But she'll always be known as Elly May the tomboy-but-sweetly sexy blond Clampett daughter who never seemed to be aware of her effect on men, and who referred to their Beverly Hills mansion swimming pool as the "SEE-ment pond.". It's tied to a national theatre competition and the Kennedy Center. July 2, 2021, 6:38 am, by And naturally, none of these hilarious performances possible without the shows stellar cast. Throughout the 50s and 60s the 1957 Miss New Orleans winner appeared in series like The Twilight Zone and Mr. However, theres one cast member who hasnt died yet! Dawber has married to NCIS star Mark Harmon for more than three [] More, Jan Smithers is a former television actress that is best known for her portrayal of the character Bailey Quarters on the television series WKRP in Cincinnati. January, 2015. I want to see him in his frog suit. Bolger played the scarecrow. They didnt have children and divorced in 1961. He didn't like her using him as an endorsement without his consent, so he publicly supported her opponent. She continued to act for a little while longer before become a gospel singer. While modeling didn't appeal to her -- "I didn't want to be that skinny" -- television did. Hello and thank you for registering. Even though Max Baer Jr. became famous for his role as Jethro, however, it ended up ruining his career as an actor. She lived to be 91. Ryan wished them luck but told them she had no intention of rocking the boat. She was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor and died on Apr. She was kind and gentle with Douglas. Typically she was clad in a snug flannel shirt and tight jeans cinched with a rope belt, and she seemed to prefer her critters to any beau. When the show became a top hit, Baer and Douglas wanted Ryan to join them in demanding a fat pay raise from the producer. She was 92. The clips have been pulled off YouTube but here are the lyrics of Granny's campaign song: "Here's your choice for Possum Queen Granny, Granny! Donna Douglas performed as a gospel singer and wrote the book, "Miss Donna's Mulberry Acres Farm", which was published in 2011. I think it might have been more dumbed down later on where the earlier episodes might have had a more subversive (not sure that is quite the right word) feel to them. February 19, 2023, 6:17 am, by She WAS liked. Douglas died at Baton Rouge General Hospital in 2015 from pancreatic cancer, aged 82. She spent her childhood in her hometown, but later the family moved to Miami-Dade County, Florida, USA. It seemed to go on for a whole season, and it was fucking stupid. News in 2000. Yes R33 Donna Mills was very nice when the Beverly Hillbillies visited Knots Landing. She pointed out that the second she left the show would fail, so they'd better all just be nice to her. She blames her co-star Buddy Ebsen who described Nancy as too liberal in a radio campaign for Buddy Shuster. Kulp was "loved?" The work itself and the fame it brought meant more to her than a paycheck. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Mrs. Drysdale and I were the preeminent sorority sisters on campus while at Swarthmore together. Gypsy Rose Lee. Made appearances at conventions that celebrated "The Beverly Hillbillies" series. What was Jed's full name? There was nothing but resentment. But after taking on Hillbillies, she would only take on 8 unrelated jobs. She had had her bags packed before the matinee, and right after the show, with the help of Walter Willison, my friend and standby, she had left for the airport right after the afternoon performance. Donna Douglas, a former resident of Tulsa and "Beverly Hills," died on the first day of 2015. I thought Roger Torrey, who played the frogman (as well as the character's brother) looked rather fine, but I need to watch his episodes again to confirm. She worked as a speaker for church groups, and even travelled to churches with her beautiful singing voice. She was quite well known. The Beverly Hillbillies wasnt the only show Buddy Ebsen known for, though. Here's the true story: . Her only starring film appearance was in "Frankie and Johnny," a musical in which she played riverboat gambler Presley's girlfriend. Did anyone watch the terrible reunion movie they did in the 80s? "The Beverly Hillbillies" ran on CBS for nine seasons from 1962 to 1971 and was one of the most popular shows of the 1960s, topping the ratings its first two seasons. So he created Petticoat Junction a year later, promoting Bea from supporting actress to star, in part to get rid of Cousin Pearl. Granny's choreography for music video for the theme to DC Cab. Not only was the show a life changing event for Douglas, but she also found love, and friends for life. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Ratings aside - how would not Petticoat Junction not been a promotion for her? Yeah I had heard that Buddy was a nasty Republicantoo bad. She could really sell a song! Best character name: the TV hunk of all time, Dash Riprock. Did the actress, Donna Douglas die? Market data provided by Factset. R12 et al are much more entertaining than the supposed truth. Bailey was quite rude. He even attempted to create a casino of his own, but the project was suspended indefinitely. She encouraged her to feel the pain of her lost romance but to keep working. Just show us the guy's cock and then bring in the next side of beef. In fact, she become nominated for two Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. She was exactly as the previous posters have said - gracious, delightful, tireless in taking photos and signing autographs. July 7, 2003 / 8:36 AM / CBS/AP. She taught at Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania / not Huntington. "Jethro Clampett" is one of the best names ever invented. I have always I thought that her behavior was like that of an old cat, who curls up under the bed and goes to sleep and just doesn't wake up. Throughout Monroe and Kennedys alleged affair, Lawford supposedly acted as a liaison for the President. She signed all of her pictures with a Bible verse. [quote]That may be partly due to the fact Henning in lieu of a higher salary gave them free rein to cash in on their characters by way of personal appearances. The suit reportedly was settled. If memory serves me correct, Irene Ryan was up for the Eileen Brennan part in Scarecrow, not the Ann Wedgeworth part, but I could be wrongI know Gene Hackman was a big fan of hers and I think they had done some off-Broadway stuff together in the late 50s. She actually made friends with some of our neighbors and came back to visit from time to time. The others were very good, but she was great. "Max Baer, Jr.? By the time, filming began on Season 5 (I think), Elvis was distancing himself from Donna Douglas and she was deeply depressed - too depressed to work. She also was very honest and up-front about herself, even the fact that she was a hermaphrodite (functionally a woman but with vestigial testicles by her clitoris, known because she had no qualms about using her status as a morale booster when others were whining about their problems). Numerous episodes will have Douglas, who died on Jan. 1, 2015, playing with skunks, possums, or . One of the few shows where the entire cast actually liked each other. Actually, the only actor who was disliked by all the other cast members was Raymond Bailey who played Mr. Drysdale. (AP Photo) Despite her newfound fame from The Beverly . Bea Benederet was the inside pick for the role of Granny, Irene Ryan auditioned last for the part and blew everyone away with her audition.. Benederet got a recurring part as Jed's sister Pearl. Nancy repeated the role of Jane Hathaway in the television film The Return of the Beverly Hillbillies in 1981, and except for a short hiatus between 1983 and 1986, remained active as an actress until her death. I believe she actually died about three days later of some kind of heart failure. ", "Howdy, Miss Jane. I think he also produced ODE TO BILLY JOE starring Robbie Benson and Glynis Johns. It was really sad that Donna Douglas continued to be "Ellie Mae" even after the series ended. However, other directors began to realize she had a real talent for comedy. She refused to give out bj's and crotch licking. r138 - That is almost precisely the story, minus the Elvis impersonator, that a friend told me after a similar encounter with Donna Douglas. Buddy Ebsen was originally cast as the Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz. ODE TO BILLIE JOE with Glynis Johns trilling around the Mississippi Delta must have been something to see! Press Esc to cancel. Indeed, when Douglas gave her autograph, she included a biblical verse ("Trust in the Lord with all your heart"), according to New Orleans TV station WAFB. I have a copy in in a magazine of famous male nudes published in the 1970s and it used to be online so I was surprised I couldn't find it with a Google image search to link it. Her mother, Elma Robinson, died on December 31, 2003, at age 93. Bea Benaderat was a complicated woman, that's all I'll say on that. Max was good in small doses, but when he tried to carry the episode he took it way over the top. Facts Verse But Bolger coveted the Scarecrow part so much that Ebsen let him have it. Ryans career began at the tender age of eleven, when she won a cash prize at a singing contest. Fred Clark and then Larry Keating played Harry Morton, Blanche's fussbudget husband on Burns & Allen. Donna Douglas is well known for playing the role of Elly May Clampett on The Beverly Hillbillies. I find it hard to believe that Buddy Ebsen was ever seriously considered for Scarecrow and Mrs. King, as he would've been much too old for the part, add to that, nobody in their right mind would willingly choose to work with Kate Jackson AND Martha Smith at the same time on the same set. Apparently, they arent subscribers to the old adage that too much of a good thing can actually be a bad thing. That was a very interesting life Nancy had .I loved watching her in the Beverly hillbillies she was very funny. Half the cast had to be replaced because the actors were dead (or refused to return - Max Baer Jr.) The rest of the cast looked like they'd rather be anywhere else. He later felt that both Pearl and Bea were too good at pulling focus away from the Hillbillies the show was supposed to be about. and Ryan was constantly making trouble with her haughty ways. In many ways, she was Elly May, with her own real-life rags-to-riches story. They worked together for 10 years. Good lord As a child, I saw Ninotchka on the late movies and was certain Ina Claire was the same woman who played Mrs Drysdale. Big deal. Jethrene was a funny character, but Max didn't like acting in drag, and when Bea left for Petticoat Junction, they were phased out. Douglas played the daughter of backcountry widower Jed Clampett, portrayed by Buddy Ebsen, who becomes rich when he discovers oil on his land, then moves his hillbilly family into a Beverly Hills mansion to live alongside the wealthy. 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