Quotes

I really love pets. They're like children. They know if you really love them or not. You can't fool them.

[on the early careers of Buddy Ebsen, Max Baer Jr., Irene Ryan and herself, before co-starring on The Beverly Hillbillies (1962)] It was the American Dream. But I think it had a lot of good things in it, too. We were all so grateful to be working, Buddy Ebsen--he had started out in vaudeville, and he had done many things, but his career wasn't on an upswing or anything. Granny, [Irene Ryan] she wasn't really doing anything. Max Baer and I, we were babies just starting out, so everybody was so grateful to be working.

[on offering another role] I was offered to do a nighttime soap after The Beverly Hillbillies (1962). There was so much I didn't want to do because of family values. It was a big hit in a couple weeks, but it didn't matter to me, because I wanted to do a certain caliber of work and didn't want to do garbage.

Back then, it was more or less we couldn't change a line in our script. We weren't allowed to change lines. Today, actors change everything and won't do parts. It's very different today. Back then, the producers were in charge. Today, actors are more in charge.

I loved doing Elly May. She was a slice out of my own life. And, of course, The Beverly Hillbillies (1962) was a story about the American Dream. No matter who tried to slicker us or take advantage of us, we always came out on top. We were never the losers. So the right attitude was important. We set a good examples. "The Hillbillies" set high standards.

[on the death of Buddy Ebsen] He has a very, very special place in my heart. And he certainly was an inspiration in many directions, I think he has left a positive influence, politically. He loved his country.

[on her on- and off-screen chemistry with Buddy Ebsen, who played Jed Clampett] Buddy Ebsen was the one I worked with the most, so I became closer to him than the others, in a lot of ways, he was like a father to me both on- and off-screen.

[on Buddy Ebsen] You know, the story I had heard of all those stories, I heard Buddy say, "When we did an interview, just a few weeks ago", he said, "What is making the show so successful? What most successful show is that?" Well, the guy's tall, and says, "Who do you know is tall?" Somebody said, "Buddy Ebsen was tall", and he said, he got the part. They built it around him, because we had Jim on the span, and you had Chuck Connors. All these guys were so tall.

[death bed message to Max Baer Jr.] Tell Maxie I thought I was going to get better.

The two things I am most asked is if I still love critters and can I still whistle like Elly May. The answer is yes to both.

[Baton Rouge Advocate, September 18, 1957, regarding her entering the World Championship Hot Pepper Eating Contest in New Iberia, Louisiana] Hot peppers have always been my secret training for health and beauty. I never saw an icicle start any fires.