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

13. Buddy Ebsen Made a Cameo in The Beverly Hillbillies Movie – But Not as Jed

No, the actor who embodied the family patriarch in the TV version of The Beverly Hillbillies actually made his cameo portraying another one of his iconic characters. From 1973 to 1980, Ebsen had the titular role as detective Barnaby Jones, and it was as this character that he appeared in the 1993 movie adaptation. Talk about a TV mash-up.

14. The Show Had the Fastest Ratings Rise Ever

After Beverly Hillbillies aired in 1962 it only took three weeks for it to take the number one spot in the TV ratings, which happened to be the fastest uptick that had ever occurred in TV history. It then managed to stay there for two years. The show actually ranked in the top 20 for eight seasons, only dropping down during its last year on the air, but still managing to make the top 25. But that’s not why it was canceled…

15. The Show Was Cancelled While it Was Still Popular

The Beverly Hillbillies was still popular in 1971 when the CBS executive Fred Silverman decided to pull the plug. This wasn’t because of a ratings drop but because of how many other “rural” shows were on the network at the time. They included The Beverly Hillbillies, Petticoat Junction, and Green Acres and the network just didn’t want to get pigeon-holed into that niche, even though it was successful.