The Last Living Clampett: What Happened To The Beverly Hillbillies Cast And Max Baer Jr.'s $50 Million Empire In 2025

The Beverly Hillbillies remains one of the most iconic and beloved sitcoms in American television history, chronicling the comedic clash between the uneducated, oil-rich Clampett family and the high-society world of Beverly Hills. As of December 2025, over six decades since the show first premiered, the legacy of the Clampett clan endures, but the cast who brought them to life has, sadly, almost entirely passed away.

The most pressing question for fans today is the fate of the core actors: who is still alive, what were the final days of the beloved stars like, and what surprising, multi-million dollar business empire was built by the last surviving member? The answer reveals a fascinating blend of Hollywood history, tragic endings, and an unexpected entrepreneurial success story that continues into 2025.

The Clampett Family and Associates: A Complete Cast Biography and In Memoriam

The original cast of The Beverly Hillbillies, which ran from 1962 to 1971, consisted of six primary actors who defined the show’s success. The information below provides a comprehensive look at their lives, roles, and ultimate fates, confirming that only one remains today.

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• Buddy Ebsen as Jed Clampett (The Patriarch)
  • Role: The kind, level-headed widower and patriarch of the Clampett family, who accidentally strikes oil on his land, making him a billionaire.
  • Born: April 2, 1908, in Belleville, Illinois.
  • Died: July 6, 2003, at the age of 95.
  • Cause of Death: Respiratory failure/Pneumonia.
  • Post-Hillbillies Career: Ebsen enjoyed a successful second career as the star of the detective series Barnaby Jones, which ran from 1973 to 1980.
• Irene Ryan as Daisy May "Granny" Moses (The Mother-in-Law)
  • Role: Jed's feisty, shotgun-toting mother-in-law and the family’s resident traditionalist and folk medicine expert.
  • Born: October 17, 1902, in El Paso, Texas.
  • Died: April 26, 1973, at the age of 70.
  • Cause of Death: Glioblastoma (a malignant brain tumor) and arteriosclerotic heart disease.
  • Note: Ryan was only 60 when the show started, making her only six years older than Buddy Ebsen, who played her son-in-law.
• Donna Douglas as Elly May Clampett (The Daughter)
  • Role: Jed's naive, beautiful, and tomboyish daughter who loves "critters" (animals) and is often sought after by suitors.
  • Born: September 26, 1933, in Pride, Louisiana.
  • Died: January 1, 2015, at the age of 82.
  • Cause of Death: Pancreatic cancer.
  • Post-Hillbillies Career: Douglas became a gospel singer, children's book author, and a motivational speaker, often appearing at Christian gatherings.
• Max Baer, Jr. as Jethro Bodine (The Nephew)
  • Role: Jed's dimwitted, yet lovable nephew and Elly May's cousin, whose main goal in life is to find a new career, often resulting in hilarious failure.
  • Born: December 4, 1937, in Oakland, California.
  • Status: The last surviving main cast member as of 2025.
  • Post-Hillbillies Career: He is the subject of the next section, having successfully pivoted into a highly lucrative business career.
• Raymond Bailey as Milburn Drysdale (The Banker)
  • Role: The greedy, high-strung, and easily flustered president of the Commerce Bank of Beverly Hills, who obsesses over keeping the Clampetts’ massive fortune in his bank.
  • Born: May 6, 1904, in San Francisco, California.
  • Died: April 15, 1980, at the age of 75.
  • Cause of Death: Heart attack.
• Nancy Kulp as Miss Jane Hathaway (The Secretary)
  • Role: Mr. Drysdale's sharp, intellectual, and eccentric secretary, who often serves as a straight woman to the Clampetts' antics and harbors an unrequited affection for Jethro.
  • Born: August 28, 1921, in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
  • Died: February 3, 1991, at the age of 69.
  • Cause of Death: Cancer.

Max Baer Jr.'s Shocking $50 Million Post-Hollywood Business Empire

The biggest update in the Beverly Hillbillies cast story is undoubtedly the life and career of Max Baer, Jr., the actor who played Jethro Bodine. While his character was famously slow-witted, Baer himself proved to be a shrewd and successful entrepreneur, building a massive fortune that is estimated to be around $50 million.

Baer, Jr. is the last surviving member of the core cast. Unlike many of his co-stars who continued acting, Baer stepped away from the spotlight to focus on directing and, most notably, licensing and branding.

His primary focus has been capitalizing on the enduring popularity of the Beverly Hillbillies brand, particularly in the realm of entertainment and hospitality. For decades, Baer has pursued the development of a chain of themed casinos and hotels, with the flagship project being a "Jethro Bodine’s Beverly Hillbillies Mansion and Casino" in Reno, Nevada. Although the full-scale casino project has faced numerous delays and legal hurdles over the years, his efforts have cemented his status as a major business player, not just a former actor.

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Baer's determination to control and profit from the Jethro Bodine character is a testament to his business acumen. He has successfully licensed the character and show’s name for various products and ventures, demonstrating that the intellect of the actor was far greater than that of the character he played.

The Real Reason The Beverly Hillbillies Was Canceled

Despite being a massive ratings success—it was the number one show in the country for its first two seasons—The Beverly Hillbillies was abruptly canceled in 1971. The reason for its demise had nothing to do with falling viewership or creative differences; it was a cold, calculated business decision by CBS known as the "Rural Purge."

The Infamous "Rural Purge"

In the early 1970s, CBS network executives decided to overhaul their programming lineup to appeal to a younger, more urban, and more affluent demographic that advertisers preferred. This initiative, dubbed the "Rural Purge," saw the cancellation of nearly every popular show with a rural theme, regardless of its ratings success.

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Along with The Beverly Hillbillies, other high-rated, long-running shows like Green Acres and Petticoat Junction (both created by Paul Henning, the same creator of The Beverly Hillbillies) were also axed. The cancellation was a shock to the public and the cast, as the show was still performing exceptionally well in the ratings, proving that popularity alone was not enough to save a series from network rebranding.

Little-Known Facts and Controversies

The show's history is filled with fascinating details that add depth to its legacy, including several key entities that are often forgotten:

• Jethro's Twin Sister: Max Baer, Jr. did double duty on the show, also playing Jethro's twin sister, Jethrine Bodine. Jethrine was a large, awkward country girl, and Baer provided the voice, while a stand-in was used for the body.
• The Theme Song's Success: The iconic opening song, "The Ballad of Jed Clampett," performed by Jerry Scoggins, was not just a TV tune; it actually reached number one on the Billboard country music chart in 1962.
• The Critics' Scorn: Despite its massive popularity with the American public, television critics absolutely despised the show, often calling it "lowbrow" and "mindless." This stark divide between critical reception and audience love is a defining part of the show's history.
• The Drysdale Family: The supporting cast included Milburn Drysdale’s wife, Mrs. Margaret Drysdale, played by Harriet E. MacGibbon, who was frequently horrified by the Clampetts' presence in Beverly Hills.
• The Sharon Tate Connection: The famous mansion used for the exterior shots of the Clampett residence was located at 750 Bel Air Road. Tragically, the home next door was the site of the infamous 1969 Manson Family murders of actress Sharon Tate and others. This proximity to a dark moment in Hollywood history is a startling, little-known fact about the show's setting.

The Enduring Legacy of the Clampett Clan

Decades after its final episode and years after the passing of most of its beloved stars, The Beverly Hillbillies continues to resonate with new generations through syndication and streaming platforms. The show’s simple, fish-out-of-water humor and its gentle satire of class differences have kept the adventures of Jed, Granny, Elly May, and Jethro alive.

The story of the cast members, from Buddy Ebsen's long, storied career to Irene Ryan's tragic final illness and, most remarkably, Max Baer Jr.'s transformation from a beloved comedic actor to a successful multi-millionaire entrepreneur, provides a complete and compelling narrative. Max Baer Jr.'s continued efforts to expand his "Beverly Hillbillies" brand into 2025 ensure that the spirit of Jethro Bodine—the character who dreamed of being a "double-naught spy" or a brain surgeon—lives on in a surprising, and highly profitable, new career path.