The Last Surviving Main Star of The Beverly Hillbillies

Macon County Line Changed His Career
In 1974, Baer helped create and produce Macon County Line, a low-budget drama that became a major commercial success.

Baer also appeared in the movie, but his work behind the scenes was particularly important.

The film demonstrated that his abilities extended beyond sitcom acting.

He understood how to develop and market entertainment and subsequently became increasingly interested in producing and directing.

Moving Behind the Camera
Baer continued working on films during the 1970s.

His credits expanded beyond acting to include writing, producing and directing.

Among the projects associated with this stage of his career was Ode to Billy Joe, the 1976 film inspired by Bobbie Gentry’s famous song.

It was another indication that Baer wanted a career beyond Jethro Bodine.

Why He Wasn’t in the 1981 Reunion Movie
Years after the original sitcom ended, CBS produced Return of the Beverly Hillbillies, a television reunion movie broadcast in 1981.

Baer did not return as Jethro.

His absence has remained a subject of interest among fans of the original program, particularly because he had been such an important part of the show’s success.

Decades later, the history surrounding the reunion continues to attract attention from classic television audiences.

A Very Different Life After Acting
Baer’s ambitions eventually expanded into business ventures as well.

He spent years pursuing plans connected to a Beverly Hillbillies-themed casino and entertainment development in Nevada.

The project went through numerous proposals and obstacles and ultimately did not become the enormous attraction he once envisioned.

Nevertheless, it demonstrated the entrepreneurial side of a man most Americans continued to associate with a deliberately foolish television character.

Where Is Max Baer Jr. Today?
Baer has lived largely outside the Hollywood spotlight during his later years.

Unlike many modern celebrities, he has not maintained a constant public presence or built his later life around social media.

That relative privacy is one reason inaccurate rumors about him occasionally spread online.

Recent 2026 coverage continues to identify Baer as alive at age 88.

The Last Surviving Main Cast Member
Baer’s longevity has given him a bittersweet distinction.

He is now the only surviving member of the show’s principal cast.

Irene Ryan, who played Granny, died in 1973.

Raymond Bailey, remembered as banker Milburn Drysdale, died in 1980.

Nancy Kulp, who played Jane Hathaway, died in 1991.

Buddy Ebsen, the beloved Jed Clampett, died in 2003.

Donna Douglas, who played Elly May Clampett, died in 2015.

As of 2026, Baer remains the surviving link to that famous central ensemble.

Why People Still Remember The Beverly Hillbillies
The Beverly Hillbillies belonged to a very different television era.

Families often gathered around a single television set, and a successful network program could become part of American popular culture almost overnight.

The show’s premise was deliberately simple and exaggerated, but audiences became attached to the Clampetts and their unusual encounters with wealthy Beverly Hills society.

Jethro provided some of the program’s broadest comedy.

His endless ambitions and misplaced confidence became recurring jokes throughout the series.

The Difference Between Max Baer and Max Baer Jr.
Some online confusion also comes from the fact that two famous men in the same family carried the Max Baer name.

Max Baer Sr., the actor’s father, was born in 1909 and became world heavyweight boxing champion during the 1930s.

He died in 1959 at only 50 years old.

Max Baer Jr. is his son, born in 1937, who became famous through The Beverly Hillbillies.

Neither man is 103 years old in 2026.

Why the Viral “103 Years Old” Claim Is Wrong
Posts describing Max Baer Jr. as being 103 have circulated online, sometimes alongside vintage photographs.

The calculation does not match his documented birth date.

Someone born on December 4, 1937 is 88 years old in September 2026 and will turn 89 in December 2026.

The incorrect age may attract attention, but Baer’s actual longevity is already remarkable considering how many decades have passed since The Beverly Hillbillies premiered.

A Living Connection to Television History
When The Beverly Hillbillies debuted in 1962, Baer was only 24 years old.

More than six decades have passed since audiences first saw him as Jethro.

Television itself has transformed almost beyond recognition during that period.

Yet the series remains familiar through reruns, streaming services and generations of viewers who discovered it long after its original broadcast.

Baer’s continued presence therefore represents a direct living connection to one of American television’s most recognizable comedy ensembles.

More Than Jethro
For many viewers, Max Baer Jr. will always be Jethro Bodine.

But reducing his life to that character misses much of the story.

He experienced the extraordinary success of a network television phenomenon, confronted severe typecasting afterward and responded by moving into writing, producing, directing and business.

His post-Hillbillies career demonstrated abilities audiences could easily overlook because Jethro had been played so convincingly.

Final Thoughts
Max Baer Jr. is not 103, but the true story is still remarkable.

At 88 years old in 2026, he remains the last surviving main cast member of The Beverly Hillbillies, more than half a century after the final original episode aired.

His portrayal of Jethro Bodine made him a permanent part of classic American television, while his later work as a producer, director and businessman showed another side of the man behind the character.

For generations who grew up watching Jed, Granny, Elly May and Jethro, Baer represents one of the last living connections to an unforgettable era of television history.

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