All good things must come to an end, even with a track record of incredible ratings and adoring fans. The network decided to cancel “The Beverly Hillbillies” in 1971 after nine successful seasons. CBS executive Fred Silverman felt that the show had lost its appeal and was no longer unique in its portrayal of rural life.
By then, the network was running similar shows like “Petticoat Junction” and “Green Acres.” Due to the popularity of these competing shows, which also portray small-town life, the Clampetts were no longer welcome.
Timeless Beauty
Despite the major differences in hair and clothing trends since the 60s, Donna Douglas’ innate beauty has always shined through. During her high school years, Douglas was an athlete and played for both the basketball and softball teams.
Before getting her big break in show business, she was crowned Miss New Orleans and Miss Baton Rouge. Donna Douglas won pageant after pageant, and it’s not very hard to see why. Not long after she was discovered, she became widely known as Elly May Clampett.
Never Too Old
It is never too late to make your dreams a reality, something which Irene Ryan took to heart after “The Beverly Hillbillies” came to an end. Although she was best known for her role as Granny and was offered a similar role on TV soon after the show was canceled, Irene Ryan decided to decline.
Instead, she decided to move to New York and try out her skills on Broadway. Her success is a lesson for all of us that you are never too old to reinvent yourself!
We’re Number One!
It is almost impossible to imagine how excited the creators, actors, producers and crew became when “The Beverly Hillbillies”, which had only been on the air for three weeks, became number one in television ratings. This was the fastest rise to the number one spot in the history of television.
The wacky sitcom broke all kinds of TV records. It remained the number-one-rated show for a whopping two years and stayed in the top 20 for an incredible eight seasons. Hats off to the hillbillies!
Too Little Too Late
Almost thirty years after the release of “The Beverly Hillbillies,” a movie spinoff came out in 1993. The show was an instant and lasting hit, so the movie would probably break box office records, right? Unfortunately, that was not the case.
It could be the long break between the series and the film or having new actors play the beloved Clampetts. Regardless of the reasons, critics and audiences alike rejected the movie and declared it as one of the worst films ever. The funny thing is, we really enjoyed the campy classic.