic Western triangle. The Republic Pictures film mixed frontier justice with romance, giving Ebsen a chance to trade dance shoes for cowboy boots.

1954

Buddy Ebsen and Fess Parker saddle up as Georgie Russell and Davy Crockett in Walt Disney’s Davy Crockett (1954–1955). The wildly popular miniseries sparked a national craze and gave Ebsen one of his most memorable early television roles as the loyal sidekick to the King of the Wild Frontier.

1958

Don Burnett, Keith Larsen and Buddy Ebsen strike a dramatic pose in the adventure series Northwest Passage (1958–1959). Set during the French and Indian War, the show blended historical drama with action, giving Ebsen another chance to don buckskins in a rugged wilderness setting.

1961

George Peppard looks on as Buddy Ebsen carries Audrey Hepburn in a memorable scene from Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961). Ebsen plays Doc Golightly, the estranged husband whose unexpected arrival adds depth—and heartbreak—to Holly’s glamorous facade.

1962 to 1971

Buddy Ebsen flashes his signature grin as Jed Clampett in The Beverly Hillbillies (1962–1971). After decades of dancing, singing, and character work, Ebsen struck comedic gold with the role that would define his television legacy.

Irene Ryan (Granny)

You may not recognize the name Irene Noblitt, but you definitely know her as Irene Ryan—a name she kept from her first marriage to comedian Tim Ryan. Born October 17, 1902, in El Paso, Texas, she teamed up with her husband on the vaudeville circuit and, as “Tim and Irene,” starred in nearly a dozen comedy shorts for Educational Pictures between 1935 and 1937. Although their marriage ended, her career didn’t. Ryan continued working steadily on radio, in films and later on television. Her first credited feature film role came in 1943’s Melody Parade and her last was in 1960’s Desire in the Dust. Married twice, she passed away on April 26, 1973, at the age of 70.

1934

Irene Ryan and then-husband Tim Ryan perform on an NBC radio broadcast in 1934. Known for their popular “Tim and Irene” vaudeville and radio routines, the duo delighted Depression-era audiences with rapid-fire banter and comic sketches.

1936

“The Wacky Family” is a short film from 1936 featuring Irene Ryan and first husband, comedian Tim Ryan. They were together from 1922 to 1942.

1940

Irene Ryan, seen here around 1940, was already a seasoned performer with a flourishing career in vaudeville, radio, and film. Known for her wit and expressive features, she had yet to take the comedic leap that would later make her a household name.

1943

Ann Miller, Irene Ryan and Franklin Pangborn share the spotlight in Reveille with Beverly (1943), a wartime musical comedy centered on a spirited female DJ. Ryan brought her comic flair to the role, adding a dash of sass and savvy to the patriotic crowd-pleaser.

1944

This video is Irene Ryan from the 1944 film Hot Rhythm, singing the song “Happiest Girl in Town.”

1945

Irene Ryan delivers a hilariously worried expression in The Beautiful Cheat (1945), a comedy about a social experiment gone awry. Known for her expressive face and impeccable timing, Ryan was a reliable scene-stealer in supporting comic roles throughout the 1940s.

1948

Margaret Hamilton, Irene Ryan, and Moyna MacGill strike a formidable pose in Texas, Brooklyn and Heaven (1948). Playing a trio of no-nonsense ladies with matching pince-nez and unimpressed stares, the actresses brought sharp comedic character work to this whimsical romantic comedy.

1949

It’s only a brief moment in the film, but here’s a scene that includes Irene Ryan from the giant ape run-amok movie, 1949’s Mighty Joe Young.

1952

Irene Ryan plays a no-nonsense sergeant opposite Judy Canova’s bumbling new recruit in The WAC from Walla Walla (1952). This slapstick military comedy gave Ryan another chance to flex her comedic muscles in uniform—and steal a few scenes along the way.

1961

Frank Cady, Mike Minor, Linda Kaye Henning and Irene Ryan gather on stage for a 1961 appearance on Perry Como’s Kraft Music Hall in New York. Long before syndication made them icons of small-town Americana, this variety show appearance brought their rural TV charm to a national primetime audience.

1962 to 1971

Irene Ryan poses at her dressing room mirror in 1963, with Granny Clampett staring back. The image perfectly captures the transformation from seasoned actress to one of television’s most unforgettable matriarchs in The Beverly Hillbillies.

Donna Douglas (Elly May Clampett)

Donna Douglas—born Doris Ione Smith on September 26, 1932, in Pride, Louisiana—never had any illusions about Hollywood, but she always understood exactly who she was, and never lost sight of it. Growing up, she considered herself a tomboy, though that didn’t stop her from entering and winning beauty pageants. One of those wins led to a role in the Paramount film Career and eventually to a string of television appearances—17 of them, in fact—before she joined The Beverly Hillbillies cast. The most famous of those early roles was in The Twilight Zone episode “Eye of the Beholder.” Married twice, she had one son. Donna passed away on January 1, 2015, at the age of 82.

1959

Donna Douglas’ movie debut was in 1959’s Career, her main scene being the one in the video above. Nobody really knows about this one, but for Donna it must have been exciting to be in the same film as Dean Martin, Tony Franciosa and Shirley MacLaine. The plot is about an actor named Sam Lawson who is determined to break into Hollywood no matter what it takes.

Anthony Quinn poses with a radiant Donna Douglas in 1959. Then a model and budding actress, Douglas was beginning to make her mark in Hollywood, several years before her signature role would catapult her into television stardom.

1960

There are so many classic episodes of Rod Serling’s The Twilight Zone, and this is certainly one of them. The clip above is Douglas’ main scene in the episode “Eye of the Beholder,” which originally aired on November 11, 1960. If you haven’t seen the show, you might not want to watch the video as it definitely has spoilers.

1966

This one is admittedly a cheat, given that the film was actually released midway through the run of The Beverly Hillbillies. In truth, this was Donna’s only starring role in a film, and doing so with Elvis Presley seems like a pretty good mic drop as a movie performer.

1962 to 1971

Donna Douglas dons a train conductor’s cap while filming on location in Branson, Missouri, on August 23, 1969. The image was captured during production of the Silver Dollar City Fair arc—a five-episode run that aired in October 1969 and brought The Beverly Hillbillies to the Ozarks for some downhome locomotive fun.

Max Baer, Jr. (Jethro Bodine)

Maximilian Adelbert Baer Jr.—better known as Max Baer Jr.—was born on December 4, 1937, in Oakland, California. The son of heavyweight boxing champion Max Baer, he briefly dabbled in the sport himself but quickly realized it wasn’t his calling. His acting career began in 1960 when he signed a contract with Warner Bros, which led to 18 guest appearances on various television series before landing his breakout role on The Beverly Hillbillies. As it turned out, Baer would go on to do much more—both within the entertainment industry and outside of it—after the show ended. He was married to Joanne Kathleen Hill from 1966 to 1971 and is currently 87 years old.

1938

Heavyweight boxing champion Max Baer shares a joyful moment with wife Mary Ellen Sullivan and their newborn son, Max Baer Jr., on January 20, 1938. Decades later, that baby would trade gloves for guffaws as Jethro Bodine on The Beverly Hillbillies.

1960

A young Max Baer Jr. sits in a police building on April 29, 1960, following reports that marijuana cigarettes were found in his room. Years before achieving stardom as Jethro Bodine, Baer briefly made news for this incident—though it ultimately had little effect on the rising actor’s future in television.

1962

Max Baer Jr. and wife Joanne Hill attend an awards party in Los Angeles in 1962. Still early in his acting career, Baer was just months away from landing the role that would make him a television icon, while Hill often accompanied him to public events during their brief marriage.

1962-1971

Donna Douglas and Max Baer Jr. bring pure joy to the front steps of their fictional mansion in this playful promotional photo for The Beverly Hillbillies. As Elly May and Jethro, the two stars embraced their characters’ wide-eyed wonder—and their physical comedy—with genuine affection and infectious energy.