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Here's why Buddy Ebsen called The Beverly Hillbillies a ''pure comic strip''
When the critics called it corny, Ebsen called their bluff.
Buddy Ebsen of The Beverly Hillbillies was known for playing Jed Clampett, a good-natured, sharp-shooting hillbilly who struck oil and moved his family to Beverly Hills. Truly, the stuff of dreams.
But Ebsen had been around the entertainment scene for years prior to The Beverly Hillbillies, doing everything from dancing and stage acting to vaudeville. Starring in The Beverly Hillbillies made him a national treasure, according to a 1967 interview with The Register.
While the show was silly by design, many critics thought it was too “corny.” Ebsen hated that word. In fact, there were many words Ebsen would use to describe his series, but “corny” was never one.
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To prove his point, Ebsen and his staff sent a letter to each of the 18 critics who frequently used the term “corny” when referring to the series. He put his star power behind the argument.
Despite never receiving a response from many of the critics, The Beverly Hillbillies was clearly well-loved by fans across the country and around the world. According to the interview, the series was shown in 32 countries, while its weekly U.S. audience topped out at around 60 million viewers.
“And no matter what people think the word ‘corny’ means, it doesn’t describe what our show is,” Ebsen said. “Hillbillies isn’t even homespun. Nor is it slapstick. Comic strip is the closest I can come.”
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