What happened to Jethro Bodine from The Beverly Hillbillies after the show ended?
Here’s how Max Baer Jr looks like today at the age of 84.
The Beverly Hillbillies was a comedy show that followed the Clampett family, where Jed Clampett, played by Buddy Ebsen, unexpectedly became very rich.
The Beverly Hillbillies was a hilarious show that followed the Clampett family, where Jed Clampett, played by Buddy Ebsen, suddenly became incredibly rich.
Jed made the move to Beverly Hills, California, as soon as he struck it rich overnight. The twist? His family still embraced their hillbilly lifestyle.
Max’s personality was characterized by a wide, goofy smile that stretched from ear to ear. His infectious laughter had a way of making everyone else burst into laughter too. Most importantly, he had the remarkable ability to convince everyone that Jethro Bodine was the genuine article.
Max practiced his rural accent by listening to Andy Griffith and Jonathan Winters records. He managed to maintain a perpetually silly expression, much to the delight of his fans.
Max Baer Jr. truly became an American comedy legend when he portrayed the country bumpkin Jethro. Moreover, his major breakthrough in the industry was made possible by the show.
Unfortunately, things didn’t turn out as expected for him after the show. This is the story of the man behind Jethro Bodine, a beloved Hollywood character that fans couldn’t bear to say goodbye to.
Max Baer Jr. came into this world on December 4, 1937, in Oakland, California. His folks happen to be the famous boxer Max Baer and Mary Ellen Sullivan.
Despite his career not gaining momentum, he chose to stick around, and before long, he landed the most remarkable opportunity of his professional life – a part in a comedy series portraying a wealthy rural family in an oil-rich country.
Max Baer Jr – career
After a public audition, he landed the role of Jethro Bodine in The Beverly Hillbillies. He scored $1000 for the pilot episode and $500 for each following show.
Baer Jr explained on Medium that when portraying a character like Jethro, it’s best to let others be the judge since it’s difficult to remain unbiased when evaluating your own performance.
You simply work with what you have, give it your all, and then aim to enhance it with your performance as much as you can. Ultimately, it’s the audience who decides whether they liked it or not. There’s really no other way to judge it.
This is Max Baer Jr today
My dad always dreamt of becoming an actor, but life had other plans for him and he ended up becoming a boxer. As for me, I had aspirations of becoming a lawyer, but here I am pursuing acting instead. This show has truly been a game-changer for my career, opening up new opportunities for me. The visibility it provides will also ensure future work for me. However, I do hope that one day I can showcase my versatility and prove that I can portray characters beyond just a hillbilly.
Max Baer Jr., at 85 years old, chose to retire from show business. He has been enjoying a quiet life in Tahoe recently, but details about his current activities or health status are scarce.
Fans have probably been curious about his current well-being and appearance. And as we’ve always known, he keeps himself in great shape both physically and mentally.
Max Baer Jr. was featured in a recent interview on the Las Vegas Real Estate YouTube page a couple of months back. The interview took place at his Tahoe residence for the article released on September 7th, and based on the pictures, Max seems to be thriving at 85 years old!
Regardless of what came before or after the show, we’ll always think of Max Baer Jr. as a fantastic actor who brought laughter to every episode of The Beverly Hillbillies.
He will forever hold a unique spot in our hearts.
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