19 Things Producers of ‘The Beverly Hillbillies’ Hid from Fans

4. Their Beverly Hills Mansion was Really Located in Bel Air

Arnold Kirkeby owned the mansion in Bel Air, California, that the Beverly Hillbillies lived in after striking black gold, Texas tea. The show’s creator Paul Henning paid $500 per day to film on the mansion’s grounds, a steal compared to today’s prices, no doubt. Sadly, the owner died in a plane crash several months before the first episode ever aired, but his wife continued to live there. The contract stated that the mansion’s address could not be revealed in press releases. Somehow fans found out about the 750 Bel Air Road address and constantly flocked there to gawk. What were they expecting, to see Granny digging in the garden? With fans and tourists milling around, filming on-location became difficult.

5. The Theme Song Hit the Charts

Even if you don’t remember many of the episodes, you probably are familiar with the Beverly Hillbillies catchy theme song. It’s right up there with Gilligan’s Island or The Brady Bunch for toe-tapping cheesy goodness. The theme song for this show was called “The Ballad of Jed Clampett,” which was sung by country western singer Jerry Scoggins and featured the bluegrass duo Flatt and Scruggs. The song actually ended up landing on the 44 spot of the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Do you know all the lyrics?

6. Max Baer Jr. Has a Love/Hate Relationship with His “Jethro” Role

The actor who played the dimwitted Jethro Bodine believes that the role essentially killed his acting career. He had a few minor roles over the years, but mostly stuck to writing, producing and directing due to the typecasting he seemed to be stuck with. When he was asked to participate in the 1981 television movie of The Return of the Beverly Hillbillies, he flat-out declined. However, he was later outraged that he wasn’t asked to do a cameo in the 1993 movie version of The Beverly Hillbillies, and was particularly incensed because Buddy Ebsen was. Later that year, he decided to reprise Jethro by appearing in the TV special The Legend of the Beverly Hillbillies. Max Baer Jr. is the last living cast member of the iconic show.