Donna Douglas 1933-2015
Two of the TV hillbillies who struck oil on the show and gold in the ratings, Donna Douglas and Max Baer Jr. go through a bit of horseplay on the set in Hollywood in May 1963.
Douglas died Jan. 1, 2015.
The quick rise of "The Beverly Hillbillies" to the top spot in TV ratings left critics with their most acid adjectives hanging. Donna and Max denied they were sex symbols in the series, but critics couldn't figure out how else it won so many fans within a month of starting.
"The Beverly Hillbillies"
The cast of the 1960s sitcom, "The Beverly Hillbillies" (clockwise from top left): Donna Douglas as Ellie Mae, Irene Ryan as Granny, Max Baer as Jethro, and Buddy Ebsen as Jed Clampett.
"The Beverly Hillbillies"
From left, "The Beverly Hillbillies" cast: Irene Ryan, Buddy Ebsen, Max Baer, Nancy Kulp, Raymond Bailey and Donna Douglas.
"The Twilight Zone"
In the classic "Twilight Zone" episode "The Eye of the Beholder" (first broadcast on November 11, 1960), a woman undergoing plastic surgery to make her hideous appearance acceptable to society has the bandages taken off to reveal ... a beautiful Donna Douglas, in a world where the norm for beauty is obviously quite different.
"Frankie and Johnny"
A publicity photo from the 1966 film "Frankie and Johnny" starring Douglas opposite Elvis Presley.
Donna Douglas
In this Jan. 8, 2009 photo, Donna Douglas, who starred in the television series "The Beverly Hillbillies," poses with a photo from the show in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Donna Douglas
Actress Donna Douglas, best know for her role as "Ellie Mae" on the popular television show "The Beverly Hillbillies," poses as she arrives for ceremonies honoring legendary banjo player and musician Earl Scruggs with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Hollywood, Feb. 13, 2003.
Scruggs popularized the banjo and his music has been featured in the film "Bonnie and Clyde," and as the theme song of the television series "The Beverly Hillbillies."
Donna Douglas
Actress Donna Douglas attends the Salvation Army's Annual Celebrity Bell Ringing Dec. 12, 2001, in Los Angeles.
Donna Douglas and Max Baer
Actress Donna Douglas and actor Max Baer, who starred as Ellie Mae and Jethro on "The Beverly Hillbillies" sing the shows theme song during an opening number during a taping of the second annual TV Land Awards in Hollywood on March 7, 2004.
Donna Douglas
From left: Dick Van Dyke, Max Baer Jr., Donna Douglas, Lee Meriwether and Fess Parker pose outside the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Auditorium before the memorial service for actor Buddy Ebsen, Aug. 30, 2003.
Actor Buddy Ebsen, who starred in "The Beverly Hillbillies" with Douglas, died July 6, 2003, at age 95.