It was kind of scary. Douglas, 81, played Elly May Clampett on the television series "The Beverly . I joyously discovered that every episode of TBH is on Youtube! I sat and watched her big number on stage every night, and I saw that she began to cut down on her moves, and to generally diminish the amazing energy that she would normally put out every time (on opening night, she stopped the show cold, and I had to stand there for about eight minutes waiting for the applause to die down before I could go on!). May your soul rest in peace, Donna Douglas. While modeling didn't appeal to her -- "I didn't want to be that skinny" -- television did. "The Beverly Hillbillies" ran on CBS for nine seasons from 1962 to 1971 and was one of the most popular shows of the 1960s, topping the ratings its first two seasons. I've never heard that story before, but I can't necessarily refute it. Donna Douglas as Elly May Clampett, left, and Buddy Ebsen as Jed Clampett of the television show 'The Beverly Hillbillies' holding the Australian. A native of Los Angeles, California, she passed away on January 1 in New York City. Bannon is now John Travolta's brother-in-law, as he's married to Ellen Travolta. She was the only child of a school teacher mother and a traveling salesman father. Natalie was traumatized by the rape and spent years in therapy. Meyer Lansky. She is survived by him, by three grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, one brother and other extended family members, Smith said. Even as a kid, I hated that Frogman storyline. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. "She was a very giving person and a very Christian lady," her niece said. She said that his place was like a stereotypical bachelor's pad with a bear skin rug and fake fur bedspread. Take a look at these vintage photos to see the beauty of young Donna Douglas in the 1950s and 1960s. The Beverly Hillbillies may have made her a TV star, but Douglas had tons of TV experience before nabbing the role of Elly Mae. The suit was settled in 2011. Donna Douglas performed as a gospel singer and wrote the book, "Miss Donna's Mulberry Acres Farm", which was published in 2011. Ebsen was poisoned by aluminum dust that was put on his face as part of his Tin Man costume. In todays video, were going to take a look at the contributions of each member of The Beverly Hillbillies cast, as well as the way each cast member eventually died. Ryan wished them luck but told them she had no intention of rocking the boat. 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. Half the cast had to be replaced because the actors were dead (or refused to return - Max Baer Jr.) The rest of the cast looked like they'd rather be anywhere else. All Rights Reserved. Due to Nancys secretive ways and her single-life, she sparked rumors about her sexuality; she remained silent for years, but two years before her death, she came out and said that she was a lesbian, but never stated whether she was in a relationship with another woman or not. She, Max Baer, and Donna Douglas were unknowns when they were hired for TBH and they signed on for very little money. But in 1958, she died. Bolger played the scarecrow. In a way the same thing could be said for Bewitched, the black and white episodes were more of an adult (for the time) comedy that relied on better writing where the later episodes were more of a cartoon that relied on the gimmick. That's Linda Henning voicing Jethrene. In fact, she become nominated for two Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. Benjy has also written for DailyMail and TMZ. Patrick Kennedy, son of John F. & Jackie Kennedy was born prematurely. "I am happy to say I have terminated my tenure of employment with that cretin." Where did Donna Douglas die? Kind of like Doris Roberts. 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. The two actors met while filming the 1957 film Loving You and were rumored to have been dating. July 7, 2003 / 8:36 AM / CBS/AP. Ed. In 1966, she transitioned to film with a role opposite Elvis Presley in the movie Frankie and Johnny.. Kathryn Boyds Biography. And she was determined to give back - which she did through the Irene Ryan Trust and the acting scholarship, which continues to be prestigious and coveted to this day. ", My God, that was DECADES after the Wizard of Oz. The Jethro becomes a Hippy or Jethro joins the Army kind of stuff hasn't aged well. Was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. It taught people that its important not to underestimate others just because they dont have an impressive career or educational background. And, of course, [on her on- and off-screen chemistry with. Press Esc to cancel. She made her film debut in an uncredited role in. She . Hello. In the 1970s and 1980s, she recorded a few minor country music records and several gospel albums. I always heard that the cast got along great, with the exception of the guy who played Mr. Drysdale, who was kind of a dick, apparently. I never saw an icicle start any fires. Still at the bank, huh?". And so [] More, Sex, Drugs, and Rock n Roll. Max plays his supporting role as big dumb Confederate army Sargent "Jethro" with the twist the war has warped his mind until he has become a total kill-crazy psycho. She won over the hearts of TV viewers with her starring role on The Beverly Hillbillies, but there was much more to this versatile actress than Elly May Clampett. But she ended up spilling the beans on one of the most embarrassing chapters of her life instead. Here's the true story: . When the show became a top hit, Baer and Douglas wanted Ryan to join them in demanding a fat pay raise from the producer. She was in every other show in the 70s and 80s but no one really knew her till she hit paydirt with Everybody Loves Raymond. Sadly, she died on January 1st, 2015 from . . Facts Verse While she had small roles on three movies prior, her only starring role on the big screen was with Elvis Presley in 1966s Frankie and Johnny. During her final days, she enjoyed giving speeches and reading the letters she received from fans. Mirielle Enos (THE KILLING), gay Dan Butler (FRASIER), and maybe gay Kevin Rahm (MAD MEN) were all recipients of Irene Ryan acting scholarships. Clampett." 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. February 19, 2023, 6:22 am, by She was quite well known. I once ruined Buddy Ebsen's credit rating. It doesn't appear he ever played another role at all. [on offering another role] I was offered to do a nighttime soap after. of that man-eater type. SheKnows is a part of Penske Media Corporation. The cause of death was pancreatic cancer, her niece told The Associated Press. Is Donna Douglas still alive from the Hillbillies? Yes R33 Donna Mills was very nice when the Beverly Hillbillies visited Knots Landing. Gilbert Gottfried interviewed Max Baer Jr. this year on his podcast. She wanted to leave the series. I have never heard or read of any dissension on the set of the show. The main 4 characters were very close. Buddy Ebsen finalized his career in 1999. click ACCEPT. Max Baer Jr. landed fame after being cast to play the role of Jethro Bodine, and unlike the other cast members on this list, is actually still alive today. She continued with minor roles throughout the 50s, with one noteworthy role of Pamela Livingstone in the TV comedy series The Bob Cummings Show (1955-1959). Donna Douglas appeared in feature films before and after the much-loved '60s sitcom The Beverly Hillbillies, and she has been remembered even today as the buxom, the blue-eyed tomboy Elly May Clampett. But, trouper that she was, she never missed a performance. Irene had tons of credits prior to the BH. document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); Type above and press Enter to search. Coming from the 77-year-old, that means a lot, because he says, "I'm such a bastard that if you're a dick when your living you're a dead . Sez who? In 2010 she sued CBS and toymaker Mattel seeking some of the proceeds from sales of a Barbie doll that used Elly May's name and likeness. Wished she was in more episodes. When I returned to the Imperial for the evening show, the call had just come through from Kennedy airport: Irene was on a plane to Los Angeles. She lost the race, and moved to Palm Springs, where she decided to spend the rest of her days devoted to charity organizations. The two things I am most asked is if I still love critters and can I still whistle like Elly May. He may have been a Republican, but he wasn't "nasty." The albums were Back on the Mountain, Here Come the Critters, Donna Douglas Sings Gospel, and Donna Douglas Sings Gospel II.. 3. Please click here to register for free. Friends said she would "shudder" every time she heard Douglas's name. Audience members loved to watch the Clampetts clash with their snooty Beverly Hills neighbors; as well as watch the Clampetts bumble around with more riches than the family had ever dreamed of. 6, 2003, due to respiratory failure. Found a pic of him and Donna, but I liked this one better. Same as the episodes when they went to Silver City, and all the ones with Shorty Kellum. Official Sites. The actress died Thursday at the . There, the doctors discovered that she suffered from a malignant brain tumor. Irene Ryan was one of the people who was instrumental in seeing Douglas through that time dark time. 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. Donna was one of the biggest stars on TV in the 1960s playing Elly May Clampett. When it comes to Nancys private life, she liked to keep it that way, private. Donna Douglas, who played Elly May Clampett on the hit 1960s sitcom The Beverly Hillbillies, has died. ", And she didn't mind the association, either. I loved that fast-guitar theme (reminiscent of silent-movie villain music) they used to play when Mrs. Drysdale was on the rampage against the Clampetts, "And Kulp was loved, too. As Elly May Clampett, a blonde country girl in the suddenly-rich family at the center of The Beverly Hillbillies, Douglas was the object of many a teenage crush -- alongside competition like Barbara Eden (I Dream of Jeannie), Elizabeth . 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. God bless them all. Good lord As a child, I saw Ninotchka on the late movies and was certain Ina Claire was the same woman who played Mrs Drysdale. 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 . You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! Unlike Lovely Howell, there was never anything even vaguely charming or attractive about her. It netted Baer millions. Elvis famously said that he missed sleeping with only two of his female movie co-stars (Mary Tyler Moore from a "Change of Habit" and I forget the second). The show followed the Clampett family, a rural hillbilly troupe displace from their home by the government when a rich deposit of oil found in their very backyard. Donna Douglas came to my town for a parade and the grand opening of a business in the late 1970s. It funds post-bachelors conservatory training (i.e. My gay stepbrother and I saw Pippin with Della Street's son, William Katt in the title role and Martha Raye in Irene Ryan's part. An honest-to-goodness Southern Belle, similar to her most famous character role, "Elly May Clampett" on The Beverly Hillbillies (1962), Donna Douglas grew up in the Baton Rouge, Louisiana area, loving "critters". Facts Verse For her education, after high school, Nancy enrolled at Florida State University, which at the time was Florida State College for Women, from which she obtained a bachelors degree in journalism. Bob said he'd take a look at her in the next day or two. Douglas, a local beauty queen in her native Louisiana before becoming an actress, died on Thursday of pancreatic cancer at a hospital in Baton Rouge, her niece Charlene Smith said. The twist was she was beautiful, at least to the viewers, but considered hideous to the pig people of the planet, she was on. Just show us the guy's cock and then bring in the next side of beef. This was after Douglas' death in January. Donna Douglas 1933-2015 10 photos Douglas -- known for her sparkly blue eyes and platinum blonde hair -- had parts in the "Twilight Zone" and "Mr. Ed," and in 1966, she starred in "Frankie and . "Oh. painful to see Ellie play the same character in her 50's. 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