Today Cool Classics looks into the life of Irene Ryan, who played Granny on The Beverly Hillbillies TV Show. Her life story is a little different from most, so find out who the real Daisy May Moses, Clampett was.
Hope everyone enjoyed this video. I did start on another Batman 66 cast member, but their early life was so tragic that I had to stop and change things up. I will go back and finish that video, but it will require a trigger warning or something. Take Care :)
You just gave me hope at the very ending as I've been thinking about starting a channel on what I do for a living as I have nearly 30 years of experience and I know my knowledge can help people but I'm so scared and I don't know what I'm doing. Yet you gave me hope and I thank you so much❤️🔥🤝❤️🔥
Hey Hippie :) One of my mottos is "Don't Be Scared" The reason I use that so much, is basically to reinforce it in my mind, because I have always been shy, insecure and scared to try new things. It has been a life long battle for me. As for RU-vid, well you Need to Do It! Baby Steps Create the channel. Create a video Upload the video Learn to title Learn to tag Learn to make a thumbnail Don't worry about views on any early videos. Do not worry about quality on the first 20 videos, because they will suck compared to your 50th video, no matter how hard you try at first. You don't know, what you don't know. So learn as you go. If you are vlogging, you can buy a light down the road or a taller tripod for standing outdoor. You just have to start. The hardest part is the hatful comments. I have had a 1000 of them on this channel. Heck I had 100 people telling me I am ugly and that I need to shave that crap on my chin, just from my Agnes Moorehead video, where I vlog part of it. Just block them fast, do not read the comment twice. Boom Gone There is a saying for dealing with hate. Your opinion of me, is none of my business. Now create a channel, make a video and they will improve over time. Go Go Go! 😁👍
@@CoolClassics I needed that... how did you know that I needed to hear what you just said?! thank you so much! you brought tears to my eyes but they're good tears...don't get me wrong. Thank you so much and once I do that trust me, I will let you know. *For Christmas my mom bought me this stand that has a holder for your camera/phone, a light and a holder for a microphone. She thought I could use it to put makeup on lol, as she is 82 and don't understand. Yet yes I have that for when I need to sit somewhere inside and vlog. It's about working with pets 🐾 You are AWESOME ❤️🔥🤝🫂❤️🔥
I grew up with the Beverly Hillbillies. A fun show that is still enjoyable to watch today. Wow, it’s hard to believe it’s been 50 years since Irene passed. A wonderful talent!
I am 64 years old and The Beverly Hillbilly's and The Andy Griffith Show are hands down my two all-time favorite shows. This brought a tear to my eye. Both happy and sad. Thank you.
68 yrs old I loved Daisy Mae and as a child in a school May I played Granny for my class project. I still watch the hillbilly's on retro tv I also loved flats and Scruggs theme song. I'm prefer those old shows petty coat junction Andy griffin Gomer Mr Ed and leave it to beaver they were the best
It made me very happy to know that her Beverly Hillbillies cast mates went to her side before she passed to spend time with her. They always seemed like a close-knit bunch.
Buddy Ebsen reportedly hated the role, same with Max Baer---- On Gilligan's island, Natalie Shaffer, Tina Louise, and Jim Bacchus? hated their roles--- but, that didn't stop them from making cameo appearances years later------
@@thomasfoss9963 I think they hate only being remembered for it and that typecast thing....I also think they didn't quite know what a popular TV series would do to them...Back in those days the public expected them to be those characters in real life.
@@MsLiberty101 i remember online someone said they were bored one night. they lived in same city as max baer. they looked up his landline and called him. he talked to them for 30 minutes!! just an ordinary guy making each of them feel special about themselves. betty gordon, ames, iowa fan 2.4.23
I always got a kick out of fiesty granny. Loved her character. The Beverly Hillbillies, panned by the professional critics, a show so horrible the people insisted it last for nine seasons. LOVE IT
The Beverly Hillbillies was one of the best shows ever! No matter how many times you’ve seen it, it’s always hilarious. It ended a lot sooner than it should have.
It still is one of the best shows. I'm still watching an episode every night through the blessing of streaming. A good laugh before sleeping is great medicine. Thank you, Granny!!
I was a kid growing up in the 60's and it was the best time for television. My whole family loved the Beverly Hillbillies, especially the rambunctious Granny. Thanks for sharing what their lives were really about!
Ray these TV + movie programs worldwide were so powerfully realistic with magical talent,it was just so real,realistic and took you in to another realm,
Rest in peace "Granny" Irene Ryan.... You were one of the finest character actors ever... The memory of you will last forever.... Thank goodness We have all of these films to help remind us of your unique classic ability to hold an audience spellbound with your charm, humor and wit... You are loved.... Doc....
Granny was my fave from the cast. How rare was it to have an older hilarious cantankerous woman like that running around who wasn't a side character or just someone who made quips. Her energy is amazing.
Irene Ryan was not just an accomplished television & movie actress. But, a trained theatrical actress & singer as well. She left “The Beverly Hillbillies” when she was offered the role of “Berta” in the brand new Broadway musical “Pippin”, costarring Ben Vereen, John Rubenstein & Jill Claiborne. She remained with this show until a couple weeks before passing away. She received nightly standing ovations for her solo performance “In Just No Time At All”. Irene Ryan was simply amazing & wonderful throughout her career. And, she was dearly loved by millions, including myself!
The Beverly Hillbillies were ended in what has been termed "The Purge." CBS decided in 1971 that they should focus on more "urban-themed" shows, so they cancelled Hillbillies, Green Acres and Hee Haw all in one fell swoop. Hee Haw was a Top 20 show at the time, and Green Acres and Hillbillies were both still pulling decent ratings and would not have been cancelled otherwise. In fact, before that season had wrapped, the cast of Hillbillies had all gotten word that they would be renewed for the 1971-1972 season. Pat Buttram, "Mr Haney" from Green Acres, had a great quote: "They killed everything with a tree in it."
That was so amazing to watch her evolve into Granny. Her face her voice, everything. I'm not old enough to remember her before that show, so it was great to see her history. Thank you very much for making this video. It was very informative and heartwarming too.
My youngest daughter actually competed for the Irene Ryan scholarship about 25 years ago. The "Beverly Hillbillies" was a show that was never missed at our house for its entire run. Elly May gave me my first "stirrings" as a young boy as she sat by the cement pond. It was good to see Granny's story told.
Can't imagine anyone else playing Granny's character. I personally think that she had the best role on the show and was a hoot to watch. Thanks for the putting together these videos and look forward to the next one.
the creator of the Beverly Hillbilies Paul Henning had originally planned to cast Bea Benadaret as Granny. However, when Irene Ryan auditioned for the role Bea Benaderet told Mr. Henning-you just found your Granny!! (Bea went on to portray "Cousin Pearl")
Irene did appear on other television shows . She appeared in an episode of THE ANDY WILLIAMS SHOW in February of 1964. She also appeared on PASSWORD for a week of shows airing in October of 1966 and another week of shows in June of 1967.
I grew up watching The Beverly Hillbillies. Irene's "Granny" has always been one of my favorite characters. Being from Kentucky I appreciate the hillbilly humor. Thank you so much for this detailed history of Irene.
Same here. We butchered hogs, plucked chickens, and raised a garden. We felt like the beverly hillbillies the first time we went to a fancy city restaurant and ate pizza for the first time....at a Pizza Hut.
@@Richard-vq7ud we didn't butcher hogs (but my mom's family were butchers and tavern keepers) the rest sounds familiar. I won' tell you how we would often kill chickens (it's kind of funny but most people would be mortified now.) 🤷♂
@@kalevala29 yes, those were great times and memories. Im so proud of my Great Grandmothers dining table. At that time after she died, the family thought it was junk so they had it in the yard and rain and used it to butcher hogs! My grandma loved it and saved it and now it is mine. I feel so lucky!
I recall as a kid during the summers I would spend at my grandparents helping them around the house, the shop, the garden, and so on. At night I sat beside my grandmother shelling peas while watching The Beverly Hillbillies - and that combination was the best of times! We'd also watch Sanford and Son, Rockford Files, Petticoat Junction, Lost in Space - all the awesome programming of that time. THANK YOU for doing this one! I even have more respect for Irene Ryan than ever before.
Boy what a massive talent 🎭 It seems she just got better & better as she got older. I’m so happy she finally found such eternal success. Everybody knows “Granny!” 😊
i was a young child when the beverley hillbillies was first screened. here in australia irene was incredibly popular. we couldn't get enough of her on that show and all generations here loved her.
In 1963, Irene Ryan came to Sacramento (along with Max Baer) to perform at a charity fundraiser. She did a comic "granny skit" in her granny costume, followed by a very tasteful caberet act is a blue sequined outfit. I was struck by her level of professionalism and how very attractive she was. Always kind and polite to her audience.
Irene Ryan was Granny and help make the Beverly Hillbillies the wonderful show that it was. I can still remember the first show. Good clean fun without nudity, profanity, anti-christian or anti-American innuendos. Thanks for the documentary, nicely done.
you stated this well: NO nudity, profanity, anti-christia or anti-american innuendos. too bad other stations have sold out and that's all there is on tv now! bettyg, iowa
At six years old this was my favorite TV show when it first aired mainly because of her. I can’t explain why but she and her character made me so happy as a little kid. Thanks for this wonderful tribute to her.
What a great story. She and the whole Clampett family was such a fun part of my youth, and I continued to watch it in syndication for years. Your presentation brought back such wonderful memories. Who can ever forget the “ceement pond”? What great laughs!
That was a fantastic mini documentary. I grew up with the Beverly Hillbillies as a child , and I imagine that there was not a person alive at that time who didn't adore That Feisty old Atom Bomb Granny. Irene came from an era of performers with Heart, Charisma, and uncanny comedic timing. Sadly traits lost in today's field of Overnight media sensations, and mediocre social media wonders.
As a kid growing up in the 60's, The Beverly Hillbillies was one of my favorite shows--I loved it. And as great as Buddy, Donna, Max, Nancy and Raymond all were, Irene Ryan as Granny truly made that show a hit. She was amazing; a gifted actress and remarkable human being.
Irene was perfect for the role. her youth and energy really made her character come alive. the critics didn't know what they were taking about. the show was and still is a situation comedy like many other comedy shows on TV. it was funny and made people laugh. what more did they expect?
It wasn’t the critics, it was the network! They purged all their “rural focused” shows, even though they still had great ratings. They killed Hillbillies, Green Acres, Petticoat Junction, Mayberry RFD, and Hee Haw, (although Hee Haw went on many more years in syndication).
She was great. No one could have played it like her. The other character that stands out for me is Max Baer Jr. playing Jethro. I heard that when he auditioned, he bumped into a lamp or something like that and said "excuse me." I believe that sealed the deal for him, too. I thought the first three seasons were the funniest for sure.
Nice video. I appreciate learning about Irene's career. When I want to feel nostalgic, Beverly Hill Billies is one of my go to shows. Granny certainly was a hoot. The shows chemistry certainly would have never been as good without Irene, who owned that character.
Love this biography of Irene Ryan “Granny”. She was one of my favorites on Beverly Hillbillies. You did a fantastic job . I was surprised that she died so young. ♥️
Perfect casting. Can't imagine anyone else in any of those roles. It ain't her shoulders that's a poppin those buttons. She's ahead of me standing still. All the Paul Henning shows were hilarious and so cleverly written
I'm not even a Beverly Hillbillies fan and I'm blown away by this documentary. The level of research you have done rivals professionally produced documentaries! Incredible job!!!
I've seen it off and on over the years but I wasn't a fan either. I think we all know the intro song, plot and characters to some extent but I always assumed Granny was older than 60. She definitely made a good point about the amount of hours working would be hard for an elderly woman. I love the story about her audition. That's a natural actress. I never knew her name in real life but I'm very happy that this came up on my feed for whatever reason. It was a great documentary and tribute to a brilliant actress and I may just start from episode 1 and enjoy😀
I grew up on these kinds of shows, Beverly Hillbillys, Andy Griffith, etc. I wish T.V. was still only showing these wholesome family shows instead of the toxic brain cancer it's filled with today.
Fond memories of being a kid in the 70s and watching the Beverly Hillbillies. Granny was the character that could always get me to giggle. God rest her soul.
My mother was originally from Alabama and we loved the character of Granny because she reminded us of some of the old ladies in our family there, especially one particular great aunt. This was the great aunt who once fired off a shot gun to stop a fight at a family reunion and accidentally shot out a neighbor's window.
Exactly what Granny would have done, too! She would have broken one of Mrs. Drysdale's windows, scared Claude, the Drysdale's poodle and sent the poor traumatized dog back to his psychiatrist.
No one but Irene Ryan could have brought granny to life. It was a role made just for her. She portrayed so many roles during her life but will alway be remembered as granny.
Irene was the Funniest one of the whole cast. NOT saying the others in the cast weren't, she just Stood out. The Beverly Hillbillies will Always be Remembered. It was HILARIOUS.🤣🤣
I watched the Beverly hillbillies growing up And have started watching them again at 70 yrs young. They were all great together. But granny as always been my fav. What an actor and comedian. She still makes me laugh. Irene you will live on forever. Thank you for sharing your gift as a endearing lovable actress. One of the best!!!
This was so well done. I congratulate you! I learned a lot that I’d never known about Irene Ryan. She had spunk in her acting and in her personal life. Such a cool woman! Greetings from Querétaro, México, where I moved to 17 months ago from my hometown of Dallas, Texas. :-)
Awesome!!!! IYou are about the 3rd person that was nominated in this comment section and we also have one person that received and Irene Ryan Scholarship 💜😁👍
It's impossible to believe "The Beverly Hillbillies" would have been such a massive hit without Irene. She lit up every scene. My wife bought several DVDs of the show and I've often played episodes through my streaming Roku service. Nothing puts me in a good mood as quickly as this program does. I was born in '56 so "The Beverly Hillbillies" was something I grew up with and never missed. Thanks for making this mini doc on Irene's life and career. She seemed to transition successfully as she grew older, which is something most women in Hollywood often couldn't do. It's too bad most people today have little idea of her roots and depth of talent. She's one of a kind.
I always remember the episode where Jethro was chasing "kitty cat" playmates like girls from a nightclub Mr. Drysdale used to go to and Granny (Irene Ryan) got so angry she said: "I'm going to smoke his haunches so he can sit in the tub and warm his own bath water" LOL!!
She was some great actress, and no mistake! What a spitfire! She was a huge personality in a small package, and a real stand-out. You just couldn't stop watching her. Thanks for putting together this great video!
Granny was my mother’s favorite character in the Beverly Hillbillies. Mine was a tie between Granny and Ellie May with her love for animals. ❤️🙏🏻 This video was very well done. I appreciate Irene Ryan even more now. Thanks for all your hard work. 🌹
When I was an undergraduate at Incarnate Word a actress from our department was asked to audition for the Irean Ryan acting program, we were honored to have that exspirence, and all the people who were asked were so deserving and talented.
Irene Ryan used to appear at bluegrass festivals in the late 1960's and early 1970's, in character with full costume as Granny. Us bluegrass lovers loved her, and considered her one of our own. I also remember, in about 2006, one or two of the musical "Darling" family from the Andy Griffith Show (actress Maggie Peterson as Charlene Darling) appearing at Merlefest in North Carolina, singing from the stage. Bluegrass people usually laugh at the stereotyped hayseed humor that goes along with bluegrass music, but the Beverly Hillbillies, Gomer Pyle, and the Andy Griffith Show actually imparted a lot of wisdom and humanity in their funny scenes.
Granny printed on her gravestone she was meant for the role. The Beverly Hillbillies made her famous forever. Most people worry about being forgotten forever after they pass away but that will never happen to her. If she never would have applied for the role people would have long forgotten about her . R.I.P
Granny was always my favorite. I had a crush on Jethro, and wanted to look like Elly May. That was and is one of the funniest shows. Thank you for filling in all the gaps in her life. What a wonderful woman she was.
Thank You for the history of Irene Ryan. I watched The Beverly Hillbillies in the mid to late sixties. Now that is a classy lady. She gave back to help others. That is a good person. Another person that we were fortunate to have in our lives. Thank You Irene for your contribution to the arts.
A good gauge as to whether or not a show will do well is looking to the critics. If they hate it, chances are that the cast and crew are onto something good that will turn out to be a success.
I have very fond memories of the Beverly Hillbillies. It was one of my favorite shows growing up. And it was so cool learning about Irene Ryan's life. Thank you so much for this!
so true...it was a brilliant concept.. original gags... genius casting... for those days way back... that was their impact then...it is still felt today
What a wonderful tribute to Irene. Thank you for this. I remember when the show came out, and how it was an instant hit. Everybody loved it, just as much as they loved Lucy. Thanks again for so much information.
Thank you so much for making this video. Irene, more specifically her character, Granny, was in my childhood for many years. Seeing and hearing about her life story was really nice. I had a tear when I heard she had a brain tumor. My soulmate suffered the same fate. Irene Ryan was a wonderful soul.
As a kid in the 60s it was all about the Beverly Hillbillies. Have all nine seasons on DVD and can't tell you how many times l've finished the last episode to go right back to season 1, disc 1 and watch em through again. Love em, will never tire of them.
I thought the ninth season stunk. The rest of the series was pretty good, but I like it better when they became color. Not just because of color, but the episodes just improved for some reason. Just my opinion.
My Italian grandmother, who didn’t speak a word of English, loved Granny. She loved the way Granny looked and sounded. She used to say “look at that old lady (vecchia)” even though she was older. 😂😂
I was quite impressed with the commentator/producer of this video for encouraging folks who might have a similar vocational interest to not give up. Giving encouragement to others is a rare but much needed quality in the world in which we live. Keep up the good work.
It was lovely that he shared his progress, which came from persisting, gaining experience, learning from mistakes, and having the humility to say, "my first try wasn't the best." People get discouraged if they aren't instantly perfect. The truth is that no one is. It's very nice to hear a real mentor step forward!
She always reminded me of my grandma in Southern Missouri. Trust me if you were to see my grandma and meet her you'd know exactly what I'm saying and I miss and love her so much just like I do Irene... part of my childhood❤️🔥
@@shelbypayne59 ABSOLUTELY! you just brought a memory back too ...SDC. I'm looking at a framed pic taken there rn of my family in those western looking clothes...the vintage photography. Boy I wish we could go back!
I had 2 Appalachian grandmas and Granny’s character really seemed authentic. My grandmas were different as night and day, one ran a beer joint and the other was a hardcore Pentecostal, somehow Granny’s character seemed to cover aspects from both personalities.
This was great. We watched The Beverly Hillbillies consistently and Irene was the perfect Granny: tiny, scrappy and tougher than anyone else. I'm glad you showed her early career because I was so used to her as Granny, I couldn't imagine her as a young woman. At first I thought she was like Gracie Allen, but maybe Gracie modeled herself after Irene. Anyway this was an excellent review of her career. Thanks for posting it.
Granny firing off that double barreled shotgun and the victim running through the gates of granny's driveway grabbing their derriere. So funny to watch as a kid.
I was born in 1964 and I watched Granny everyday after school while the show was in syndication. I'm quite sure I saw some of the original episodes as I had older siblings and they watched The Beverly Hillbillies quite a bit. I had never seen Irene Ryan in anything but The Beverly Hillbillies that I knew of except for this video. We used to eat big bowls of corn flakes just like Jethro Bodine, well not that big, maybe a small mixing bowl. She was amazing and a childhood memory that no one will ever forget. Thanks for posting, I just subscribed to your channel, you are bringing back fond memories to me.
I loved "Granny" from the Beverly Hillbillies! She was so GOOD in that role! I believe that Irene was a very versatile actor and I'm puzzled as to why she didn't become one of Hollywood's top female stars. Well, I'll never forget her. Thanks, Irene!
I never knew "Granny" was such a gifted actor!! I assumed she was typecast for the granny role, boy was I wrong! She was the show! Without her it would have never succeeded.
Often the comic sidekicks or portrayed as dummies types are often better than the stars. It's hard to play a extreme well. Look at Woody from Cheers for a perfect example
This is awesome! I was actually nominated for the Irene Ryan's at KCACTF back in college. I got giddy hearing about how the award came from her life's work! How Beautiful!! I also didn't know she was in Pippin!
I grew up watching The Beverly hillbillies, I thought the entire cast was great especially granny, I had no idea of everything she had done in her past. I thank you very much 👍☮️
One of the reasons "The Beverley Hillbillies" remains hilarious today is the integrity that both Irene Ryan and Buddy Ebsen, true professionals, brought to their parts. As an aside, Irene Ryan also spent a few years as one of Jack Carson's foils on his radio show.
When you think of The Beverly Hillbillies and Granny without Irene Ryan it wouldn't have been the same show. No matter how often the show is shown I still get my laugh on. She was the best!
Well done! Thanks for doing this. I'm a child of the '60's and I loved the Beverly Hillbillies and Irene! She was just terrific and I remember her fondly.
