Celebrity Nooz: Max Baer Jr

Max Baer, Jr. (Actor) - The Beverly Hillbillies

Updated: 11/20/19

Name: Max Baer, Jr.

Birth Name: Maximilian Adalbert Baer Jr.

Born: December 4, 1937 in Oakland, California

Claim To Fame: Played the lovable goof Jethro Bodine on the Beverly Hillbillies from 1962 till 1971.

Family Life: Baer was married to Joanne Kathleen Hill from 1966 until their divorced in 1971.

Info: The son of former heavyweight boxing champion Max Baer, Max Baer Jr. is a classic (except probably to him) example of Hollywood typecasting.

Known around the world as "Jethro Bodine" in the smash TV series "The Beverly Hillbillies" (1962), Baer did not find work as an actor in Hollywood for three years after the show went off the air.

He finally had to put himself to work as an actor in his movie Macon County Line (1974), which he also wrote and produced with a friend.

Although it didn't let him escape his Jethro character, he did earn more than $35 million dollars in box office and (later) rental receipts. This after an initial investment of just over $100,000.

Trivia: He licensed the "Beverly Hillbillies" name and characters from CBS in order to establish a Casino called "Jethro's". A picture of Granny will hang over every bed with the caption: "Don't you touch her boy."

He tried to shed the public's "hillbilly" perception of him by starring as good-guy crime fighter Max Colepepper in the unsold pilot, "The Asphalt Cowboy," in the early 70s.

Earned a bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Santa Clara University (minored in philosophy).

Auditioned for Jethro only after driving his roommate to the audition for the same part.

The success of "Ode to Billy Joe," which was the first film to be based on a popular song, convinced Baer to pursue the rights to Madonna's 'Like a Virgin.' When ABC tried to prevent him from making the film, Max sued and won a judgment of over two million dollars.

Baer is the last surviving member of the main cast of the Beverly Hillbillies.

Where Are They Now: Since the early 2000s Baer has been trying to develop a Beverly Hillbillies-themed hotel and casino. As of 2017, ongoing litigation involving Max Baer Jr, the developer and Douglas County has delayed the project indefinitely.

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