How is Pearl so well-to-do and Jed dirt poor? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TheLittleFaerie · 03-27-2023, 04:13 AM

Watching the earlier episodes, judging by Pearl's home, clothes, lifestyle, etc.... She seems pretty well-to-do financially. If Jed and Pearl are cousins and come from the same family, how is it she is living in a fancy Southern style home with an entrance hall, piano, fancy furniture, etc... While Jed and his family are roughing it, barely scrapping by in a little cabin? Do you think the wealth came from Pearl's late husband and she married into it?

You'd think Pearl would have offered to help Jed have a better life there in the Hills.... Then again, Jed and Granny have a lot of pride and maybe she has offered but they refused.

Also Pearl has a different hat for almost all occasions, I always thought that was a sign of wealth when women always wear a different hat... Where as Granny only had, maybe 2 or 3... hers seems to be a different color on occasion

forn · 03-28-2023, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheLittleFaerie

You'd think Pearl would have offered to help Jed have a better life there in the Hills.... Then again, Jed and Granny have a lot of pride and maybe she has offered but they refused.

Jed never seemed to need much to be happy, he seemed to think they had all they needed to live well.

Pearly was more city-savvy than the Clampetts. Do we know anything about her husband? Maybe he was a more well to do city type, and that explains her extra wealth. She did like Mr. Brewster, so maybe she's attracted to that type.

Alan Brady's Hair · 03-28-2023, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by forn

Pearly was more city-savvy than the Clampetts. Do we know anything about her husband? Maybe he was a more well to do city type, and that explains her extra wealth. She did like Mr. Brewster, so maybe she's attracted to that type.

I think that's supposed to be the bigger distinction - that Bea is more sophisticated.

TheLittleFaerie · 03-29-2023, 04:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by forn

Jed never seemed to need much to be happy, he seemed to think they had all they needed to live well.

Pearly was more city-savvy than the Clampetts. Do we know anything about her husband? Maybe he was a more well to do city type, and that explains her extra wealth. She did like Mr. Brewster, so maybe she's attracted to that type.

It just seemed so unfair in the holiday episodes that Jed, Granny, Elly and Jethro were FREEZING in the cabin during those winter nights while Pearl had a nice warm comfortable house ... I just imagine that was a normal thing during the winter months when the Clampetts still lived in the Hills. Same for the Summer months, I would imagine it got UNBEARABLY HOT in that cabin.

It almost seemd like Jed and Pearl had very little contact with each other before the Clampetts moved... Pearl saw that Jed was living in poverty but acted surprised when Jed considered his living conditions heaven on earth lol

cd637299 · 03-29-2023, 11:20 AM

“You’re eight miles from your nearest neighbor. You have to go to the well to get your water….your bathroom is outside. You have to hunt for your food….” …….

something like that 🙃

cd

Duster76 · 03-29-2023, 10:55 PM

Henning added the Pearl character after the series had been pitched to CBS because he had so much respect for Bea as a performer. With respect to Pearl's circumstances, the logic of the Beverly Hills move dictated the need to present Pearl's living conditions in a much more positive light. It seemed Pearl was Jed's only living relative, if her living conditions were similar to Jed's wouldn't he have been required to bring her with the rest of the family. How would it have looked to the audience, Jethro going off to live in a mansion while his mother and sister are left in a dilapidated shack in the backwoods.

Speaking of a dilapidated shack, I never thought of it before but Jed comes off as a bit of slacker in this situation. With all that wood available to him and the fact that he was handy with tools barely living indoors after all those years doesn't recommend him for much.

TheLittleFaerie · 03-30-2023, 06:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duster76

Henning added the Pearl character after the series had been pitched to CBS because he had so much respect for Bea as a performer. With respect to Pearl's circumstances, the logic of the Beverly Hills move dictated the need to present Pearl's living conditions in a much more positive light. It seemed Pearl was Jed's only living relative, if her living conditions were similar to Jed's wouldn't he have been required to bring her with the rest of the family. How would it have looked to the audience, Jethro going off to live in a mansion while his mother and sister are left in a dilapidated shack in the backwoods.

Speaking of a dilapidated shack, I never thought of it before but Jed comes off as a bit of slacker in this situation. With all that wood available to him and the fact that he was handy with tools barely living indoors after all those years doesn't recommend him for much.

lol I think Jed told the story about how is grandfather built the cabin, found a woman, married her and spent their honeymoon there all before sundown, at 98 years old! lol while his bride was 18

The Clampettes were all a little rougher looking in the pilot episode.... Like Jed went without his coat a lot and even his hat, which was something he never did in Beverly Hills

magellan333 · 04-01-2023, 07:14 PM

That’s a great question. However, even with millions Jed chose to live a simple life (albeit in a mansion) and still valued simple chores. Granny was the same way. Perhaps Pearl had been generous and Jed and Granny had some savings in the local bank, but they didn’t change their living conditions much.

Mr. Television · 04-01-2023, 07:23 PM

Maybe Pearl's husband had left her well off.

TheLittleFaerie · 04-02-2023, 03:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by magellan333

That’s a great question. However, even with millions Jed chose to live a simple life (albeit in a mansion) and still valued simple chores. Granny was the same way. Perhaps Pearl had been generous and Jed and Granny had some savings in the local bank, but they didn’t change their living conditions much.

I always wondered if Jed and Granny had ANY money at ALL in the Hills, did they ever go to the store or local diners, etc... or did they totally live off the land, make their own clothes, etc... I guess Granny could make her own dresses, but I'm guessing Jed bought his pants and shirts, etc...

Apparently they DID go to the movie theater quite a bit, so I guess they had some money

It seemed that their backstory changed quite a bit... In the early episodes, their Hill life was described as basically they lived out in the middle of no-where, lived off the land, no neighbors, never saw a town, etc.... BUT in later episodes, they are described as having a pretty full social life back in the Hills, with a town, town square, shops, movie theaters, and they even talk about having neighbors they could yell out the back door to

Will Dockery · 04-09-2023, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheLittleFaerie

I always wondered if Jed and Granny had ANY money at ALL in the Hills, did they ever go to the store or local diners, etc... or did they totally live off the land, make their own clothes, etc... I guess Granny could make her own dresses, but I'm guessing Jed bought his pants and shirts, etc...

Apparently they DID go to the movie theater quite a bit, so I guess they had some money

It seemed that their backstory changed quite a bit... In the early episodes, their Hill life was described as basically they lived out in the middle of no-where, lived off the land, no neighbors, never saw a town, etc.... BUT in later episodes, they are described as having a pretty full social life back in the Hills, with a town, town square, shops, movie theaters, and they even talk about having neighbors they could yell out the back door to

I forget the details, how did the Clampetts become so closely connected with Hooterville?

Are Hooterville and Bugtustle located somewhat near each other?

TheLittleFaerie · 04-10-2023, 06:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Will Dockery

I forget the details, how did the Clampetts become so closely connected with Hooterville?

Are Hooterville and Bugtustle located somewhat near each other?

That's a mystery about Hooterville... In an early episode, Jethrine's little boyfriend says he wants to take her to a dance over in Hooterville

But then in a later color episode, Granny was requested to go to Hooterville to help with a baby..... But neither Jed nor Granny knew where it was, and Jed said he had NEVER heard of the place... That was the Hooterville that the Green Acres characters were from.

So... I dunno if the Hooterville Jethrine's boyfriend mentioned is the same Hooterville or not. The Hooterville that Granny travels to seems to be closer to California

03-27-2023, 04:13 AM	#1
TheLittleFaerie Member Senior Member Join Date: Oct 15, 2017 Posts: 1,948	How is Pearl so well-to-do and Jed dirt poor? Watching the earlier episodes, judging by Pearl's home, clothes, lifestyle, etc.... She seems pretty well-to-do financially. If Jed and Pearl are cousins and come from the same family, how is it she is living in a fancy Southern style home with an entrance hall, piano, fancy furniture, etc... While Jed and his family are roughing it, barely scrapping by in a little cabin? Do you think the wealth came from Pearl's late husband and she married into it? You'd think Pearl would have offered to help Jed have a better life there in the Hills.... Then again, Jed and Granny have a lot of pride and maybe she has offered but they refused. Also Pearl has a different hat for almost all occasions, I always thought that was a sign of wealth when women always wear a different hat... Where as Granny only had, maybe 2 or 3... hers seems to be a different color on occasion

04-01-2023, 07:23 PM	#9
Mr. Television 23 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,132	Maybe Pearl's husband had left her well off.
	__________________ Sonny

03-29-2023, 11:20 AM	#5
cd637299 cd637299 Forum Regular Join Date: Dec 14, 2022 Location: South Florida Posts: 849	“You’re eight miles from your nearest neighbor. You have to go to the well to get your water….your bathroom is outside. You have to hunt for your food….” ……. something like that 🙃 cd

03-29-2023, 10:55 PM	#6
Duster76 Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 01, 2008 Location: New jersey Posts: 1,655	Henning added the Pearl character after the series had been pitched to CBS because he had so much respect for Bea as a performer. With respect to Pearl's circumstances, the logic of the Beverly Hills move dictated the need to present Pearl's living conditions in a much more positive light. It seemed Pearl was Jed's only living relative, if her living conditions were similar to Jed's wouldn't he have been required to bring her with the rest of the family. How would it have looked to the audience, Jethro going off to live in a mansion while his mother and sister are left in a dilapidated shack in the backwoods. Speaking of a dilapidated shack, I never thought of it before but Jed comes off as a bit of slacker in this situation. With all that wood available to him and the fact that he was handy with tools barely living indoors after all those years doesn't recommend him for much.

04-01-2023, 07:14 PM	#8
magellan333 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Jun 26, 2003 Location: Chattanooga, TN Posts: 822	That’s a great question. However, even with millions Jed chose to live a simple life (albeit in a mansion) and still valued simple chores. Granny was the same way. Perhaps Pearl had been generous and Jed and Granny had some savings in the local bank, but they didn’t change their living conditions much.