TV shows have changed a lot nowadays. In fact, more and more of them appear on the daily, and playing in a successful TV series can help you become a star faster than ever. In these modern times, it's hard to find someone who doesn't watch at least one TV show.
Of course, releasing a hit series was much more difficult back in the day. Yet, there were some which still managed to become classics. Get ready as we unveil unknown facts on your favorite TV series from the previous century. We bet you've never heard about half of what we've gathered!
Skyrocketing To Number 1!
You'll be surprised to find out that the series ranked 1st in ratings faster than any other in the US was actually The Beverly Hillbillies. The iconic comedy sitcom aired from 1862 to 1971, and just three weeks after its pilot episode, it hit the first spot in TV ratings!
Actually, Buddy Ebsen, Donna Douglas, Irene Ryan, and Max Baer Jr. instantly received some pretty fat paychecks. Also, 16 of the show's episodes are still among the 100 most-watched episodes ever. Max Baer Jr. is currently the only surviving member from the original cast.
John Wayne And His Not-So-Usual Payment
We really don't think that John Wayne needs any introduction. Back in 1967, he decided to do a cameo appearance on The Beverly Hillbillies. He had already starred in hit films like Stagecoach, Red River, and The Searchers, while the series was already a huge TV success.
Money wasn't the reason behind his appearance. Wayne probably even liked the show himself! That is proven by the fact that when he was later asked about his payment, he actually stated that a fifth of bourbon would do it. Well, that's really an unusual payment method right there!
The Beverly Hillbillies On the Radio?!
Today's generations have probably never heard of The Beverly Hillbillies. But there are some people nowadays who might remember its characteristic theme song. It was titled The Ballad of Jed Clampett, and it was written by a bluegrass duo named Flatt & Scruggs and the Foggy Mountain Boys.
As it turned out, the tune was a huge commercial success, increasing the earnings of the show and the musicians tremendously. For more than 80 days, the song was featured in the Country-Singles Billboard charts, and for three weeks, it was ranked #1. The song has been sung by many different musicians in various adaptations since then.
Clampett's Transformation
Buddy Ebsen, the actor who portrayed Jed Clampett, initially thought that retirement from showbiz was the best thing he could do. A little bit later, he landed the role of Clampett, and everything changed. At first, the producers of the series wanted Clampett to be quite clumsy and loutish.
Ebsen was the one who insisted that Jed should be more fun and a bit cunning. This is so that he could adapt to his new life after earning all that money from oil. Eventually, his character was rewritten, and Jethro Bodine got to be the series' dimwitted guy!
Blue Jeans And Hillbillies?!
Donna Douglas was the most charming actress in the show, and she got to portray Elly May Clampett. Following the show's first season, it was later revealed that she got to collaborate with Levi Strauss to promote their jeans. As it turned out, she was pretty good at it!
After the series' end, Douglas slowed down on acting and focused on gospel music and writing. She also started working as a real estate agent. Her last acting appearance was in 2013 when she played in a film called Chronicles of Life Trials. Sadly, in 2015 she passed away at 82.
Do You Know Where The Hillbillies Came From?
According to the script, the Clampetts moved to Beverly Hills from the Ozarks. Most parts of the Ozark Mountains' can be located in the State of Missouri. Do you know who else was from Missouri? Well, the series' creator named Paul Henning. We guess he wanted to make the show a bit more personal.
Paul was born in 1911 and died in 2005. He was then at the age of 93. Apart from creating The Beverly Hillbillies, Henning also managed to make a lot of money from his work in Petticoat Junction and Green Acres. He had three children.
The Clampetts Had Some Serious Cash!
The Clampetts' story was quite fun. They were totally poor before they managed to strike oil, becoming millionaires overnight. According to the series, Jed had managed to earn a $25-million net worth. That's a sum equivalent to $200 million today! They were millionaires, but definitely not billionaires.
The mansion they lived in was actually called Chartwell. It's currently on the market for the price of $195 million. The place is set on a massive 10-acre lot and features a 75-square-foot swimming pool! As you can see, this house isn't meant for ordinary people!
Henning Didn't Like Beverly Hills At First
Beverly Hills had always been an area characterized by luxury, glamour, and cool mansions where stars lived. At first, producer Paul Henning had a different story in his mind, and he didn't want the series to be filmed in Beverly Hills. New York was the ideal place to film the series—at least for him.
Henning wanted to show a poor man's transition from poverty to the modern world. That's why he believed that New York was the perfect environment to show that transition. Yet, filming there was rather expensive, so the production executives had no other choice than to opt for Beverly Hills instead.
Sadly, Times Changed
The Beverly Hillbillies proved to be a huge success for CBS, and it brought millions of earnings to its producers and the channel. However, times had changed fast. The '60s were over, and a new decade that's entirely different had already begun. It seemed that there was no room for our beloved Hillbillies any more.
At the time, CBS had two more "country-themed" series, Petticoat Junction and Green Acres. The channel's executives thought that it was time to get rid of old-style series. In something called the "Rural Purge", CBS shut down all three of them. The Beverly Hillbillies eventually ended in 1971.
Not Your Ideal Finale
A TV series usually consists of hundreds of episodes. Yet, they can all go to waste if its finale is a disappointment. And in the case of Bewitched, it definitely wasn't what the show's fans expected. After watching the last episode, they were left with the impression that they had seen that one before.
It turned out that the series' finale was almost identical to the episode Speak The Truth from 1965. The plot was almost the same, with Samantha and Darrin Stephens finally confessing their love to one another. Needless to say, the fans were not happy about it.
What About Granny's Real Name?
Do you remember Granny Clampett? Well, if you watched the show, you definitely do, as she's really hard to forget. Granny was quite bad-tempered, and ruffling her feathers wasn't something hard to achieve. However, Jed always calmed her down. She called herself a "mountain doctor", and Granny's real name (in the show) was Daisy Moses.
Granny was Jed Clampett's mother-in-law, and she was portrayed by actress Irene Ryan. Ryan lived from 1902 to 1973, and her most famous role was the one of Granny. She also played in the film O, My Darling Clementine. Plus, she made numerous stage production appearances as well.
No Need For Doubles!
Moving on from the Beverly Hillbillies, our next classic series is Bewitched. The show's main character was Samantha Stephens, and she was portrayed by Elizabeth Montgomery. It's probably Montgomery's most famous role to date, and she had one of the highest salaries on TV back then. However, she didn't only portray Samantha.
As it turns out, Montgomery also played her cousin named Serena, who was inspired by the hippie movement. She had a talent for irritating Samantha. The series' credits didn't reveal that though, and Serena's role is attributed to someone named Pandora Spocks, which is just a wordplay of Pandora's Box.
Magic Did Happen During Filming
This is something that many Bewitched fans still aren't aware of. The series wouldn't be the same without Samantha's trademark nose wiggle. However, as it was later revealed by Erin Murphy, who played Tabitha Stephens, much of the famous wiggle was just camera magic.
Many people believed that it was that wiggle that gave Montgomery the role. But in fact, it was just something that was incorporated into her role during filming. Samantha did move her upper lip and nose a bit, but not that intensely. The cameramen then sped up the film, and the outcome was Samantha's signature move.
A Hobby To Remember
Aunt Clara was undoubtedly one of the funniest characters in the show. She never seemed to remember anything, and every time she cast a spell, bad things would happen. She also had a thing for doorknobs and collected many of them. In this case, it seemed that art truly imitated life.
Marion Lorne, the actress who portrayed Aunt Clara, had the exact same hobby in real life. She had actually collected more than 1,000 knobs from vintage doors. Lorne sadly died in 1968, while she still appeared on the series. In her honor, her character wasn't replaced by any other actress.
A Secret She Never Revealed
Gladys the Nosy Neighbor was, officially named Gladys Kravitz, was one of the funniest characters in the series. She was portrayed by Alice Pearce from 1964 to 1966. The role of Gladys was later taken over by Sandra Gould, who stayed in the show until 1971. Why was Alice substituted, though?
It turned out that Pearce suffered from ovarian cancer and found about it just before the show started. She didn't tell anyone at the time. However, she started losing weight at an alarming rate during the second season, and everybody soon began to notice. In 1966, she passed away, and her ashes were scattered at sea.
A Career-Ending Injury
Darrin, Samantha's love interest, was originally portrayed by Dick York. Dick stayed in the show for the first five seasons, and he had already appeared in numerous TV productions at the time. In 1959, he suffered a horrific back injury while filming the movie They Came To Condura, and nothing was the same again.
As his back pains grew more and more intense, York was replaced by Dick Sargent in 1969. He was hospitalized and even tried to revive his career with roles in the '80s TV series Simon & Simon and Fantasy Island. York eventually passed away in 1992. His smoking habits destroyed his lungs, leading to lethal emphysema.
Zero Motivation
It's very hard for a TV series to stay mindblowing throughout all of its seasons. While every TV show has filler episodes, Bewitched saw a major decline in its popularity from 1969 to its end. Dick York's departure clearly affected the fans. They didn't like Sargent as much as the producers hoped.
Most importantly, it seemed that the script was repetitive. In fact, the producer William Asher copied I Love Lucy, which he had also worked for. For instance, the episode Samantha's Power Failure, where she works at a candy factory, is quite similar to an I Love Lucy episode.
The Many Faces of Tabitha
The people who watched and still remember Bewitched are definitely familiar with Tabitha Stephens. She's Samantha's beloved child whose mom and dad were always there for her. However, if any of you believe that Tabitha was played by just one actress, then prepare to be amazed.
Tabitha first appeared as a character in season two. At the time, she was portrayed by Cynthia Black. A while later, twins Heidi and Laura Gentry got the role, replacing Black. Two other twins, Tamar and Julie Young, replaced the Gentry sisters. Eventually, the role was given to babies Diane and Erin Murphy.
Don't Mess With the Queen!
Samantha's life was full of funny events and shenanigans, and nobody ever expected that she would become more accomplished than other witches. Despite her adventurous way of life, she was eventually appointed Queen of the Witches. Others would accept the title without even thinking twice. However, that wasn't the case for Samantha.
Initially, she didn't believe that she could handle the responsibility of being the Queen. She also didn't think that she was qualified for the position. Darrin disliked the idea of Samantha wearing the crown as well. But, in the end, Samantha handled everything perfectly!
Aged Like Fine Wine
Endora was one of the oldest and most powerful witches in the series. She was also Samantha's mother. Despite her significance, there wasn't enough information about her past, especially about her age. The series was full of references about it, but nobody could tell for sure.
At one point, Endora herself claimed that she was in a relationship with the notorious Ötzi the Iceman. It was known that Ötzi lived around 3500 BC. If that was true, it implied that Endora was over 5,500 years old. When it came to Samantha, it was believed that she was around 400—or even more!
A Star's Downfall
For many years, Elizabeth Montgomery had battled colon cancer—though we still don't know when exactly she was diagnosed with it. By the early '90s, she was informed by her doctors that she was cancer-free. However, in 1995, it returned after Montgomery ignored various symptoms that she had experienced at the time.
Like the true star she was, Elizabeth didn't want to spend her last days on a hospital bed. She died in June 1995 at her home in Beverly Hills, accompanied by her husband, Robert Foxworth. She was just 62 years old. The acting world mourned her loss and still miss her to this day.
Doppelgangers? Definitely Not!
As we mentioned above, when the series' fifth season had started in 1969, Dick York was plagued by severe back pain. The back injury he had suffered a couple of years earlier had rendered him unable to film any more episodes. So, he was replaced by Dick Sargent.
It was later revealed that Darrin's role had been offered to Sargent from the beginning, but he had declined. The show's executives hoped that the fans would take it easy on that sudden switch, but they didn't. Called "The Darrin Syndrome", that unexpected change decreased the series' popularity and earnings tremendously.
Finding A Stage Name Has Never Been That Imaginative
Michael Landon, born Eugene Maurice Orowitz, was a pretty famous personality on television. He was mostly known for his roles in Bonanza and Little House on the Prairie. As an amazing javelin thrower, he earned an athletic scholarship to the University of Southern California.
Later on, Michael suffered a serious injury and gave up his dreams of becoming an athlete. It was then that he decided to venture into the entertainment world. After being noticed by a local agent, he changed his last name to Landon. His source of inspiration? A phone book!
Famous From Birth
Dan Blocker had been one of the most beloved gentle giants in the history of television. He was admired for his performance in Bonanza as Hoss Cartwright. Before becoming an actor, he had worked as a high school English and Drama teacher.
Blocker had actually gained attention from the time of his birth for being the largest baby in Bowie County, Texas. He weighed 14 pounds and grew up to weigh 300 pounds at 6'4''. In 1972, he sadly passed away at the age of 43. His last acting role was in the 1970 film The Cockeyed Cowboys of Calico County.
Filming Can Be Dangerous
Alan Hale Jr.'s career had been more than successful. He appeared in over 200 films and TV series, staying in the entertainment field for more than four decades. However, Hale Jr.'s most famous role will always be that of Skipper on Gilligan's Island. But during its first season, Hale kept a pretty dangerous secret.
After the season ended, he told the show's producer, Sherwood Schwartz, that he had broken his arm four weeks earlier and that he didn't want to delay filming. He claimed that the show's wrap was an opportunity for him to visit a doctor and get treatment. Hale Jr. died in 1990 at 68 years old.
The Professor’s Role Was A Double-Edged Sword
Russell Johnson's career revolved around his role as Professor Roy Hinkley in Gilligan's Island. Though this role significantly increased his net worth and fame, it proved to be a double-edged sword when it came to his career. Before joining the show's cast, he had played numerous dramatic characters.
After Gilligan's Island ended, dramatic roles started coming in less for Johnson. He found himself typecast, and he couldn't land roles as serious as he wanted them to be. Nevertheless, he later stated that he accepted the fact that his legacy would be his role as the Professor.
Ginger's Expectations...
Tina Louise was already a huge star when she landed the role of Ginger Grant on Gilligan's Island. To this day, though, the role of Ginger remains her most acclaimed one. Her breakthrough came with the 1958 drama film God's Little Acre, for which she won a Golden Globe.
Reports later claimed that Louise didn't get along that much with her co-actors. Some claimed that the reason behind that was Louise's agent. He had convinced her that she would be the star of the show, which later proved not to be true. Louise is still active in the acting industry, and in 2019, she starred in the film Tapestry.
Dawn Wells Still Gets Paid For Gilligan's Island
Dawn Wells was one of the series' biggest stars, having portrayed Mary Ann Summers. As it turned out, Wells also had a pretty smart agent. When she joined the show, her agent persuaded the producers to sign a different contract than what the other actors did. To this day, she's the only one who still gets paid every time the series is rerun.
Wells might be 81 years old already, but she hasn't fully retired yet. In 2016, she appeared on an episode of The Bold and the Beautiful. And recently, in 2019, she voice acted on the animated web show The Epic Tales of Captain Underpants.
Mumy's Secret
Bill Mumy was one of the most prominent child actors of the past century. He became a huge star when he appeared as Will on Lost In Space. The series granted him an envious salary for a child, but it also gave him more. As it turned out, Mumy had a crush on Angela Cartwright.
Cartwright portrayed Penny, and Mumy had kept his secret for two seasons. He later confessed his love to her, and as it turned out, she liked him too. They even dated for six years, before eventually splitting. Mumy is now 65 years old, and he reprised his role as Will on the 2018 remake of the original series Lost In Space.
A Strange Way To Retire
Guy Williams could have made it big in the entertainment business, but it just wasn't meant to be. He was famous for having portrayed Zorro on the eponymous series, and he later achieved even more success as Dr. John Robinson on Lost In Space. Yet, he never became a big star, even if he also worked as a quite successful model.
Following the Lost In Space finale, Williams moved to Argentina and retired from acting in the US. He made some acting appearances there and gained some popularity. However, it wasn't as much as he gained in Lost In Space. He eventually died in 1989 because of a brain aneurysm.