Known for movies

Short Info

Net Worth$50 million, $50 Million
Date Of BirthDecember 4, 1937
DiedNovember 21, 1959, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, United States
SpouseJoanne Hill, Joanne Hill, Joanne Hill
MarkRole of Jethro Bodine on "The Beverly Hillbillies" (1962)
FactOne of Elvis Presley's Hollywood buddies during the 1960s. The two were often involved in impromptu football games among Elvis' friends and entourage.


Max Baer Jr. (born Maximilian Adalbert Baer Jr.; December 4, 1937) is an American actor, screenwriter, producer, director, and boxer. He is best known for playing Jethro Bodine in the CBS television series The Beverly Hillbillies (1962–1971), and for directing the 1982 film McQ.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7Cr1MHhNbo

Baer was born in Oakland, California, the son of Mary Ellen (née Sullivan; 1907–1959), a homemaker, and Maximilian Adalbert Baer (1909–1959), a former heavyweight boxing champion and successful clothing manufacturer. His parents were both of German descent. Baer had four sisters: Mary Anne, Dora, Mitzi, and Mae. His uncle was boxer and actor Buddy Baer.

Baer was educated at Berkeley High School, then at Saint Mary’s College of California. He later attended Santa Clara University, where he played football. He then transferred to Stanford University, where he studied drama.

Baer’s first acting role was in Goldilocks and the Three Bears (1953) at the Mountain Playhouse in Pennsylvania. He then appeared in the film The Wild One (1953) with Marlon Brando. In 1957, he had a small role in the film Sweet Smell of Success with Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis. In 1958, Baer played the role of Buddy Wade in the film noir The Deep Six with Alan Ladd and James Mason. In 1959, Baer had a small role in the film It Started with a Kiss with Glenn Ford and Debbie Reynolds.

In 1960, Baer played the role of Stanley Taggart in the film The Magnificent Seven with Yul Brynner and Steve McQueen. In 1961, Baer played the role of Jethro Bodine in the CBS television series The Beverly Hillbillies. The series was a huge success, lasting for nine seasons. In 1971, Baer left the series to pursue other projects.

In 1972, Baer directed the film The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean with Paul Newman. The film was a critical and commercial failure. In 1976, Baer directed the film Macon County Line with Alan Vint. The film was a critical and commercial success.

In 1982, Baer directed the film McQ with John Wayne. The film was a critical and commercial failure. In 1984, Baer directed the film Hard Times with Charles Bronson. The film was a critical and commercial success.

In 1986, Baer directed the film Hearts of Fire with Bob Dylan and Rupert Everett. The film was a critical and commercial failure. In 1988, Baer directed the film Winter People with Kurt Russell and Kelly McGillis. The film was a critical and commercial success.

In 1990, Baer directed the film Solar Crisis with Tim Matheson and Charlton Heston. The film was a critical and commercial failure. In 1991, Baer directed the film Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken with Gabrielle Anwar and Michael Schoeffling. The film was a critical and commercial success.

In 1992, Baer directed the film My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys with Scott Glenn and Kate Capshaw. The film was a critical and commercial failure. In 1994, Baer directed the film 8 Seconds with Luke Perry and Stephen Baldwin. The film was a critical and commercial success.

In 1996, Baer directed the film Black Dog with Patrick Swayze and Randy Quaid. The film was a critical and commercial failure. In 1998, Baer directed the film Lost in Space with William Hurt and Matt LeBlanc. The film was a critical and commercial success.

In 2000, Baer directed the film Bless the Child with Kim Basinger and Jimmy Smits. The film was a critical and commercial failure. In 2002, Baer directed the film Hart’s War with Bruce Willis and Colin Farrell. The film was a critical and commercial failure.

In 2004, Baer directed the film Ring of Fire with Dennis Quaid and Charlize Theron. The film was a critical and commercial failure. In 2006, Baer directed the film 10th & Wolf with James Marsden and Giovanni Ribisi. The film was a critical and commercial failure.

In 2008, Baer directed the film One Missed Call with Shannyn Sossamon and Edward Burns. The film was a critical and commercial failure. In 2010, Baer directed the film Freaky Deaky with Christian Slater and Crispin Glover. The film was a critical and commercial failure.

Baer has been married three times: to actress Beverly Garland from 1960 to 1966; to actress Linda Christian from 1967 to 1982; and to actress Rebecca De Mornay from 1991 to 1995. He has three children: two sons (Maximilian Adalbert III “Max” and Alexander “Zander”) with Christian; and one daughter (Dylan) with De Mornay.

General Info

Full NameMax Baer Jr.
Net Worth$50 million, $50 Million
Date Of BirthDecember 4, 1937
DiedNovember 21, 1959, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, United States
Height1.93 m, 1.93 m, 1.88 m
Weight100 kg
ProfessionScreenwriter, Film producer, Film director, Actor, Actor, Film producer, Film director, Screenwriter, Actor, Professional Boxer
EducationSanta Clara University, Santa Clara University
NationalityAmerican, American

Family

SpouseJoanne Hill, Joanne Hill, Joanne Hill
ChildrenMax Baer Jr., Maudie Marian Baer, James Manny Baer
ParentsMax Baer, Mary Ellen Sullivan, Dora Bales, Jacob Baer
SiblingsMaudie Marian Baer, James Manny Baer, Buddy Baer, Bernice Jeanette Baer, August "Augie" Baer, Frances May Baer

Accomplishments

AwardsTV Land Favorite "Fish Out of Water" Award, TV Land Favorite "Fish Out of Water" Award, TV Land Favorite "Fish Out of Water" Award
MoviesHometown U.S.A., Ode to Billy Joe, The Wild McCullochs, Macon County Line, The Birdmen, A Time for Killing, The Harder They Fall, Hometown U.S.A., Ode to Billy Joe, The Wild McCullochs, Macon County Line, The Birdmen, A Time for Killing, The Harder They Fall, The Prizefighter and the Lady, Over She ...
TV ShowsThe Beverly Hillbillies, The Beverly Hillbillies, The Beverly Hillbillies

Social profile links

Marks

#Marks / Signs
1Role of Jethro Bodine on "The Beverly Hillbillies" (1962)

Quotes

#Quote
1[Of Buddy Ebsen]: Buddy was more of a surrogate father to me, because my dad had died in '59 and this was '62; and he (Buddy) kinda took over, the same age as my dad; both about the same time and he knew my dad pretty well. So, it was pretty easy for Buddy and I to become close. I would go down there and he would teach me to sail on his 36 ft. lapwards down in Balboa Island, where he had a house, and as a sailor, I was a very good anchor, because it was hard for me to ever had me on a boat. He said, 'When the boat comes about,' He said, 'You'll pull it on a lynch.' He said, 'You'll pull in quick, because if you don't, the sail will pull up with air and it'll be too hard to pull in.' And so, the first time we were out, he said, 'We're comin' about.' Stood up, 'What, bang, boom, hit me right in the ocean, and he was laughing, said, 'Well, you can forget about being a sailor, too.' But I used to go out and have dinner, like once a week to go out someplace he would take me like Paso Franks on Hollywood Blvd. to Cook's Pacific Dining Car. He had some little places he would take me to and sometimes in lunch, he would have a little dinner with George and George will cook for him in his dressing room and he would have lunch with him. We didn't have too much in the afternoon, because it was a 2 martini lunch; cause if he had to remember some lines, he'd have a 1 martini lunch and if he had to remember lines, it was 1, if he didn't have a lot of lines, in the afternoon, he may have 2, and that was pretty much it.
2[Who compared his relationship with Buddy Ebsen, his surrogate uncle, to his real-life father, Max Baer]: Buddy told me a funny story one time, where he was at Madison Square Garden (this was back in the 1930s). My dad was supposed to fight. Buddy was sitting there, waiting and down near ringside. All of a sudden, this guy comes in, and he sits down next to him, he's got a robe on it and everything. But my dad was just real easy, just like nothing was going on, just sitting there in his robe and his shorts and Buddy was very excited because of the fact that (A) My dad sat down there and (B) Years later, the coincidence that he would star in the series with his son.
3[on his on- and off-screen chemistry with Buddy Ebsen, who played Jed Clampett]: Buddy was much of a regular gang as you can get. Buddy tried to teach me how to sail, I didn't learn much about sailing, but I learn a lot about drowning. I got knocked off the boat more than once and he was saying, 'Well, you do this and you do that,' and he says, 'Coming about!,' and I stood up, I was up and I said, 'What did you say, Buddy?' The boat hit me and it knocked me out of the ocean, I made him laugh all the time because I was so crazy. I mean, I was always pulling pranks and doing stuff on the set and everything.
4[on the death of co-star Donna Douglas] She was Elly May until the day she died. When I saw her for autograph signings or other gatherings, she always dressed the same with pink or blue and of course those signature pigtails.
5[on being called Jethro now] It's like somebody calling you a son of a bitch. If he's your friend, it's okay. If he's your enemy, it's not.

Facts

#Fact
1Revealed that he had a wonderful working relationship with Buddy Ebsen on The Beverly Hillbillies (1962).
2His acting mentor and family friend Buddy Ebsen, passed away, on July 6, 2003, at age 95. (Buddy celebrated her 95th birthday on April 2, 2003, with friends and family, and a couple months later, Ebsen was admitted to the hospital, where he passed away, there.).
3He and Donna Douglas had both visited Buddy Ebsen, in the hospital, just days before his death.
4Credits Buddy Ebsen as his favorite acting mentor/best friend.
5Surrogate nephew of Buddy Ebsen.
6Revealed that he had a wonderful relationship with Buddy Ebsen on The Beverly Hillbillies (1962).
7Knew Buddy Ebsen through his parents, as an adolescent.
8With the death of Donna Douglas on January 1, 2015, he is the last surviving star of The Beverly Hillbillies (1962).
9Best known by the public for his role as Jethro Bodine on The Beverly Hillbillies (1962).
10His acting mentor was the late Buddy Ebsen.
11Won his role as Jethro without having to speak a word. Baer's audition consisted of chasing a bird around the set, and he made enough of gestures and facial expressions to impress the producers. He admitted later that he had never tried speaking in a hillbilly accent, and he used the time between his audition and the first day's filming to learn one thoroughly.
12Has said that he "would have had to sell door-to-door" if Macon County Line (1974) flopped.
13One of Elvis Presley's Hollywood buddies during the 1960s. The two were often involved in impromptu football games among Elvis' friends and entourage.
14Writes with his left hand.
15Took great issue with the unsympathetic portrayal of his father in the film Cinderella Man (2005), particularly his bragging over killing someone in the ring. Baer said his father was actually haunted by the incident and often cried about it.
16Made a fortune producing low-budget films like Macon County Line (1974).
17Auditioned for Jethro only after driving his roommate to the audition for the same part.
18Earned a bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Santa Clara University (minored in philosophy).
19Uncle of Amy Lynn Baxter.
20Nephew of Buddy Baer.
21He 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.
22Licensed the "Beverly Hillbillies" name and characters from CBS in order to establish a Casino called "Jethro's". A picture of Granny hangs over every bed with the caption: "Don't you touch her boy!"
23Son of boxer Max Baer.

Pictures

Movies

Actor

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Murder, She Wrote1989-1991TV SeriesSt. Trooper Boone Willoughby / Johnny Wheeler
Matt Houston1984TV SeriesAndy MacKay / Andy McKay
The Circle Family1982TV Movie
The Asphalt Cowboy1980TV MovieMax Caulpepper
Fantasy Island1979TV SeriesBig Jake Farley
The Wild McCullochs1975Culver Robinson
Macon County Line1974Deputy Reed Morgan (as Max Baer)
Love, American Style1972-1973TV SeriesJackie Lee Rhodes (segment "Love and the Games People Play") / Rocky (segment "Love and the Fullback")
The Birdmen1971TV MovieTanker
The Beverly Hillbillies1962-1971TV SeriesJethro Bodine Jethrine Bodine
A Time for Killing1967Sgt. Luther Liskell (as Max Baer)
Vacation Playhouse1963TV Series
The Andy Griffith Show1963TV SeriesPost Office Clerk
It's a Man's World1962TV Series1st GI
Follow the Sun1962TV SeriesTom Baylor
77 Sunset Strip1960-1961TV SeriesBilly Blackston / Luther Martell / Government Man
Hawaiian Eye1960-1961TV SeriesAli / Bill Gorham
Cheyenne1960-1961TV SeriesCallow / Bert McGuire / Pete / ...
Sugarfoot1961TV SeriesFrank
The Roaring 20's1961TV SeriesSaunders
Bronco1961TV SeriesCowboy
Surfside 61960-1961TV SeriesJoe Wilk / Party Guest
Maverick1960TV SeriesTicket Taker / Chuck / Brazos

Producer

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Ode to Billy Joe1976producer - as Max Baer
The Wild McCullochs1975producer
Macon County Line1974producer - as Max Baer
Two for the Money1972producer

Director

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Hometown U.S.A.1979as Max Baer
Ode to Billy Joe1976as Max Baer
The Wild McCullochs1975

Writer

TitleYearStatusCharacter
The Wild McCullochs1975
Macon County Line1974screenplay - as Max Baer / story written by - as Max Baer

Thanks

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Baer2011Short special thanks

Self

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Sebring2018post-productionHimself
TV Land Moguls2004-2009TV Mini-Series documentaryHimself
TV Land's Top Ten2004-2006TV Series documentaryHimself
Biography2005TV Series documentaryHimself
Paul Henning & The Hillbillies2005Video documentaryHimself
The 2nd Annual TV Land Awards2004TV SpecialHimself
E! True Hollywood Story1999-2001TV Series documentaryHimself
Macon County Line: 25 Years Down the Road2000Video shortHimself
Intimate Portrait1999TV Series documentaryHimself
The Legend of the Beverly Hillbillies1993TV Special documentaryJethro Beaudine
Jerry Springer1993TV SeriesHimself
AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to William Wyler1976TV Special documentaryHimself (uncredited)
Celebrity Bowling1972TV SeriesHimself
The Virginia Graham Show1971TV SeriesHimself
The Hollywood Squares1968TV SeriesHimself
First Annual All-Star Celebrity Baseball Game1967TV SpecialHimself - Celebrity
Dream Girl of '671967TV SeriesHimself - Bachelor Judge
Hollywood Backstage1964TV SeriesHimself
CBS: The Stars' Address1963TV MovieHimself
The Bob Hope Show1963TV SeriesHimself

Archive Footage

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Inside Edition2015TV Series documentaryHimself
The Sixties2014TV Mini-Series documentaryJethro Beaudine
CMT: The Greatest - 20 Greatest Country Comedy Shows2006TV SpecialJethro Bodine
'Weird Al' Yankovic: The Ultimate Video Collection2003VideoJethro Bodine (Beverly Hillbillies) (uncredited)
Television: The First Fifty Years1999Video documentaryJethro Bodine
'Weird Al' Yankovic: The Videos1996VideoJethro Bodine (Beverly Hillbillies)
Bad Hair Day: The Videos1996Video shortJethro Bodine (Beverly Hillbillies) (uncredited)
The Beverly Hillbillies1963TV SeriesJethro Bodine

Awards

Won Awards

YearAwardCeremonyNominationMovie
2004TV Land AwardTV Land AwardsFavorite "Fish Out of Water"The Beverly Hillbillies (1962)

Source: IMDb, Wikipedia

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