The Beverly Hillbillies, which aired from 1962 to 1971, is still one of the most-watched half-hour shows of all time. Are you ready to take this quiz about a poor mountaineer who barely kept his family fed … until he struck oil?
1: Where did the Clampetts live before they moved to Beverly Hills?
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Bug Tussle is in the Ozarks, most likely Missouri, although Granny once mentioned Tennessee. The show’s creator, Paul Henning, grew up in Missouri.
2: In the world of the Clampetts, what is a cement pond?
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Coming from a rural area, the Clampetts have no knowledge of the finer things in life, including, evidently, swimming pools. They do know about swimming holes and ponds, however, so the built-in pool in their yard must be a cement pond.
3: What is the title of the show’s theme song?
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The Ballad of Jed Clampett is one of the best theme songs ever, fully explaining the show’s wacky premise. Jerry Scoggins sang, Lester Flatt played guitar, and Earl Scruggs played banjo. Flatt and Scruggs even appeared in a few episodes, playing themselves.
4: In the theme song, what is another name for oil?
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In The Ballad of Jed Clampett, Jed is hunting when he accidentally finds oil. The lyrics go like this: “And then one day he was shootin’ at some food / And up through the ground come a bubblin’ crude / Oil, that is, black gold, Texas tea.”
5: When Granny thinks she sees a giant jackrabbit, what is she really looking at?
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Granny keeps seeing a giant jackrabbit, but no one else sees it and they do not believe her. Of course, the animal is actually a kangaroo. In another episode, Granny mistakes an ostrich for a giant chicken. Such exotic varmints!
6: John Wayne made a cameo appearance in which episode?
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This episode would not be considered politically correct, by today’s standards. Two Native Americans, Chief Running Wolf and Little Fox, come to Beverly Hills to discuss a boundary dispute back home, and Granny thinks they want war. John Wayne, the iconic star of many Westerns, appears at the end of the episode, too late to help Granny do battle.
7: How were Jed Clampett and Granny related?
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Jed was a widower in the show, and he was Granny’s son-in-law. Granny’s name was Daisy Moses, and Jed’s wife was Rose Ellen Moses.
8: What is Granny’s name for the food she cooks?
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Granny cooks vittles for her family, based on her Ozark heritage. Some favorite recipes include Gizzards Smothered in Gristle, Boiled Mule, Southern-Fried Muskrat, and Grits an’ Possum Gravy. Granny was played by Irene Ryan.
9: What is the relationship between Milburn Drysdale and Jane Hathaway?
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Jane Hathaway is Milburn Drysdale’s secretary. Drysdale is a banker, and he is eager to help the Clampetts manage their money—and help himself to some of it, along the way.
10: Where was the Beverly Hillbillies show originally supposed to be set?
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Paul Henning, the show’s creator, originally planned to have the Clampetts move to New York City. However, filming there would have been too expensive, so they altered the concept to include the Beverly Hills setting we all remember. They filmed at the Kirkeby Mansion for a fee of $500 per day.
11: Elly May Clampett famously loves animals, but what does she call them?
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Elly May loves her critters, which include Gertrude the Duck, Jasper the Jaguar, Smelly the Skunk, Herman the Turkey, and Maggie the Deer. Elly May was played by Donna Douglas.
12: What kind of truck did the Clampetts drive?
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The Hillbillies drove a 1921 Oldsmobile Model 46 Roadster. You can see one surviving version of this truck for yourself at the Ralph Foster Museum, College of the Ozarks.
13: What did the Clampetts use their pool table for?
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The Clampetts used the pool table in their mansion as their fancy eatin’ table. Even better, they repurposed the cue sticks as pot passers and meat stabbers.
14: Which Clampett has the most education?
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The Clampetts often boast about Jethro because he has a sixth-grade education. He knows his “go-zin-ta’s”—as in, five go-zin-ta ten two times.
15: How is Jethrine related to the Clampetts?
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Jethrine is Jethro's twin sister, and her fiance is Jazzbo Depew. Max Baer, who played Jethro, donned frilly clothes and an amazing wig to play Jethrine. The character was voiced by show creator Paul Henning’s daughter.
16: When Mr. Drysdale advises Jed to buy stock, what does Jed do?
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In the episode Jed Buys Stock, Mr. Drysdale advises Jed to buy stock, to increase his wealth. Of course Jed, with his rural roots, immediately thinks of cows, pigs, chickens, and so on.
17: What odd scheme does conman Shifty Shafer try to draw Jed into?
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Shifty Shafer wants Jed to fund drilling a channel in a mountain in order to draw the smog out of Los Angeles. The conman role was played by comedian Phil Silvers.
18: Granny Goes to Hooterville is a crossover episode with what other show?
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Granny Goes to Hooterville is a crossover with the show Petticoat Junction. Hooterville is the setting for two CBS shows of the era: Petticoat Junction and Green Acres.
19: In the episode Getting Settled, what interesting chicken does Jethro find?
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Jethro finds a flamingo near their cement pond, and he thinks it is a strange pink chicken. He notes that whoever gets the neck will be lucky.
20: Why was The Beverly Hillbillies canceled?
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In the early 1970s, CBS executives decided to change their image, hoping to please advertisers. In what came to be known as the “rural purge,” they canceled all of their shows with a rural theme, including Green Acres, Mayberry R.F.D., Hee Haw, and, of course, The Beverly Hillbillies.
