'Beverly Hillbillies' Creator Dies at 93

[Janice]

http://apnews.excite.com/article/200...D892DGHO2.html

'Beverly Hillbillies' Creator Dies at 93
(AP) The cast of TV's "The Beverly Hillbillies,"
are seen riding in their car in this May 19, 1967...
Full Image

BURBANK, Calif. (AP) - Paul Henning, who created the hit TV show "The Beverly Hillbillies" and wrote its theme song, died Friday at the age of 93.

Henning, who lived in Toluca Lake, died in a Burbank hospital of natural causes. He had been sick for some time, his daughter Carol said.

Henning created "The Beverly Hillbillies," which debuted in 1962, based on his encounters with residents of the Ozarks during camping trips as a youth, his daughter said.

The CBS series starring Buddy Ebsen as the patriarch Jed drew up to 60 million viewers at its peak and ran until 1971.

Henning also wrote the words and music to "The Ballad of Jed Clampett," which was sung by Jerry Scoggins while Nashville bluegrass stars Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs played guitar and banjo.

The ballad began, "Come and listen to a story about a man name Jed/ a poor mountaineer who barely kept his family fed/ then one day he was shootin' for some food/ and up through the ground came a bubblin' crude."

In 1963, Henning created "Petticoat Junction," a "Hillbillies" spinoff.

Henning was born on a farm in Missouri on Sept. 16, 1911 and grew up in Independence. As a teenager, he worked behind the soda fountain at Brown's Drugstore, where he met Harry Truman, who advised the young boy to become a lawyer, his daughter said.

He graduated from Kansas City School of Law, but soon went to work writing for radio. He wrote for "Fibber McGee and Molly" and "The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show," among others.

While Henning is sometimes credited with creating the TV show "Green Acres," his daughter said Henning helped the show's creator Jay Sommers cast the show and served as its executive producer.

Henning also worked in films, writing the 1964 film "Bedtime Story," starring Marlon Brando and David Niven. The film later served as the basis for the 1988 "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels."

Later in his life, Henning and his wife Ruth donated land near Branson, Missouri to the state for a conservation area. Henning is survived by two daughters, a son and two grandsons.

[Mr. Television]

Awww. Thats really sad. I loved the BH as well as Petticoat Junction and Green Acres. I saw the E-Hollywood story a few years ago and they talked to his wife but they never had any live interviews of him so I thought he already died. R.I.P. Paul. :

[TripperFan]

Yeah, that's sad - lived a good long life tho. Sure liked his shows and can picture his name coming up on a "hotcake" and Lisa asking Oliver why the names are pooping up!!

Rest easily Paul!

[gilligan fanatic]

Buddy Ebsen and Paul Henning were just about the same age

[sbwalker53]

Paul Henning must have been a very thoughtful and kind man. Back in 1967, when I was 13, I wrote him three fan letters and he actually responded twice! I recall asking him in which state he thought Hooterville was located. He wrote back on letters with Beverly Hillbillies letterheads and closed with his signature. I was so excited that a big television producer would write back to a 13-year-old boy. I still have the letters and cherish them to this day! My wife and I send our deepest condolences to the Henning family and want them to know that we still enjoy his shows.

[TripperFan]

Originally Posted by sbwalker53

Paul Henning must have been a very thoughtful and kind man. Back in 1967, when I was 13, I wrote him three fan letters and he actually responded twice! I recall asking him in which state he thought Hooterville was located. He wrote back on letters with Beverly Hillbillies letterheads and closed with his signature. I was so excited that a big television producer would write back to a 13-year-old boy. I still have the letters and cherish them to this day! My wife and I send our deepest condolences to the Henning family and want them to know that we still enjoy his shows.

That's too cool! Bet he never disclosed the state Hooterville was in (but I'm thinking it had to be Illinois since they mentioned Chicago so often).
Hopefully he's up there partying with Lisa Douglas, Mr. Haney, Aunt Bea, Uncle Jed, Granny and they're having a great Wingding!
Wonder if TV Land will run a marathon of his shows as a tribute this week. It would be nice and I'll be watching if they do!

[Tweety]

Originally Posted by Nighthawk

Awww. Thats really sad. I loved the BH as well as Petticoat Junction and Green Acres. I saw the E-Hollywood story a few years ago and they talked to his wife but they never had any live interviews of him so I thought he already died. R.I.P. Paul. :

Yes, I remember seeing that E Hollywood story (I think that the subject may have specifically been "The Beverly Hillbillies"). And I remember thinking exactly the same thing...that since they only interviewed his wife, and not him, that Paul Henning must have passed away at some point prior to that, although that show (obviously) didn't mention when he died.

I couldn't remember if the E Hollywood show showed any old interviews with Henning (maybe interviews that took place in the 70s or 80s)...but yes, I remember there was no recent interview footage of Paul, only his wife, and I assumed that he had already died.

Thanks for giving us some incredible shows, Paul... you made being a kid a lot more fun!! R.I.P.

[Tweety]

Originally Posted by sbwalker53

Paul Henning must have been a very thoughtful and kind man. Back in 1967, when I was 13, I wrote him three fan letters and he actually responded twice! I recall asking him in which state he thought Hooterville was located. He wrote back on letters with Beverly Hillbillies letterheads and closed with his signature. I was so excited that a big television producer would write back to a 13-year-old boy. I still have the letters and cherish them to this day! My wife and I send our deepest condolences to the Henning family and want them to know that we still enjoy his shows.

That's amazing that he responded to your letters, not once, but twice!! I think that probably says a lot about the kind of person he was...for a big, big, big time producer to do that, wow! Good luck getting that kind of response from ANYONE in Hollywood today!

Hey, any chance you could scan the letter(s) and post 'em? That would be "neat-o".

[Sal]

As far as I'm concerned, Paul Henning was a comedy genius who never got the credit he deserved for creating 3 outstanding sitcoms that I still love to watch more than 30 years after they left the prime time airways for good. The really sad thing about him that I've never understood was that once all 3 series were cancelled, he never tried for a fourth and instantly retired, leaving us to wonder what else he could have come up with if he had tried.

When the names of great TV sitcom producers are mentioned, you hear about people like Norman Lear and Garry Marshall but rarely does Henning's name come up. TV Land even did a special feature about producers a couple of years ago and he was not included, which I feel was awful and unjustified. Even worse is the fact that none of his series ever won Emmys in any categories. Today, "Beverly Hillbillies" remains the highest rated sitcom to never win an Emmy, becoming the #1 show overall in its first 2 seasons. The series also boasts the distinction of having the highest rated half-hour episode of any show since 1960 ("The Giant Jackrabbit"---Jan. 8, 1964). If you look at a list of the 50 most watched TV programs ever, 3 episodes of the "Beverly Hillbillies" are on that list. If the list were to be expanded to the top 100, then 5 more episodes would make the list. These were simply regular episodes, without any special significance to them, and without the ratings-grabbing stunts that you see today. That says a lot about how popular the series was back then and how it's been beloved ever since.

Paul Henning's secret was simple:

"My purpose in 'The Beverly Hillbillies' is to give the public pure escape entertainment...comedy...not phony 'heart' and synthetic 'warmth' dreamed up by a bunch of sophisticated writers in a smoke-filled room. I believe that the true 'warmth' and 'heart' can come only from the characters. I believe our characters have it."

(Paul Henning quoted in a 1962 interview, from the book "The Beverly Hillbillies" by Stephen Cox)

As a long-time fan of "The Beverly Hillbillies", "Green Acres", and, for the last 4 years or so, "Petticoat Junction", I couldn't agree with him more.

God Bless You Paul and thank you for 3 wonderful shows.

[sbwalker53]

Originally Posted by TripperFan

That's too cool! Bet he never disclosed the state Hooterville was in (but I'm thinking it had to be Illinois since they mentioned Chicago so often).
Hopefully he's up there partying with Lisa Douglas, Mr. Haney, Aunt Bea, Uncle Jed, Granny and they're having a great Wingding!
Wonder if TV Land will run a marathon of his shows as a tribute this week. It would be nice and I'll be watching if they do!

I would love to scan the letters and share them with you. But, unfortunately, they are in an album at my sister's house in another state. I can tell you from memory that Mr. Henning told me he and Jay Sommers, the creator of Green Acres, each had a different idea as to where Hooterville might be located because each came from a different state. I also remember writing in my second letter that I wanted to grow up to be a television producer like he was. I recall his response word for word: "Good luck in your hopes to become a producer. I hope our paths cross someday." In a way, our paths did cross and still do -- each time I watch one of his shows.

[Mr. Television]

Originally Posted by sbwalker53

I would love to scan the letters and share them with you. But, unfortunately, they are in an album at my sister's house in another state. I can tell you from memory that Mr. Henning told me he and Jay Sommers, the creator of Green Acres, each had a different idea as to where Hooterville might be located because each came from a different state. I also remember writing in my second letter that I wanted to grow up to be a television producer like he was. I recall his response word for word: "Good luck in your hopes to become a producer. I hope our paths cross someday." In a way, our paths did cross and still do -- each time I watch one of his shows.

He does sound like a very kind man and a great human being. You are very lucky to have been able to communicate with him.

[Ohio8]

TripperFan, I'd say that Paul Henning's up in Heaven.
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Jed: "you hear that, Granny?" Granny: "Yeahhh. And I still don't believe it."

[TV DVD Fan]

RIP Paul.


pat

[stevarino]

bob denver lives in the small town of Princeton West Virginia now and was arrested about 10 or 12 years ago in that town for having marijuana dilivered by UPS. by having UPS and not the post office deliver it he avoided federal prosecution. he was only fined. he and his wife operate a small radio station from there home there, WGAG-Little Buddy Radio. this is all true. thot u mite like to no.

[TV DVD Fan]

this is a tribute to paul henning on the beverly hillbillies forum, not a tabloid message boards. bob denver is not on marijuana.

if anything post that on the GI board. Actually dont bother, we just got over another tabloid junkie there.

pat