'Beverly Hillbillies' star Donna Douglas dead at 81
'Beverly Hillbillies' star Donna Douglas dead at 81
"The Beverly Hillbillies" cast (l-r): Irene Ryan, Buddy Ebsen, Max Baer, Nancy Kulp, Raymond Bailey and Donna Douglas (AP)
Donna Douglas, the actress who won over TV viewers as Elly May Clampett on The Beverly Hillbillies, has died. She was 81.
The stars granddaughter told TMZ Douglas died in her Louisiana home surrounded by friends and family.
The cause of death was pancreatic cancer, her niece told The Associated Press.
Douglas appeared The Beverly Hillbillies, a comedy about a backwoods Tennessee family who moved to Beverly Hills after striking it rich from oil on their land. for all nine seasons of the show and reprised her role in a TV movie reboot of the series in 1981.
Throughout the 50s and 60s the 1957 Miss New Orleans winner appeared in series like The Twilight Zone and Mr. Ed. In 1966, she transitioned to film with a role opposite Elvis Presley in the movie Frankie and Johnny.
After her Hillbillies fame faded, Douglas recorded several gospel music albums.
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RIP Donna...you played the role of Elly May wonderfully. You will be missed by many.
She was also a gospel singer.
I believe Max Baer Jr. is the only remaining cast member in the photo still alive. Every character on that show was very memorable.
I loved the diverse personalitiesthat comprised the show.
One of the funniest comedies ever on tv. All the actors were the perfect caricatures of the roles they play. I still watch the re-runs, even though I've seen them before. She was always Ellie May Clampett.
RIP Donna Douglas
They were all great actors!
What do the critics know???