Wished she was in more episodes. Raymond Bailey sadly died of a heart attack on April 15th, 1980, at age 75. R18, R19, I suspect you are both right. That's when Jack Haley replaced him. She may have been a real cunt. Hassan Henning was also a writer/producer on the Bob Cummings show Love That Bob. I care nothing about her personal life she was a great actress . Irene Ryan was one of the people who was instrumental in seeing Douglas through that time dark time. And she was wearing a nice white silk blouse and black slacks - no hillbilly drag at all. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! Max Baer Jr., who co-starred with Donna Douglas on The Beverly Hillbillies, tells RumorFix, "I loved her.". She was so gorgeous; it's too bad that the only thing she'd known for is playing a retarded little country girl who only cared about one thing: critters. 1. Bea was also the mother of Jack Bannon, who was a regular on "Lou Grant" and did several bit parts on the Henning shows. Do you think you know a lot about TV? Like Buddy, she too is a successful singer (of gospel), is also a character actress, and is also a Republican. She . Max Baer Jr. once said he and Irene spent a lot of time together off the set in cocktail bars knockin' 'em back. The hilarious premise was rich with opportunities for crazy scenarios. Douglas was best known for "The Beverly Hillbillies," in which she played the role of Elly May. American viewers had plenty of bombshells with comedic chops to choose from on 1960s sitcoms -- one of the national favorites was without a doubt Donna Douglas. The final episode of The Beverly Hillbillies aired 50 years ago, and sadly, the passing of so much time means that only one star of the classic sitcom is still alive today.Max Baer Jr., who played Jethro on The Beverly Hillbillies is 83 years old and became the last living member of the cast following the death of Donna Douglas, who played Elly May, in 2015 at age 82. [R131] OMG Really? All Rights Reserved. "Donna was the star of that infamous "Eye of the Beholder" Twilight Zone episode, but they dubbed all of her dialogue.". I seem to remember Granny reaching a stage of acceptance with Elly Mae's suitor and having a heart-to-heart with an actual bullfrog at the edge of the cement pond. His low-paid stint as a hillbilly convinced Baer that the real money was in production, not acting. She was an absolute, raving cunt. In his own mind he believed he was the reason for the success of the show. Beverly Hillbillies Actress Donna Douglas Dies At 81. One Saturday matinee, she looked particularly drained, and I got worried that she might be sick. Donna Douglas, who played the ditsy Elly May Clampett on "The Beverly Hillbillies," died Friday at her home in Zachary, La., according to a report by CBS affiliate WAFB-TV in Baton Rouge, La. Please complete the process by verifying your email address. Ken Severson, Other Works Nancys acting career started in the early 50s, when she moved to Hollywood.Nancy Kulp. Why was a college acting award named for her? It was a conservative district and she lost by a wide margin. She was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor and died on Apr. Spent hours autographing photos and personally responding to fan mail - even though she received far more than anyone else in the cast of. And what was his middle name? DoYouRemember.comThe site that takes you back!DONNA DOUGLAS: THE SAD STRANGE STORYhttp://doyouremember.com/https://www.facebook.com/DoYouRemember/https://twi. Although he had received little formal education, Jed Clampett has a good deal of common sense. 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. It was Benaderet herself who suggested he audition Irene Ryan. I knew everything about Elly. Fred Clark and then Larry Keating played Harry Morton, Blanche's fussbudget husband on Burns & Allen. When she died, didn't her estate fund theater scholarships? "I figured they were equipped the same, so I just went on over and did it. There was nothing "shitty" about Buddy Ebsen supporting another political candidate. However, a few details have surfaced, and we are happy to share them with you. Carolina Knapp. When the show ended, Max took the small pot of money he had saved and produced an indie thriller called Macon County Line. ". I really love pets. Legal Statement. He said she could drink like a sailor. Following her acting career, Douglas became a real estate agent, a Gospel singer and inspirational speaker, and authored books for children and . The beautiful but tomboyish blonde Elly May was played on the hit 1960s show "The Beverly Hillbillies" by the late actress Donna Douglas, a Pride native who died in January 2015. The Baton Rouge paper, The Advocate and other media outlets, including local TV station WAFB , also confirmed her death, although most put her age at 81. She reached the rank of a lieutenant, junior grade, and for her service received several awards and honors, such as the American Campaign Medal. Meyer Lansky. Ryan wished them luck but told them she had no intention of rocking the boat. Was a self-described tomboy in her younger days, and like her character Elly May Clampett, she was extremely fond of animals. "The Beverly Hillbillies" cast (l-r): Irene Ryan, Buddy Ebsen, Max Baer, Nancy Kulp, Raymond Bailey and Donna Douglas (AP). Max Baer turned up at the last minute and walked away with the part, being the only actor Henning saw who had both the right look and the skill to carry the part. ", And she didn't mind the association, either. Max Baer still makes a yearly pilgrimage to spit on her grave. Irene was always full of herself and let the entire cast know. But even some non-boomers expressed appreciation on Twitter at the news of Douglas' death. Mrs. Drysdale and I were the preeminent sorority sisters on campus while at Swarthmore together. how did joe mcbryan die. After Hillbillies ended, Douglas worked in real estate, recorded country and gospel music albums and wrote a book for children that drew on biblical themes. 2. [on offering another role] I was offered to do a nighttime soap after. Rude as it is, I'm sorry but that's funny. As Elly May, she seemed blissfully unaware of her status as a bumpkin blond bombshell. So did Irene Ryan really drop dead right after singing that song about "It's Time To Start Living?". She was 81. In an interview with The Lincoln Times-News, she called him a wonderful man, very much like my own father, a quiet, reserved, and caring person.. Let us know in the comments below, and dont forget to subscribe to Facts Verse for more! 1:07. She blames her co-star Buddy Ebsen who described Nancy as too liberal in a radio campaign for Buddy Shuster. Leeds died in 2000. 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. or redistributed. The cause of death was pancreatic cancer, her niece told The Associated Press. "The Beverly Hillbillies" hit CBS's network lineup on the same day as her birthday. She had the Elly May hair and white Kabuki-like makeup, but she was very funny and friendly. He ended up in an iron lung and could have died. Ryan let her popularity go to her head. Jan. 2, 2015, 4:19 PM PST / Updated Jan. 2, 2015, 4:57 PM PST. The actress died Thursday at the . Douglas received her real estate license after "The Beverly Hillbillies" went off the air, but did not work in that field long. And she died on April 26th, 1973, at 70 years old. So he created Petticoat Junction a year later, promoting Bea from supporting actress to star, in part to get rid of Cousin Pearl. donna douglas home donna douglas home (No Ratings Yet) . He wasn't in that movie because of illness, not being "traded.". He was big not really that muscular. January 28, 2023, 4:29 pm, by The Beverly Hillbillies: The Clampetts Strike Oil, View agent, publicist, legal and company contact details on IMDbPro, Actors who were in Twilight Zone and also a regular or semi-regular on a TV Series of the 1960s. Donna Douglas married and divorced twice, having a child by her first husband, Roland John Bourgeois, Jr. Elvis married and divorced Priscilla Ann Presley, having one child before he died at . Starring Buddy Ebsen as Jed Clampett (he died in 2003) and Irene Ryan (she died in 1973) as Granny, the show ran for nine years on CBS, from 1962 to 1971. Her mother, Elma Robinson, died on December 31, 2003, at age 93. I saw my mistakebut there's no editing function. Make sure you stick around, because were going to reveal the tragic end of legendary actor Buddy Ebsen! Max Bear says the same thing, don't mention Elvis to her. The answer is yes to both. June 20, 2021, 9:06 am, by Oak Island is a privately owned island that sits off the coast of Nova Scotia in Canada. Donna was one of the biggest stars on TV in the 1960s playing Elly May Clampett. I wonder who dubbed her voice. Louisiana native Donna Douglas, who played hillbilly blond bombshell Elly May Clampett on the baby-boomer-beloved 1960s sitcom "The Beverly Hillbillies," has died. This was a popular American sitcom that ran over 12 seasons and 380 episodes from 1960 to 1972. May your soul rest in peace, Donna Douglas. More: Theres a very sad reason to binge-watch Gilmour Girls this weekend. His brother and sister are James Manny Baer (1941-2009) and Maude Baer (b. The woman in the bandages was played by Maxine Stuart. The legendary actor Buddy Ebsen certainly drew audiences in with his impressive acting background, but the show featured many other acting gems who werent quite as famous as Ebsen at the time. R12 is pulling shit out of his ass. Of course, the most important part of the show was the hilarious shenanigans of the characters. With his final acting appearance being in the show King of the Hill as the character Chet Elderson. Graduated from Redemptorist High School (now Redemptorist Upper School) in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in 1951. I am sure the three other top-billed cast members (as the nominal star, Ebsen would always be paid the most) had favored nations clauses so that they all had to get similar or same salaries if someone got a raise. Nancy starred in 246 episodes next to Buddy Ebsen, Irene Ryan, Max Baer Jr. and Donna Douglas. His paternal grandfather was of German Jewish descent, and his mother and paternal grandmother were both of Scots-Irish descent. An ensemble cast requires not only a variety of impressive actors, but actors who have great chemistry with one another. A native of Los Angeles, California, she passed away on January 1 in New York City. They tried to make out like it was a promotion cause she "starred" in it, but it wasn't. It wasn't much of a stretch for Douglas to fit into the troupe, said her cousin, Charlene Smith. However, I started to notice that she was beginning to look weak, or listless. When the show became a top hit, Baer and Douglas wanted Ryan to join them in demanding a fat pay raise from the producer. by "I had milked cows before," she recalled in a 2009 interview with The Associated Press. Dear Irene Ryan did NOT die during a performance. So did Irene Ryan really drop dead right after singing that song about "It's Time To Start Living?". Get the best viral stories straight into your inbox! Wholesome blonde actress Donna Douglas, who played pretty tomboy Elly May Clampett on the hit 1960s sitcom "The Beverly Hillbillies . And just what WERE her politics, anyway? Did she have children, heirs or survivors? for your pointless bitchery needs. I'm not a theatre hag and was thrilled to discover "No Time at All" on YouTube a few years ago. . In 1971, the final year original episodes of The Beverly Hillbillies aired, Douglas married the shows director Robert M. Leeds. Drysdale?" The hit show The Beverly Hillbillies was the top show in America for two years and hugely popular for all nine . "After screening the pilot, I don't think I ever watched another segment.". Raymond Bailey was THE speaker for banker's conventions, Paul Henning often accompanied him. There is a well known locker room photo of boxer Max Baer Sr., Heavyweight Champion of the World in the 1930s, with his dick hanging out of the leg of his boxer shorts. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Buddy Ebsen finalized his career in 1999. Back then, it was more or less we couldn't change a line in our script. He didn't like her using him as an endorsement without his consent, so he publicly supported her opponent. R81, why do you keep posting? She lived to be 91. Because it's only given to TALENTED people..and it's named for her because the money comes from her estate. Douglas only appeared in one film: In 1966, the star acted in Frankie and Johnny, an Elvis Presley film.. 2. What a shame. I meant to write: "Jethro Bodine" is one of the best names ever invented. [August 2014]. She died of pancreatic cancer on January 1, 2015 at the age of 82. Yep, Edson Stroll. Can we talk a little bit more about Max Baer, Jr.? The public, however, felt quite the opposite: It ran for nine seasons, often in the Top 10. From there, she would perform in a double act vaudeville performance with her husband at the age of 20. It was kind of scary. Were you more saddened to learn about the death of Buddy Ebsen, or about Nancy Kulps sad battle with cancer? She created a completely believable Beverly Hills bigot. She said that his place was like a stereotypical bachelor's pad with a bear skin rug and fake fur bedspread. Her birth name is listed both as Dorothy Smith and Doris Smith in various articles. Her only starring film appearance was in "Frankie and Johnny," a musical in which she played riverboat gambler Presley's girlfriend. [quote]If they had been real people, they'd have their own reality series today. Still, she became interested in film, and began landing non-speaking parts. and Ryan was constantly making trouble with her haughty ways. Did any of the four characters ever get married? She remained in show business and frequently performed as a gospel singer and spoke at churches across America. The Jethro becomes a Hippy or Jethro joins the Army kind of stuff hasn't aged well. Personally, I found them both sexy in a funny daddy bear way. Guys, Jack Haley replaced Buddy as Tin Man. January, 2015. Publicity Listings "Oh. His dad the boxer was slightly better looking. It was in 1990 that Nancy was diagnosed with cancer, which left her unable to continue her career. It doesn't appear he ever played another role at all. February 19, 2023, 6:22 am, by But the shows [] More, You might remember her as Mindy in the off-beat yet endearing 70s and 80s sitcom Mork and Mindy. Elly May proves to be quite fond of animals or, as she would call them, "critters.". Where are the NYC theater queens when you need them? Yeah I had heard that Buddy was a nasty Republicantoo bad. She was scheduled to be there for an hour, but she stayed until she talked to everyone and signed everything anyone wanted her to. Her mother was a telephone operator and died on December 31 . Donna Douglas came to my town for a parade and the grand opening of a business in the late 1970s. document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); Type above and press Enter to search. The Irene Ryan Award is a highly competitive award, presented by the ATCF (American Theatre Festival). Michael Landon. Ebsen sat this out mostly. MFAs etc.). By the time TBH came along, Irene was divorced, older, and mostly alone (except for a few friends and a sister who predeceased her). BH Producer Paul Henning previously produced and wrote for Burns & Allen so he was well-acquainted with Bea Benadaret, who played neighbor Blanche Morton on the show. However, there was no stopping the spread of the disease, and she sadly passed away on the 3rd February 1991; she was 69 years old. Her former castmates from The Beverly Hillbillies all deeply saddened by her passing. Roughly a quarter million of these unlucky souls sustain injuries so severe that they end up dying. Donna Douglas, who played the shapely, blue-eyed daughter of the suddenly wealthy mountaineer Jed Clampett on "The Beverly Hillbillies," the wildly popular television sitcom of a . Nancy Kulp was a disliked lesbian throughout Hollywood. "So many people love her, and that means a lot to me.". When the show became a top hit, Baer and Douglas wanted Ryan to join them in demanding a fat pay raise from the producer. During her hiatus from acting, Nancy ran as a Democratic nominee for the US House of Representatives from Pennsylvanias 9th congressional district. Nancy married Charles M. Dacus in 1951, a few weeks before she launched her acting career. Henning felt so bad passing over Bea that he created the role of Cousin Pearl expressly for her. No doubt it made him pissed. She refused to give out bj's and crotch licking. They didnt have children and divorced in 1961. While she had small roles on three movies prior, her only starring role on the big screen was . . 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. It taught people that its important not to underestimate others just because they dont have an impressive career or educational background. Found a pic of him and Donna, but I liked this one better. Earlier, she sued Disney, CAA. [quote] Ebsen could have easily stayed out of it, but apparently his disdain for Kulp was intense. Like R77, I knew every song by heart. American Actress Donna Douglas was born Dorothy Smith on 26th September, 1933 in Pride, Louisiana, USA and passed away on 1st Jan 2015 Zachary, East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, USA . We did very well and Donna seemed fine." Donna Douglas died on Jan. 1, 2015, at 82 years old. What does Donna Mills have to do with any of this? The only challenge or trouble Donna Douglas ever had on the set of TBH (apart from her limited acting abilities and her aging out of the role, later in the series) came in the 1966 season. Donna Douglas was enjoying the gorgeous weather with a female pal at the River Terrace Apartments pool in Spuyten Duyvil just after 1:30 p.m. when the horror occurred. They did not have any children together her only child was her son Danny P. Bourgeois from her first marriage to Roland Bourgeois and they divorced in 1980. CARSON CITY, Nev. The live-in girlfriend of former "Beverly Hillbillies" star Max Baer Jr. apparently shot herself and died several days later, authorities said Wednesday. Charlene Smith, her niece-in-law, confirmed Friday to USA TODAY that she died of pancreatic cancer on New Year's Day at Baton Rouge General Hospital, near her home in Zachary, La. Yes indeed, we too use "cookies." It wasn't until I was grown that I knew about Harriet MacGibbon. Some time catch a Glen Ford cavalry movie A Time for Killing (1967). Max was pretty much a one dimensional character in real life. We all called and sent her cards and love and wishes to get better fast, but she basically wasted away over the next few days. (AP Photo) Despite her newfound fame from The Beverly . You mean her "behavior" in the sense that she proceeded to dress as Elly Mae Clampitt everywhere she went for the rest of her life? Here's the true story: . [Baton Rouge Advocate, September 18, 1957, regarding her entering the World Championship Hot Pepper Eating Contest in New Iberia, Louisiana] Hot peppers have always been my secret training for health and beauty. Back then, it was n't until I was grown that I knew about Harriet MacGibbon indeed, too... Kind of stuff has n't aged well using him as an endorsement without consent! Stint as a gospel singer and spoke at churches across America was the for. 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About max Baer Jr. once said he and Irene spent a lot about TV with malignant.