‘The Beverly Hillbillies’ Is a Legendary TV Series, but Every Legend Has to Have a Beginning. Here’s the Debut Episode, Let’s Meet the Clampett’s!

The biggest television comedy hit of the 1960's. And one of the most legendary comedy series in the history of television.

The Beverly Hillbillies.

Of course now everyone is familiar with the Clampett's, with Jed, Granny, Jethro and Elly May. We all know Mr. Drysdale, Miss Hathaway and the other hilarious characters on the show. Heck, the Hillbillies still are TV star's on the classic TV channel's in re-runs and probably will be, well, forever!

But we didn't know any of that back in September, 1962. We just knew some new show was coming on CBS TV, KELO for those of us who lived in southwest Minnesota.

Well, it wasn't long before it was my Mom and Dad's favorite show, and so it would be my brother and my favorite show as well! (This was back in the day when, whatever your parents like, you had to like, too). And the rest of America agreed, as the show was consistently in the Top Twenty programs each year, and was the number one show of the year twice during it's nine year run. And of course, it spawned 'Petticoat Junction' and 'Green Acres' back in the era of what were called rural comedies.

Of the main characters, only Jethro portrayed by Max Baer, Jr. is still with us at the age of 77. But of course, really they are all still with us, not only in the aforementioned re-runs, but in our hearts.

Let's go back to that September evening in 1962. Dad's on the couch with the paper. Mom's in the chair darning socks. My brother and I are sitting on the linoleum floor in that little farmhouse living room. And that's when it happens, it stunning black-and-white!

We meet the Hillbillies.