This is how he looks today
Beloved actor Max Baer, Jr. (who prefers to be known as just Max Baer) is now 87. Baer is best known for playing Jethro Bodine on the classic CBS sitcom, The Beverly Hillbillies, which originally aired from 1962 to 1971.
A Closer Look
Max Baer, Jr. portrayed Jethro, whose Uncle Jed Clampett (played by Buddy Ebsen) struck gold (“Texas tea”), and was fortunate enough to have “loaded up the truck and moved to Beverly . . . Hills, that is” — with the entire Clampett family, including Elly May (Donna Douglas) and Granny (Irene Ryan).
The young Mr. Bodine was always a hit with the ladies, more so upon moving to Beverly Hills, and especially in the eyes of Miss Jane Hathaway (Nancy Culp).
Miss Jane was secretary to banker Millburn Drysdale (Raymond Bailey), who guarded Jed’s millions. She always had a thing for Jethro — and wasn’t shy about expressing those feelings.
Ultimately, Miss Jane became the voice of “Everywoman” . . . meaning, every woman viewer at home who was attracted to Baer’s brawny and likable performance as Jethro.
Back Story
Born Maximilian Adalbert Baer Jr. on December 4, 1937, in Oakland, California, Max Baer, Jr.’s parents were champion boxer Max Baer and Mary Ellen Sullivan. He was married to Joanne Kathleen Hill from 1966 to 1971.
Baer’s first acting role was in a stage production of Goldilocks and the Three Bears at the Blackpool Pavilion in England in 1949. He earned a bachelor’s degree in 1959 in business administration from Santa Clara University (minored in philosophy). He began working in television in 1960, making guest appearances on shows like Maverick, Surfside 6, Bronco, The Roaring 20’s, Sugarfoot, Cheyenne, Hawaiian Eye, 77 Sunset Strip, and Follow the Sun.
In 1962 Baer was cast as Jethro on Hillbillies, which CBS initially aired until the network opted to cancel as one executive put it “every show with a tree in it,” purging all country-geared programming for what was considered the more sophisticated shows that were surfacing at the time (e.g., Norman Lear’s All in the Family).
Between 1972 and 1991, Baer made guest appearances on shows like Love, American Style, Fantasy Island, Matt Houston (on which Buddy Ebsen had a recurring role) and Murder, She Wrote. He wrote, produced, and acted in the 1974 hit film Macon County Line. He also produced, directed, and acted in The Wild McCullochs (1975) and produced and directed Ode to Billy Joe (1976).
