Buddy Ebsen played the show’s comic lead, Jed Clampett. It turns out that Ebsen and cast mate Nancy Kulp did not have a very friendly relationship behind the scenes. Ebsen, who was not a fan of Kulp’s political views, even volunteered to help her opponent by starring in a radio ad against her.
Nancy ran as the democratic nominee for the House of Representatives in 1984 and lost to Republican Bud Shuster by a rather large margin. It was reported that Nancy was quite hurt by Buddy’s behavior and was quoted saying “He should have stayed out of it.”
Actress Turned Politician
Nancy Kulp played the role of Miss Jane Hathaway on the show as a love-starved and perpetually single woman. She was a great actress, but had many other talents, she was also a teacher, linguist and aspiring politician.
Kulp had studied to become a publicist, but after her move to Hollywood, she found herself in front of the camera and not behind the scenes. After nine years on “The Beverly Hillbillies,” she quit acting and turned to politics, and ran as the democratic nominee for the US House of Representatives for Pennsylvania.
An Inexpensive Estate
Paul Henning, the creator of “The Beverly Hillbillies”, paid $500 to shoot in a mansion in Bel Air. The estate they used is known as the Kirkeby Mansion, which was built in 1933 and surrounded by manicured lawns and a sprawling garden.
This location became known as the fancy mansion the Beverly Hillbillies lived in after striking it rich. When the show finally wrapped, the mansion was sold to TV mogul and real estate developer Jerry Perenchio. He tore down most of the house to construct an even bigger mansion and add underground parking.
Sharon Tate In A Wig
Sharon Tate, an American model and actress, played a few parts in movies and TV in the 1960s. Unfortunately, she is most widely known as a victim of the Manson Family murders in 1969. Sharon and husband, director Roman Polanski, were expecting their first child at the time of her death.
She had a recurring part on the show as Janet Trego and appeared in roughly 15 episodes. During her appearances, Sharon would wear a brunette wig to make her less recognizable.
Striking It Rich
Just like Jed Clampett’s sudden financial windfall, “The Beverly Hillbillies” quickly became a huge hit, making stars of all participants, including the actors and producers. The not-so-cleaner but warm-hearted Clampetts won America’s hearts by keeping it real and not putting it on air.
All these lovable characters hit upon a recipe for success. At the beginning of the show, “The Beverly Hillbillies” made $25 million, and at the end, the show brought in more than $100. That is quite an accomplishment and a pretty great salary!