The Clampett Family Tree, questions to follow:

Granny was Jed's mother-in-law. She was Daisy Moses.

They referenced Jed's deceased wife a few times, but I do not remember her name.

OMG thank you, you're right, Daisy Moses!

Bug Tussle, Texas

Pearl Bodine was Jed's cousin, so although Jethro called him "uncle" he technically was not, he was a cousin once removed.

The Clampetts didn't come from Texas. They came from the Ozark mountain area, so Southern Missouri or Arkansas (the state was never specified).

Bugtussle was used because it sounds so goofy. There are towns and areas with that name in several southern states, but none of them are the fictional Bugtussle of The Beverly Hillbillies.

Here's another confusing family situation.

Lester didn't want Earl to marry Pearl because HE was in love with Pearl, too.

Earl's riposte to Lester's "nutty as a squirrel" dig:

"Pearl, Pearl, come be my loving girl/ Don't you marry Lester Flatt, He slicks his hair with possum fat/ Change your name to Mrs. Earl Scruggs."

Believe it or not, I downloaded this song from Amazon Music three months ago. I have loved it since I was a child. "

Pearl had an identical cousin who ran the Shady Rest Hotel in Hooterville.

I think Pearl is Jed's cousin, not his late wife's cousin.

She may even be his sister, in which case Jethro calling Jed "Uncle" makes perfect sense.

It was not uncommon 100 years ago for parents to refer to a daughter as "sister" when there was also a brother in the family, and vice versa.

Other Southerners can perhaps corroborate this old timey southern idiom.

R7 I always hated watching the credits to Petticoat Junction because I was afraid Benji was going to hit by that train.

I said the same thing in the Petticoat Junction thread, r9

OP, I;m sure they were much, much more closely related than you suppose. We're talking hillbillies here. Trust me.

Someone on the DL supplied some bawdy lyrics to the Ballad of Jed Clampett a while back.

Something about throwing Ellie Mae on the bed and his "worm."

I'll tell you all a story 'bout a man named, 'Jed'

jumped on Granny and threw her on the bed

then from his pants came a wigglin' worm

Something-something-something a bubblin' sperm..

'up from his nuts came a bubblin' sperm'

Every episode is on Youtube. Sometimes I will watch 4-5 in a row, and laugh my ass off.

Well, they CERTAINLY weren't related to ME!

Milburn Drysdale did not have a middle name on the television show.

Margaret, nee Fahrquar, was from Boston.

Great character Charlie Ruggles played her father in several early episodes.

"Daddy Fahrquar" was a card sharp who tried to steal the Clampets money in card games because Margaret did not know he was broke.

I liked that the Clampett's genealogy actually was pure Mayflower aristocracy, and Jed in a moment of compassion suppressed it so Mrs. Drysdale wouldn't feel less-than.

This h'yar expressed the tree fer you folks.

But Buddy Ebsen is, I hope, rotting in hell for his behavior against Nancy Kulp when she ran for Congress. Nasty bastard.

Thank you for your handy chart, r18. Your own creation?

[quote] the Clampett's genealogy actually was pure Mayflower aristocracy,

Which never actually made any sense, because the mountain people of the Ozarks were descendants of Appalachian settlers who came from Virginia or Pennsylvania. They were English or Scots-Irish people who immigrated to North America in the 18th century.

Mayflower descendants (from 17th century migrations) would not have taken that path of settlement.

[You do realize that this is a troll, right? It just craves attention. You might want to stop talking to it.]

The Clampetts weren't Mayflower descendants. They were Jamestown descendants. This was discovered by Mrs. Drysdale's Mayflower associate, Priscilla Ralph Alden Smith Standish, played by Rosemary DeCamp.

Mrs. Standish is a down-to-earth historian who realizes that the Clampetts old things are priceless relics that predate the sailing of the Mayflower. She tells the horrified Mrs. Drysdale that when their Mayflower ancestors arrived in the New World, Jed Clampett's Jamestown ancestors were already there to greet them.

R21, Jethrine was Jethro's sister, Pearl's daughter.

Please. Get it right.

I always understood Sonny Drysdale to be Mrs. Drysdale's son from a prior marriage.

Louie Nye was great, even if he was way too old to be playing a college student.

[quote]I always understood Sonny Drysdale to be Mrs. Drysdale's son from a prior marriage.

[quote]Louie Nye was great, even if he was way too old to be playing a college student.

I think the latter was just supposed a subtle joke, like Sonny was the eternal college student, always taking easy courses without actually majoring in anything and living off his parents' money.

The Bodines are also related to the Hapsburgs.

Didn't the Clampetts have relatives in England? Remember those episodes when they went to the castle there?

Pearl's grandchildren later started a band called, THE BODINES.

Thanks to whomever started this thread. I hadn't thought of the Beverly Hillbillies in years. I'm just old enough to barely remember the last seasons, the ones in color, but I thought them silly at the time.

I just watched the earlier black and white shows on youtube, and these ones are hilarious! Fine acting all around, solid writing, and whole lot of gay-gay-gay (Nancy Kulp, Jethrine).

Seriously, give them a try, even if you don't remember the show fondly.

[You do realize that this is a troll, right? It just craves attention. You might want to stop talking to it.]

$18

Some solid acting from everyone on this show. I loved Granny, Pearl, Mrs. Dysdale, Jethro and Jethrine, and Elly May and Miss Jane. and many of the wonderful guest stars, from Hedda Hopper to Kathleen Freeman to Rosemary DeCamp.

The sets were breathtaking back in the day. The first few years were hilarious.

When I lived in Los Angeles as a young man in the early 70s, you could easily find the actual mansion in Bel Air. You can't see it now, due to the way the owners have reconfigured walls/foliage.

A high concept series that had plenty of double entendres and gay allusions. Harmless, funny, silly, a slice of Americana.

I loved when it was revealed the Clampetts were descendants of the original settlers.

Ronald and Nancy Reagan lived directly across the street from the Clampetts

The Bel-Air house that Ronnie moved into after his presidency was across from the mansion used for the exterior scenes on Beverly Hillbillies.

R33 Was that the one for which Nancy forced the Post Office to have the address changed so it wouldn't be 666? (They made it 668.)

Yes, it was originally 666 St. Cloud or St. Pierre Rd. Nancy had it changed. The Reagan property backs on to theClampett, now Perenchio property, which is at 750 Bel Air Rd.

It's St. Cloud.

A drunken Donna Douglas once punched Marlo Thomas in the gut at a party when Marlo, in a blunt way, told her she wasn't good enough to be there.

Marlo ees a cont.

As a side, Jethrine is now styled as The Marchioness of Broughton since her marriage to The Earl Broughton.

When she was out of her Clampett costume Donna Douglas was gorgeous.

Wow. The Hillbillies were on for nine years. It's second season was the most watch TV program up to that time.

I would be most appreciative if all of you could cast your votes for me, Mrs. Margaret Drysdale, in the upcoming Possum Queen festival instead of that dreadful Granny, Daisy Moses. Toodles!

She never got over her brief love affair with Elvis Presley.

Even though the characters are somewhat ridiculous, they are very well defined layered characters, and you feel like you know them right away. This is the sign of excellent sit-com writing.

We lived in a modest house, and as a child, I was very impressed with the super-modern Clampett kitchen, all shiny and white, with the washer and dryer right in that handy nook upstage center!

They don't make them like this anymore.

Why are there so few good actors on television today?

Why is so much TV mediocre?

and the writing, most of it seems written by slow 10th graders.

There are exceptions of course, but The Beverly Hillbillies was a great concept and well done show.

Another gay reference--society Sandy, the male gossip columnist who dressed as Lil' Bo Peep.

I watched the first season recently -- they took about six episodes to introduce everyone and the situation.

Now, they'd do it in six seconds.

[quote]As a side, Jethrine is now styled as The Marchioness of Broughton since her marriage to The Earl Broughton.

Please, which episode is this? Must watch!

In one episode Jed tells the family tree.

You are correct that Jed and Pearl are first cousins. And that makes Jethro and Elly second cousins. Jed even says that Jethro is his first cousin once removed, but he calls him uncle.

Granny was identified as Daisy early on. Originally series creator Paul Henning wanted to make Granny Jed's mother. This was changed for two reasons.

Henning was head writer on the Burns and Allen (radio show) and Bea Benaderet played Gracie's best friend Blanche. He wanted Benaderet for Granny and she almost got it, but he pictured Granny as a tiny woman and Bea was to "busty" for his likings. He rewrote the show to put Benaderet in it as a cousin.

Henning also changed Granny to a mother-in-law, as he wanted Jed to be the absolute head of the "clan," and if Granny was his mother he would not be.

Early on Granny is painting and corrects Miss Jane when she says she is Granny Clampett, saying "No ma'am I'm a Moses." Jane looks astonished and says "Granny Moses? You're Grandma Moses." She continues "Did you know there's a famous painter Grandma Moses?" To wit Granny replies, "I've whitewashed a few fences in my day."

So it seems to have started out as a one off joke.

Pearl who has a love/hate relationship with Granny (mainly due to their both wanting to be in charge of the kitchen) states proudly that she has Clampett blood in here but Granny does not.

Granny says that she's Granny to them all, thus confirming her title "Granny" is not only biological but also just a figure. Indeed she is Granny to anyone she likes, such as Miss Jane too.

Jed's wife and Granny's daughter is referred to in one episode as Rose Ellen.

Granny and Jed as different points state that Granny is from "across the river," this probably means the Mississippi River. Later episodes state both she and Mr Drysdale are from Tennessee. Drysdale relatives are Botkins, whom Granny's relatives were feuding with.

Granny also states she was born in the same county in Tennessee as Davy Crockett. This would be Greene County Tennessee, way in Eastern tennessee.

Jed's family is established as in Arkansas / Missouri Ozark area.

Jethro speaks of going to Joplin, MO and wanting to be a street car conductor, like they have there.

Mr John Brewster of the OK Oil Company, has a home and office in "nearby" Tulsa. Does OK mean Oklahoma? Or "OK" as in "all right'?

It's funny how when they speak of wild Hollywood parties, Granny, Miss Jane and Drysdale tell of a story not firsthand but they all know someone who knew someone, who went to one, and they got the information from someone in a flour mill in Springfield. Also a city in SW Missouri.

Mrs Drysdale is from Boston. Her family came over on the Mayflower, though Jed's family was already in Jamestown waiting for them. Jed lies about this as he says he doesn't want the fame and attention that would come with it.

Usually it's indicated that Margaret Drysdale's family had no money, only a rich family name and she married Drysdale so she could have his money. In other words her family is old but "poor" and Drysdale is "new money."

However there are a few contradictory episodes where it's stated Margaret's family has money. Edward Everett Horton played Margaret's father and he clearly had no money at all, trying to woo Granny so she'd finance his gambling problem. Horton is best remembered as the narrator on Bullwinkle's "Fractured Fairy tales."

Certain things are contradictory in the show. For instance even in the beginning Jed, Elly and Granny are illiterate. Pearl, Jethro and Jethrine are not. But either Jed, Elly and Granny learn very, very fast or it's soon forgotten.

Granny's medical ability, though it'd be very popular now with "natural cures," changes depending on the joke. For instance, sometimes she knows about penicillin and other times she does not.

Elly Mae has a similar problem with animals. She sometimes seems to know what all kinds of animals are but then other times don't. For instance it's odd that she knows what a hippo is, when there is one found at the Clampett pool. But in some early episodes it's shown Elly hangs out at the zoo a lot.

In deed to this day the "Beverly Hillbillies" holds the record for the highest rated "non-special" episode. (Non-special meaning just a regular episode not a series end like Cheers or M*A*S*H). It was the one where Drysdale's banker friend from Australia sends him a kangaroo and it gets out of his garage and hops over to the Clampetts. Granny spend the rest of the episode trying to catch the "giant jackrabbit."

No, r51, Margaret's father, Lowell Redlings Fahrquar, was played by Charlie Ruggles, not Edward Everett Horton.

Aren't they the same? Someone needs to start a thread about actors who are confused.

[quote]The Clampetts weren't Mayflower descendants. They were Jamestown descendants. This was discovered by Mrs. Drysdale's Mayflower associate, Priscilla Ralph Alden Smith Standish, played by Rosemary DeCamp.

Ms Drysdale: You don't mean to tell me...

Priscilla: Yes, while you're family and my family were coming over on the Mayflower, his family waiting for us.

Pearl: You see, the further back your family goes, the more important it makes you.

Jed: Then the Indians must be really important.

Pearl: No, it doesn't work that way

Jed: Why not?

Pearl: Look let's not question the rules, let's just enjoy them.

Jethro could cipher!

R54, here the two actors are together in the classic film Trouble in Paradise:

Actually R48 the dialog is as follows after Granny reveals she is Grandma Moses:

Jane: Oh there is a famous painter by that name. She is known for painting primitives.

Granny: Well...I've whitewashed a few myself.

EDITOR! Strike this thread as fast as lightening!

Jethro really was a hot piece of ass.

Shame about the dull and predictable 1993 film. Some good casting (Lily Tomlin, Cloris Leachman) but it managed to be thoroughly unfunny,

I'm fascinated by the wealth of interest and actual knowledge about this 50 year-old series!

No place but DataLounge can provide the vibrant context in which to place "The Beverly Hillbillies" as a truly vital part of our television heritage.

Love this thread!

The film had potential, but it made the Clampetts the butt of the jokes. The series had respect for them.

I watched a lot of the episodes first-run as a little kid. I kinda liked how they came out and waved goodbye over the closing credits.

One of my favorite supporting players was Dash Rip Rock.

Just the name alone is perfect, but Larry Pennell also did a good job playing Dash. He appeared in 10 episodes between 1965 and 1969. Interestingly enough, neither IMDB or Wikipedia have any mention of Pennell ever being married.

someone needs to post shirtless or swim trunks wearing Jethro pictures.

Remember "The Clampett Look" episodes? hilarious.

and wasn't there an ep that had "Jackie Kennedy" (not really her, someone played her in a brief cameo) that they never showed again after JFK was shot?

OP, you've missed your calling as a Talmudic scholar.

I'm a huge silent film buff and it occurs to me that this might be due to seeing the Beverly Hillbillies episode with Gloria Swanson when I was a tyke.

Dash Riprock was beefcake at Mammoth Pictures along with Bolt Upright.

I thought my grandmother was going to fall out of her chair laughing at that one.

Jethro was sexy as hell. It was funny when Elly Mae would beat him up when they rassled.

(Regarding Homer "Dash Riprock" Noodleman of Peoria)

Miss Jane: You can't send Elly Mae out with that wolf.

Drysdale: Sweet little Elly Mae can take three of his kind with one hand tied behind her back.

Elly Mae was actually a women's libber. She liked men and wanted to get married but ONLY on her terms.

She had to respect the man she married and she was willing to wait or go without, because SHE came first, in her own life.

One of my favorite lines was when Elly and Jethrine came in from playing football:

Elly: And those boys sure were dumb. Jethrine had the ball and they kept tackling me.

Granny re: checkout at a supermarket

Granny: So the women says to me, that will be 12.25. So I says, "make up your mind is it twelve or twenty five?"

She says 12.25 so, I give her the benefit of the doubt and put down twenty five cents. She looks at me and says "Ma'am you're short." So I says to her, "I may be short but I can still lick you."

Granny on the "fact of life."

Elly: Pa says you'll have a talk with me...

[Pause]

Elly: Well?

Granny: Oh I'm gonna do it, I just wanna remember it for awhile first.

Granny on Jethro:

Granny: I told you that boy is so dumb he doesn't even know what sex he's opposite of.

Granny looking for Jethro in Griffith Park

Hippie: What are those?

Granny: Smoked crawdads?

Hippie: You smoke those? Will you show me how?

Granny: Sure but you gotta get me a little pot first.

Drysdale to Miss Jane:

Drysdale: I gave my word. And when I give my word, I expect YOU to keep it.

Granny: Have some Clem chowder

Maid from next door: I love clam chowder

Granny: No CLEM chowder. Clem was our goat, he got ornery so I made a stew out of him.

[quote]Dash Riprock was beefcake at Mammoth Pictures along with Bolt Upright.

What a silly name for an actor!

[quote]wasn't there an ep that had "Jackie Kennedy" (not really her, someone played her in a brief cameo) that they never showed again after JFK was shot?

Do they show it in syndication?

I just love Granny. She's in my top 5 of favorite characters. I love how tough she was but how she had a thorough soft spot for Mrs. Drysdale.

There was never an episode of The Beverly Hillbillies that referenced President or Mrs. Kennedy in anyway.

Lucy Carmichael in The Lucy Show took her cub scout troupe to the White House after the boys built a White House replica out of sugar cubes. She "spoke" to Kennedy on the phone.

I'm not sure if a double for the President was used when Lucy invaded the Oval Office.

The episode aired during the first season of The Lucy Show, on March 25, 1963.

Oh....and that episode of The Lucy Show.....is part of the black and white season, and it has been syndicated.

Donna Douglas can be seen in the "Drop That Name" production number of "Bells Are Ringing".

She plays a New York jet setting sophisticate and looks the part!

She was indeed beautiful.

R84 Mr. Ed had an episode where the wives dressed up like and tried to copy the then first lady, Mrs Kennedy.

It is kind of creepy looking at it now.

Wasn't Jethrine played by Max Baer, Jr, who was usually Jethro? I seem to recall that big boy looking ridiculous in drag.

It was R88!

And the voice was Linda Henning.

[quote]Wasn't Jethrine played by Max Baer, Jr, who was usually Jethro? I seem to recall that big boy looking ridiculous in drag.

Doh! So that's why Jethro and Jethrine never seem to have scenes together even though they're siblings...I only just figured it out with your help.

Y'all at the Shady Rest nursing home need to lay off the meth. Y'all are gettn excited over this stupid shit.

I LOVED this show.

I had a Beverly Hillbillies lunchbox that I was quite proud of.

I remember begging my mother to let me stay up late to watch it, in first-run. She refused. Bedtime is bedtime. So I went to bed and cried while listening to the theme song as my mom and dad watched it.

There is an episode in which they drive to another mansion, the car is seen going through the gate of what later became the Playboy Mansion.

For a time Max Baer Jr. was known for giving a Halloween party to which an invite was very coveted.

Of course Donna was also the star of the infamous "Eye of the Beholder" episode of Twilight Zone, which gave me nightmares for years after it aired.

I wonder if there was some problem with her voice, her accent, or her acting ability, as her entire part is dubbed.

Her accent is real. It can also be heard as she plays Tony Randall's secretary in Lover Come Back...."I'm King of the Elevator!"

She also played a Dogpatch girl in Lil Abner.

There's an episode where Phil Silvers and Kathleen Freeman play con artists looking to fleece the Clampetts.

Sublime.

Kathleen Freeman and Murvyn Vye played a couple of con artists who tried to sue the Hillbillies for phony injuries after a minor fender bender outside the bank.

Jed Clampett is the embodiment of the Great American Myth that a man can gain the world and keep his soul.

$18, I said $18 hard earned dollars refolding jeans at The Gap.

Supposedly Irene ryan, who played Granny and later the Granny in Pippin was a hermaphrodite who had a pair of balls she sometimes flashed.

The rest of the cast hated Irene Ryan because she got a swollen head when she realized that Granny was the most popular character and started making unreasonable demands.

The Bodines, Kardashians, Clampetts, Palins and the cast of Duck Dynasty are from the same holler in the Ozarks.

Kathleen Freeman was an UBER-DYKE!

I used to chat up her and her much younger girlfriend at the gym regularly.