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The Last Clampett Standing: What Happened To The Cast Of The Beverly Hillbillies TV Show?

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The Beverly Hillbillies remains one of the most iconic and successful sitcoms in television history, chronicling the journey of the Clampett family from the Ozarks to the opulence of Beverly Hills after striking oil. As of late 2025, the show's enduring legacy is bittersweet, marked by the passing of nearly all its beloved principal stars. The curiosity surrounding the cast's fate—from the patriarch Jed to the sweet-natured Elly May—is a testament to the show's cultural impact from 1962 to 1971.

The central, most up-to-date fact is a poignant one: only one main cast member from the original series is still alive. This article provides a comprehensive look at the full cast, detailing their biographies, their final years, and the surprising, decades-long business ventures of the last surviving Clampett family member.

The Clampett Family and Associates: A Complete Cast Biography (1962–1971)

The main ensemble cast of *The Beverly Hillbillies* consisted of six principal actors who brought the fish-out-of-water premise to life. Here is a detailed look at the core entities, their characters, and their ultimate fates.

  • Max Baer Jr. (Jethro Bodine / Jethrine Bodine)
    • Born: December 4, 1937 (Still Living as of 2025)
    • Role: Jed's dim-witted, six-foot-six nephew, whose ambitions ranged from becoming a brain surgeon to a double-naught spy. Baer also occasionally played Jethro’s twin sister, Jethrine.
    • Post-Show Career: Transitioned into directing and producing, notably the critically acclaimed film *Ode to Billy Joe* (1976). He is the sole surviving core cast member and has spent decades pursuing lucrative business ventures related to the show's brand.
  • Buddy Ebsen (Jed Clampett)
    • Born: April 2, 1908
    • Died: July 6, 2003 (Age 95)
    • Cause of Death: Respiratory failure/Pneumonia.
    • Legacy: Ebsen had a long and storied career, originally cast as the Tin Man in *The Wizard of Oz* before a severe reaction to the aluminum dust forced him out. After *The Beverly Hillbillies*, he starred in another hit series, *Barnaby Jones* (1973–1980). He was the calm, common-sense patriarch of the Clampett family.
  • Irene Ryan (Daisy "Granny" Moses)
    • Born: October 17, 1902
    • Died: April 26, 1973 (Age 70)
    • Cause of Death: Stroke, complicated by a brain tumor (glioblastoma) and arteriosclerotic heart disease.
    • Legacy: An accomplished vaudeville and radio star before the show, Ryan was nominated for two Emmy Awards for her portrayal of the feisty, shotgun-toting Granny. She died shortly after the series ended, while starring in the Broadway musical *Pippin*.
  • Donna Douglas (Elly May Clampett)
    • Born: September 26, 1933
    • Died: January 1, 2015 (Age 82)
    • Cause of Death: Pancreatic cancer.
    • Legacy: Douglas played the beautiful, animal-loving daughter of Jed, known for her "critters." She was the last of the three main Clampett family actors to pass away, and was a gospel singer and children’s book author in her later life.
  • Raymond Bailey (Milburn Drysdale)
    • Born: May 6, 1904
    • Died: April 15, 1980 (Age 75)
    • Cause of Death: Heart attack.
    • Role: The perpetually stressed, greedy banker and next-door neighbor, Mr. Drysdale, whose sole purpose in life was keeping the Clampetts’ $25 million fortune in his bank. Bailey had suffered a stroke while the show was still running, limiting his later appearances.
  • Nancy Kulp (Miss Jane Hathaway)
    • Born: August 28, 1921
    • Died: February 3, 1991 (Age 69)
    • Cause of Death: Cancer.
    • Role: Drysdale’s loyal, highly educated, and often exasperated secretary, Miss Jane Hathaway. Kulp ran unsuccessfully for Congress in Pennsylvania in 1984.

The Last Surviving Star: Max Baer Jr.'s Life and Current Ventures in 2025

Max Baer Jr., who played the lovable Jethro Bodine, is not only the last surviving main cast member but also arguably the most successful entrepreneur of the group. While many actors fade from the spotlight, Baer has spent decades leveraging the show's intellectual property to build a commercial empire, a story that remains fresh and ongoing in 2025.

After leaving acting, Baer Jr. acquired the rights to the *Beverly Hillbillies* name and characters for commercial ventures, primarily casinos, restaurants, and hotels. This move transformed him from a sitcom star into a shrewd businessman.

The most famous—and longest-running—of these ventures is the plan for a themed resort. Baer has long pursued the construction of a major entertainment complex in Nevada, often referred to as "Jethro Bodine's Beverly Hillbillies Mansion & Casino." This project, which has seen various iterations and location changes over the years, is designed to be a full-scale, Clampett-themed experience, complete with a replica of the mansion and Granny's shotgun wedding chapel. While the project has faced numerous regulatory and financial hurdles, the pursuit of this massive commercial enterprise remains a key part of Baer's identity, ensuring the name "Jethro" stays relevant decades after the show's cancellation.

The Mystery of the 'One and a Half' Surviving Cast Member and Other Key Entities

The phrase "only one and a half of the main cast members are still alive" often surfaces in fan discussions. This refers to the fact that while Max Baer Jr. is the sole surviving principal actor, there was one other highly recognizable, recurring actor who connected the show to the wider "rural comedy" universe, known as the Hooterville Trilogy, which included *Petticoat Junction* and *Green Acres*.

That key recurring entity was Frank Cady, who played the general store proprietor Sam Drucker. Cady appeared in all three sitcoms, bridging the worlds of the Clampetts, the Shady Rest Hotel, and the Douglas farm. Cady passed away in 2012 at the age of 96, confirming that the entire main and most significant recurring cast of the show is now deceased, leaving Max Baer Jr. as the true "Last Clampett Standing."

Other notable recurring entities who have also passed away include:

  • Harriet E. MacGibbon (Mrs. Margaret Drysdale): The snobbish, socialite wife of Milburn Drysdale. (Died 1987)
  • Shug Fisher (Shorty Kellems): Jed's old friend from the hills. (Died 1984)
  • Sharon Tate (Janet Trego): A beautiful secretary who appeared in 15 episodes before her tragic death in 1969.

The Rural Purge and The Beverly Hillbillies' Controversial Cancellation

The show's massive success makes its cancellation in 1971 a subject of enduring fascination and topical authority. *The Beverly Hillbillies* was not canceled due to low ratings; in fact, it was still a top-20 show when CBS decided to pull the plug. The true reason lies in a corporate strategy known as the "Rural Purge."

In the early 1970s, CBS executives, led by network president Fred Silverman, sought to shed the network’s image as a home for "hillbilly" and rural-themed comedies. They wanted to attract a younger, more affluent, and urban audience that would appeal to modern advertisers. Despite its high viewership, *The Beverly Hillbillies*—along with *Green Acres* and *Petticoat Junction*—was deemed too old-fashioned and was abruptly canceled as part of a sweeping overhaul of the network's programming slate.

This decision, which also saw the end of *Hogan's Heroes* and *Mayberry R.F.D.*, remains one of the most controversial moves in television history, demonstrating a network prioritizing demographics and cultural perception over raw viewership numbers.

The enduring appeal of the Clampetts, however, has proven the purge to be a short-sighted move. The show's theme song, "The Ballad of Jed Clampett," performed by Jerry Scoggins, remains instantly recognizable, and the series continues to be a syndication powerhouse, introducing the "black gold, Texas tea" story to new generations of fans who are still curious about the actors behind the iconic Jed, Granny, Elly May, and Jethro.

The Last Clampett Standing: What Happened to the Cast of The Beverly Hillbillies TV Show?
cast of the beverly hillbillies tv
cast of the beverly hillbillies tv

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