THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES

'''The Beverly Hillbillies''' was an American television program about a hillbilly family living in Southern California. A Filmways production, the series aired on CBS from September 26, 1962 to May 23, 1971. Filmways produced 274 episodes, 106 in black-and-white (1962-1965), and 168 in color (1965-1971).
In the series, patriarch Jed Clampett strikes oil while hunting on his land. He then moves with his family to Beverly Hills, California, with the resultant wealth.
Despite being panned by some critics, ''The Beverly Hillbillies'' shot to the top of the Nielsen Ratings shortly after its premiere and stayed there for several seasons. The series did receive two Emmy nominations for Best Comedy Series as well as nominations for cast members Irene Ryan and Nancy Kulp. It was ranked in the top ten most watched prime time programs for six of its nine seasons.
The series starred Buddy Ebsen as the widowed patriarch, Jedediah Jed "JD" Clampett; Irene Ryan as his mother-in-law, Daisy "Granny" Moses; Donna Douglas as his daughter, Elly May Clampett; and Max Baer, Jr. as his cousin's son, Jethro Bodine.
The supporting cast featured Raymond Bailey as Jed's greedy banker, Milburn Drysdale; Harriet E. MacGibbon as Drysdale's snobbish wife, Margaret Drysdale; and Nancy Kulp as Drysdale's secretary, "Miss" Jane Hathaway, who pined for the clueless Jethro. Veteran canine actor "Stretch" as Jed's bloodhound Duke. Jed's cousin Pearl Bodine (Jethro's mother, played by Bea Benaderet), also appeared in several episodes during the first season, as did Jethro's twin sister, Jethrine (played by Baer in drag). Although not a major character, doomed actress Sharon Tate, who was murdered by the Manson Family in 1969, had a recurring role on The Beverly Hillbillies during the early years of the series. Tate appeared in a dark wig as Janet, an assistant to Miss Hathaway at the Commerce Bank.
The theme song, "The Ballad of Jed Clampett", was written by producer and writer Paul Henning and originally performed by Bluegrass artists Flatt and Scruggs. It was #44 on the music charts in 1962 and a #1 country hit. Flatt and Scruggs also had another Billboard country top ten with the comic "Pearl, Pearl, Pearl" an ode to the feminine charms of Miss Pearl Bodine that was featured in the episode "Jed Throws a Wingding", the first of several Flatt and Scruggs appearances on the show. The six main cast members participated on a 1963 Columbia Records soundtrack album which featured original song numbers in character. Additionally, Ebsen, Ryan, and Douglas each made a few solo recordings following the series' success.

Contents

Storylines

Characters and critters

Running jokes

The family tree

One of a breed

Beverly Hillbillies on video

Malaprops and colloquialisms

See also

References

External links

Storylines

Most storylines revolved around the clash between the "uncivilized" hillbilly culture the Clampetts represented and the "civilized" American culture the Drysdales represented. The Clampetts lived as they always had, even in their large, elegant mansion, never abandoning their mountain attire or replacing the old rattletrap truck that they moved to California in. They continued to grow their own food; and Granny made lye soap and moonshine. A running joke on the series was back in the hills, the movie theaters were still showing films from the silent movie era and the Hillbillies were unaware of talking pictures or more contemporary movie stars. Granny's favorite actor is Hoot Gibson but she also has an intense crush on William S. Hart and the whole Clampett family adores Mary Pickford. Silent movie legend Gloria Swanson made a memorable guest appearance on the show as herself in an episode that featured a comic parody of a silent melodrama. (The Hillbillies did however have a television and watched soap operas and "rasslin'" on it, and apparently John Wayne sound films since they were aware of Wayne unlike other "talking" stars.) He also made a short guest appearance on one episode, "The Indians are Coming".
Pearl and Granny often fought for kitchen supremacy. Pearl, on occasion, would tell Granny that "a blood cousin trumps a mother-in-law". This underscores a familial disconnect between Jethro and Granny; although they shared no bloodlines, Jethro still called her "Granny" (as did everyone else on the show including Jane and the Drysdales). Other than their kitchen wars, relations between Granny and Pearl were generally friendly. The second season began with a brief mention of Pearl having moved back to the hills (actress Benaderet had left the show to star in ''Petticoat Junction'') and Mrs. Drysdale soon became Granny's main sparring partner.
Although both Douglas and Baer were well in their twenties when the series started, during the first years of the series at least their characters are supposed to be teenagers. Elly May is enrolled in an elite girls' school in season one although no further mention is made of her education in later episodes. Jethro is enrolled in a sixth-grade class with of course much younger students for a couple episodes and a few later episodes suggest he is still in school.
A running theme during the series involved the outlandish efforts Mr. Drysdale took to keep the Clampetts in Beverly Hills (and their money in his bank). Such desires to return to the mountains were often prompted by Granny after some perceived slight she received from the "city-folk" around them. Drysdale went so far as to recreate the log cabin the Clampetts had lived in and place it right next to the swimming pool and the still Granny had installed to make moonshine. Another time Drysdale bought the Silver Dollar City "bank" to keep the Clampett's money in Beverly Hills. Once Drysdale hired movie stuntmen to play fake Native Americans "attacking" the Clampett mansion after Jed and Jethro decide to negotiate oil leases with real Native Americans.
Another frequent source of humor dealt with Jethro's endless career search, which included such diverse vocations as soda jerk, brain surgeon, Hollywood celebrity and secret "double nought" agent/spy. Jethro coveted movie star fame, and relished becoming a "playboy" like Elly's sometimes beau Dash Riprock (Larry Pennell). Jethro's stupidity usually caused such career attempts to fail spectacularly, as when he decided to open a "topless" restaurant, where the waitresses were hatless. The one time Jethro almost succeeds in anything is when "Cousin Roy" (Roy Clark) wants Jethro to support Roy be a country singer; Jethro refuses and loses as usual.
Misunderstandings were the general source of humor in the program — either the Clampetts did not understand something they had never encountered before, or various city dwellers could not comprehend something the Clampetts are talking about, as when some businessmen hear Jed talking about "crawdads" and think he is discussing some new military vehicle, which they would like to invest in.
The Hillbillies went back to the hills for Christmas during the first season but did not return until season eight when several episodes were filmed on location at Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri. During this period Shug Fisher as Jed's eccentric little pal "Shorty" and Elvia Allman as Granny's arch nemesis Elverna Bradshaw joined the cast as semi-regulars.
Some of the later episodes are positively bizarre, as when the Clampetts encounter a group of hippies living in Griffith Park — they praise granny for wanting to "smoke crawdads" — and Jethro dresses as General Patton and drives around in a tank, with Mr. Drysdale dressed in a World War I German officers uniform.
Although the series generally featured no country music beyond the theme song, the series is often linked to the country music genre, although Roy Clark and Flatt and Scruggs were the only country stars to ever appear on the program. Pop singer Pat Boone appeared on one episode as himself with the premise that he hails from the same area as the Clampetts.

Characters and critters

Although having little formal education, Jed had good common sense, Granny had insights into human nature, and Elly May was a strong capable girl. She could throw a fastball as well as wrestle any man to a fall. However Jethro was incredibly ignorant and self centered. Granny styled herself an "M.D." — "mountain doctor" — claiming to have a complete knowledge of herbs, potions and tonics. Elly May had a deep rapport with animals and adopted a great diversity including numerous dogs, cats, deer, opossums, goats, raccoons, and chimpanzees as her "critters". One chimp named "Cousin Bessie" wore a dress and was prominently featured in many Hillbillies episodes.
Elly May was as stunningly beautiful as she was naïve, and was squired about by eager young Hollywood actors with stage names like "Dash Riprock" and "Bolt Upright". (Obvious puns on the actors Rock Hudson, Tab Hunter, Gig Young, and Rip Torn.) Dash Riprock was a particularly interesting character who made several appearances — he was torn between his attraction to Elly and some sympathy for Jethro and his fear of "those crazy Clampetts."
Occasionally characters from the hills made appearances — Lafe Crick, a lazy and boorish yet oddly charismatic fellow who was hoping to help himself to a bit of the Clampett fortune, appeared at one point, fooling everyone about his intentions except Granny and Jed. Additionally, the ukulele-strumming Jazzbo Depew appears to woo Jethrine Bodine in a few episodes.
Jethro called himself "Beef Jerky," imagining himself a playboy and sophisticated man-about-town. He was particularly proud of his education: he spent 12 years at school — before passing the sixth grade. After that, he decided to go to college. He managed to enroll late in the semester at a local secretarial school due to his financial backing, and earned his diploma by the end of the day because he didn't understand what was going on in class and was too disruptive. Jethro would never succeed in any career he ever tried {See above}, in the TV Movie of the "The Beverly Hillbilles" with the original cast-Jethro finally found a career he best suited for--becoming a Hollywood Studio mogul!!
The Drysdales were also pretty foolish. Although Mrs. Drysdale had obvious disdain for their neighbors, Mr. Drysdale was willing to do anything to keep them next door so as to not lose control of their millions in his bank. Episodes in 1962 and 1966 featured his ne'er-do-well stepson, Sonny (played by Louis Nye), a Mama's Boy whose "career" was going to college. Sonny was at one point a potential husband for Elly May. When he jilted her, there was nearly a feud. All the while, Mrs. Drysdale led outlandish campaigns to rid her city of the uncouth hillbillies.
Between Mrs. Drysdale and Mr. Drysdale was a subtle social commentary on class. Mrs. Drysdale had antebellum aristocratic views on class, desiring social inclusion with people who were born of pure blood. To her, the most desirable people were those whose ancestors had been among the first settlers of colonial America. She had a xenophobic dislike of immigrants and interlopers, of whom she saw the Clampetts as the worst example. Ironically, it was revealed in one episode that, while Mrs. Drysdale was descended from the Mayflower, the Clampetts had actually arrived at the founding of Jamestown. Mrs. Drysdale's worldview was turned upside down when she was told "When your ancestors arrived on the Mayflower, Mr. Clampett's were there waiting for them." Mr. Drysdale, on the other hand, had a view of wealth which was much more practical than his wife. He clung to people with money and had far more respect for the Clampetts, despite their backwards ways, than he did for Mrs. Drysdale's son, Sonny, who didn't believe in getting his hands dirty with work. Mr. Drysdale's reverence for the Clampetts was so great that despite the fact that they have a backwards approach on life, he saw everything they did as unquestionably right (because they had money) and bent over backwards to rearrange the rest of the world to cater to their whims. For instance, when Jethro wanted to enroll in an elite boarding school, the headmistress has problems with the situation for several obvious reasons, but Mr. Drysdale leveraged his deed on the school mortgage as clout to force the school to admit Jethro.
Jed's bloodhound Duke, played by the canine actor "Stretch" [1], was also a constant thorn in Mrs. Drysdale's side. In addition to his baying and digging, he made her French Poodle Claude a cuckold, by fathering the puppies of his intended mate.

Running jokes

The show relied on running jokes to maximize on the humorous potential of the "culture clash." Some of these were designed to show how the Hillbillies were in fact, wiser than their Hollywood counterparts:

★ Granny fancied herself an "M.D." which stood for mountain doctor (instead of medical degree) and had very archaic methods of treating medicine but sometimes they seemed to work. She correctly diagnosed Mr. Drysdale as having high blood pressure. Granny relied heavily on alcohol as a treatment (giving someone a "shot" to cure a disease referred to a shot of alcohol).

★ Granny also had an uncanny knack for predicting the weather (specificially, when it was going to rain) using seemingly archaic methods that were in fact more accurate than the weather reports.

★ Jethro, despite being the least intelligent member of the family, was steadfast in his insistence that he was a genius because he had a sixth grade education and felt that he was qualified for a future career as a brain surgeon. The family seemed to support the notion that Jethro was indeed highly educated and should be treated as such but they sometimes caught on to his lack of common sense. He also believed that he would become a playboy if not a surgeon, leading Jed to often say "Someday, I gotta have a long talk with that boy."

★ Elly May had poor culinary skills; the results were not only inedible but, when the clan discreetly fed her meals to the backyard plants so as not to hurt her feelings, the plants died.

★ Jethro and Jed felt that by whittling on their front porch they could attract dates just as in the hills.

★ Mr. Drysdale would do practically anything to keep the Clampetts happy, because they were the bank's #1 depositer, so that their money would be kept in his bank. The ridiculous lengths that he went through to please the Clampetts, were often the source of the confusion that enabled a simple premise to be stretched out over a half-hour plot.

★ Elly May could win in a fight against Jethro and would easily be tempted into a fight often.

★ Granny would push for Elly May to get married because at 19 she'd be an old maid.

★ The family was fascinated by their swimming pool which they called a "cement pond" (and pronounced SEE-ment pond), but they never seemed to grasp its intended use (Granny sometimes did the laundry in it).

★ The Clampetts never discovered the source of the sound that took place a few times prior to someone showing up at the front door (the doorbell).

★ The family used the billiard table for "fancy-eating" — they even used pool cues as "pot-passers" and "meat stabbers."

★ Mr. Drysdale was notoriously cheap and would promise staffers and his assistant Ms. Hathaway a raise in exchange for helping him out of a jam and then cheat his way out of it once the task was complete.

The family tree

There are a number of episodes in which the family relationships between the various characters is discussed. Based on these episodes, a family tree of the Clampetts and Bodines would probably look like:
C------X
/
G-M X-C c-X B-X
| | | |
R-----J P-----B
| | |
e j k
G - Daisy May ... (Granny Moses)

M - ... Moses (Mr. Moses, Grannys husband)
J - Jedediah D. Clampett (Jed)

R - Rose Ellen Moses (deceased)

e - Elly May Clampett

P - Pearl ...

j - Jethro Bodine

k - Jethrine Bodine

C - A Clampett male

c - A Clampett male or female

B - A Bodine male

X - unknown name

In episode 1, Mr Drysdale, clearly refers to Granny as Jed's mother.

One of a breed

''The Beverly Hillbillies'' never took itself too seriously. It was a farce, pure and simple, with plenty of slapstick and word-play. After its run, one TV critic called the premise of the show "one joke, nine years."
It was still fairly popular when it was canceled in 1971 after 274 episodes -- though Nielsen ratings for the 1970-71 season show it had fallen out of the Top 30. But CBS, prompted by pressure from advertisers seeking a more sophisticated urban audience, decided to refocus its schedule on several "hip" new urban themed shows. CBS' other rural-themed comedies were also canceled, "any show with a tree," including ''Green Acres'', ''Mayberry R.F.D.'' and ''Hee Haw'', the latter of which was resurrected in first-run syndication, where it ran for another 21 years. ''Petticoat Junction'' had been canceled a year earlier due to declining ratings since the death of star Bea Benaderet.
The CBS television network after these cancellation began to air more urban comedies with greater social commentary, such as ''All in the Family''
Reruns of ''The Beverly Hillbillies'' are still televised daily around the world in syndication. The show is distributed by CBS Paramount Television.

Beverly Hillbillies on video

The first two seasons of the series are in the public domain (their copyrights having not been renewed by CBS, which bought the rights to the series shortly after its cancellation). As a result, these episodes have been unofficially released on home video and DVD on many low-budget labels, and shown on low-power television stations and low-budget networks in 16mm prints. In many video prints of the public domain episodes, the original theme music is replaced by generic music due to copyright issues.
However, before his death, Paul Henning, whose estate now holds the original film elements to the "public domain" episodes, authorized MPI Home Video to officially release the best of the first two seasons on DVD, the first "ultimate collection" of which was released in the fall of 2005. These collections include the original, uncut versions of the season one episodes, complete with their original theme music and opening sponsor plugs. Vol. 1 included, among its bonus features, the alternate, unaired version of the pilot film, "The Hillbillies Of Beverly Hills" (the version of the episode that sold the series to CBS), and the "cast commercials" (cast members pitching the products of the show's sponsors) originally shown at the end of each episode.
For many years, 20th Century Fox, under license from CBS, officially released select episodes of "Hillbillies" on videocassette until Paramount through post-1994 parent Viacom's merger with CBS, took over the video rights. Earlier in 2006, Paramount announced plans to release the copyrighted episodes in boxed sets through CBS DVD later that year. The release has yet to occur as of August 2007.
Fans of the Hillbillies on message boards such as IMDB^[1] are asking other fans who haven't already done so to vote for the Hillbillies Dvds on Tvshowsondvd.com

Malaprops and colloquialisms

★ As tongue tied as a love sick school boy

★ Cee-ment pond (the swimming pool)

★ Cleaner than a hound's tooth

★ Critters (any animal ''par.''Elly May's assorted pets)

★ Double-naught spy (Jethro's version of the James Bond '00' spies)

★ A bil-yerd (The stuffed rhino-head in the billiard room)

★ Stars and Bars (A Confederate Flag)

★ Fancy eatin' table (the billiard table)

★ Faversham (name of a character mistaken as a greeting)

★ fay-ver-rite (how the Hillbillies pronounced favorite)

★ Pot passers (pool cues)

★ Fancy leather lunch boxes (briefcases)

★ Feelin' lower than a well digger's heel

★ Frisky as a flea on a fat dog

★ Gazintas (division, ie: two gazinta six three times)

★ Green (naive, gullible, easily deceived)

★ He was only greenin' ya! (He was only fooling you!)

★ Hot smokin' sassafras! (This inspired the title of the Bubble Puppy's only hit song)

★ If brains were lard, his wouldn't grease too big a pan

★ Old violins make the sweetest music, o'course you gotta have the right bow (when Granny went courtin')

★ P-new-moe-nie (pneumonia)

★ Polecat (a skunk)

★ Pretty as a bag filled with striped candy

★ Pretty as fresh-churned butter

★ Pretty as a mess o' fried catfish

★ Rootin' around like a hog in a new pen

★ Runnin' like a bee-stung cat

★ Set a spell (sit for a while)

★ Showin' more meat than a butcher's window (scantily dressed)

★ Spark/sparkin' (court/courting, date/dating)

★ Squawking like a two-pound chicken laying a three-pound egg

★ Varmints, slang for animals, usually used by Granny in terms of anger

★ ''Vittles'' (victuals, which is actually pronounced "vittles"; food)

★ We-e-e-ll doggies! (Jed's characteristic expression of impressed astonishment)

★ You're green enough to stick in the ground and grow.

★ You're totin' water with a leaky bucket.

★ Deep fried in possum fat (a method of cooking)

★ You're dropping your bucket down an empty well.

★ I'm gonna fetch my shotgun.

★ One of these days I've got to have a long talk with that boy.

★ Fixin' ta' (getting ready to do something)

★ Directly (as soon as possible)

★ Sunday-Go-To-Meetin' Clothes (formal attire)

★ Slick-um-Smell-um (Jed's hair tonic and/or cologne)

See also

★ ''The Beverly Hillbillies'' (1993), a movie based on the series was released

★ List of The Beverly Hillbillies episodes

References

1. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0055662/board

External links

★

★ ''The Beverly Hillbillies'' at the Museum of Broadcast Communications

★ Classic TV Shows

★ Vote for Beverly Hillbillies dvds