About This Quiz
"Come and listen to my story 'bout a man named Jed ..."
Everyone loves a good "rags to riches" story — it's why we're so fascinated with tales of lottery winners, or with people like J.K. Rowling or Oprah, who rose from poverty to build their own empires. This fascination with stories of people from modest means who later struck it rich comes from a deep-down hope that maybe, with a little luck, that could be us someday. It's also a big part of what made '60s sitcom "The Beverly Hillbillies" so popular. After all, no one started off poorer than the Clampetts, and look where they ended up!
Of course, the enduring appeal of the show comes down to more than its rags to riches theme; the series also happened to hit the air at a time when Americans were starting to lament city life, and seeking a simpler life out in the country. This rural obsession helped make Jed, Granny, Jethro, and Elly May into household names, and also spawned a steady stream of shows set in the country, from "Petticoat Junction" to "Green Acres" and "Hee Haw."
Now, just in case you find yourself striking oil like Jed, you might be interested in knowing that the Clampetts' home from the show's opening credits hit the market in late 2017. Known as Chartwell, the Bel Air property is among the most expensive homes in America, with a price tag of $350 million. That's a whole lot of bubblin' crude.
Think you know all there is to know about this down-home family and their new life in the big city? Take our quiz to prove your Beverly Hillbillies IQ!
The Clampetts struck oil on their land and became rich. With their newfound wealth, they moved to Beverly Hills, where the show takes place.
Granny is from Tennessee. It's thought that this might be where the whole family moved from, but no one knows for sure.
Duke is a bloodhound. He is Jed's dog.
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Jed's catchphrase was "Well, doggies!" This is one catchphrase that can still be heard today.
Jethro passes the time by trying to get as many pretty girls as possible!
M.D. stands for "mountain doctor." In one episode, Granny decides that she might retire from her practice.
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Milburn is the president of the Commerce Bank. Milburn is always trying to keep the Clampetts in Beverly Hills to keep their money in his bank.
Elly May is Jed's daughter.
The Clampetts call their swimming pool a "cement pond."
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The Drysdales always try to keep the Clampetts in Beverly Hills because their money is in the Commerce Bank where Milburn is the president.
Miss Jane is Milburn's secretary.
Elly May is not good at cooking. In one episode, a miller bought one of Elly May's cakes to use as a grindstone in his mill!
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"The Beverly Hillbillies" first aired in 1962, and became a comedy favorite from then on.
Elly May loves animals. She always calls her pets her "critters."
Pearl is Jethro's mother and Jed's cousin. Like Jed, her significant other passed away.
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Miss Jane has a crush on Jethro.
The property was worth $25 million. This funded the Clampetts' move to Beverly Hills.
Margaret Drysdale is Milburn's wife.
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The Drysdales are the Clampetts' neighbors. Mr. Drysdale is also the president of the Commerce Bank.
"The Beverly Hillbillies" spinoff is "Green Acres." Its plot line was the reverse of "The Beverly Hillbillies," where the main characters went from riches to rags.
Margaret's rival is Granny. In one episode, Margaret goes as far as accusing Granny of theft.
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Jethrine is Jethro's twin sister. She is played by Max Baer Jr., who also plays Jethro.
"The Beverly Hillbillies" ended in 1971, marking the end of one of the most-watched sitcoms in the United States.
Pearl convinced Jed to move his family to California. Thanks to Pearl's encouragement, the Clampetts became millionaires!
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The theme song is called "The Ballad of Jed Clampett." It tells the story of Jed and how he became rich.
Granny's name is Daisy Moses. She is Jed's mother-in-law.
"The Beverly Hillbillies" had nine seasons over a span of nine years. The show was canceled after Season 9 because CBS was looking to target a different audience.
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Jethro is always looking for a job. He's tried everything — working at the bank, becoming a stunt double, even joining the Navy as a frogman!
OK Oil Company purchased the right to drill on Jed's land. They paid the Clampetts more than they ever would have imagined, and that is how they made the money to relocate to Beverly Hills!
One of the names used to refer to Granny's moonshine is Tennessee Tranquilizer!
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The reunion movie was called "The Return of the Beverly Hillbillies."
The only living cast member is Max Baer Jr., who played Jethro in the show. As of 2018, he is 80 years old and living in Oakland, California.
"The Beverly Hillbillies" was considered one of the most popular sitcoms ever aired because of the high ratings it received. The first two seasons made it number one in the United States.
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Jed's deceased wife was named Rose Ellen. She died when Elly May was a young girl.
Miss Jane thought that the Clampetts were servants, which almost made her lose her job.
The answer to this question is right in the show's theme song lyrics, which tell viewers that Jed discovered that black gold, that Texas tea, while he was out "shootin' at some food." Yes, Jed barely kept his family fed, but he managed to put food on the table thanks to his hunting skills.
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After the family moved to Beverly — Hills, that is — family patriarch Jed Clampett found himself facing a whole new set of problems. When he needed to think, Jed usually settled down onto the curb out front of the mansion to do some whittling.
Sam Drucker owned the General Store in Hooterville that served the needs of the Clampetts and other locals. While Granny believed Sam was in love with her, he never made a move on the feisty senior. Cady also played Sam Drucker on "Petticoat Junction" and "Green Acres."
No matter what you think of the Clampetts, it's indisputable that the series was hugely popular. Two out of three U.S. TV's tuned into the show in January 1964 to see Granny take a kangaroo that she mistook for a jackrabbit. The episode featured a minor appearance from actress Sharon Tate in the role of Janet.
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After a tryst with Matthew Templeton in season eight, Elly moves onto his brother Mark Templeton the next season. After seeing the Navy officer in a wetsuit, Granny is convinced that poor Mark is part frog, and is certainly not marriage material for her sweet Elly May.
Clampett neighbor and local bank president Milburn Drysdale puts a whole lot of effort into bending to the Clampett's every whim in order to keep their business. Fortunately, a sniff of some cold hard cash is all it takes to ease his frequent anxiety attacks.
Granny is a Confederate through and through, and often explains that the south actually won the Civil War, and Sherman's historic march was actually a retreat to the sea. If Granny could have her way, Jefferson Davis would remain in the White House indefinitely.
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After wrapping up his role as Jed Clampett, Buddy Ebsen starred as private investigator "Barnaby Miller" from 1973 through 1980. When "The Beverly Hillbillies" got a Hollywood movie makeover in 1993, Jim Varney played Jed while Buddy Ebsen appeared as the lawyer Barnaby Miller.
Many of the original cast members of the show reunited in 1981 for the "Return of the Beverly Hillbillies" flick. The movie features Miss Jane and her employer searching for Granny's recipe for White Lightning, a potent type of moonshine that they are hoping could solve the '80s energy crisis.
It was Jethro Bodine, son of Clampett cousin Pearl, who steered that car to California. Once they arrived, Jethro stayed on with the family to go to school, try his hand at a whole lotta jobs and eat anything he could get his hands on.
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