Donna Douglas thrived into her early 80s before being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer; she died in 2015 (per Nola.com). Buddy Ebsen died of pneumonia when he was 95 (via IMDb). Irene Ryan (per The New York Times) died from the effects of a stroke at age 70. According to Wide Open Country, Kulp died of cancer in 1991, also age 70. The only remaining cast member of “The Beverly Hillbillies” is Max Baer, Jr. Unsurprisingly, he played the youngest character on the show, Jethro Bodine. His character was the son of Jed Clampett’s cousin Pearl. According to Newsner, what made Bodine so memorable was Baer Jr.’s ability to make the character seem “real.” Baer, Jr. landed the role somewhat by accident and luck, admitting to knowing little about acting prior to heading to Los Angeles after graduating from college.
When speaking about his relationship with Douglas after she passed away in 2015, he stated, “I’m the last man standing. All the actors, producers — everybody on the show is gone” (via Rumor Fix). As of 2022, Baer is 84 years old. His overnight success and his time as Jethro Bodine still bring fond memories.
