The Beverly Hillbillies: The Clampetts Strike Oil

About The Beverly Hillbillies: The Clampetts Strike Oil

"The Clampetts Strike Oil" is episode 1 of season 1 of The Beverly Hillbillies, first broadcast on September 26, 1962 on CBS. It was directed by Ralph Levy and written by Paul Henning.

The pilot starts after the theme song when Jed struck oil in his Lake. A rural Ozark family relocates to Beverly Hills after oil is discovered on their property worth $25 million. Elly May (Donna Douglas) brings a Geologist (Ron Hagerthy) back to the cabin. He tells Jed that there's oil on his land and he leaves for Tulsa. Later, Cousin Pearl (Bea Benaderet) and her son Jethro (Max Baer Jr.) arrive.

The Beverly Hillbillies (CBS, 1962-71) follows Jed Clampett (Buddy Ebsen), a mountaineer who strikes oil and moves his family, Granny (Irene Ryan), daughter Elly May (Donna Douglas) and nephew Jethro (Max Baer Jr.), to a mansion in Beverly Hills, next door to his banker, Milburn Drysdale. It was the top-rated show in America in its first two seasons.

Quick facts

• Year: 1962
• Runtime: 25 minutes
• Type: TV episode · Comedy
• Series: The Beverly Hillbillies
• Sound: Original soundtrack