Beverly Hillbillies: Irene Ryan's Journey To Stardom Before Starring In The '60s Classic Wasn't Easy

Whether you watched "The Beverly Hillbillies" back in the 1960s, or later in reruns, Irene Ryan's performance as Daisy Moses (aka Granny), is a highlight of the show. While Ryan went on to briefly star on Broadway unlike other members of the cast after "The Beverly Hillbillies" ended, Granny cemented her fame. 

Even so, much of Ryan's star power on the show comes from an acting career that started before TV even existed. Back in the 1910s, Ryan entered a local talent competition. To show her support, Ryan's mom got her a special dress. Ryan was delighted with the outfit, but it was also a source of stress for the then-11-year old. "All I could think about was 'What if a rotten tomato splatters on my new dress?'" Ryan recalled Pasadena Independent Star-News in 1966. "Someone told me not to worry, that all I had to do was sing loud enough. So, I sang desperately loud." Ryan nailed it, and her work as a performer never stopped.

However, it was far from smooth sailing. Ryan's stint as an actor almost ended a few years later, since her mom wasn't jazzed about the profession. Part of this conflict might have come from the fact that Ryan was a teen, and her mom wanted her to prioritize her education. After some serious persuasion from Ryan's fellow summer stock performers, her mom relented. Ryan kept building her resume, and although she left formal education behind, she did go on to establish an acting scholarship as part of her lasting legacy. 

Over time, Irene Ryan flexed her comedic abilities in just about every medium. She and her first husband, Tim Ryan, frequently performed together in vaudeville and on film. In 1944's "Hot Rhythm," Ryan makes some hilarious faces as she tries not to cry while singing about being "The Happiest Girl in Town." Decades later, she used the same super-trembling mouth technique to add extra humor to Granny's character on "The Beverly Hillbillies."  

Despite her proven track record, Ryan almost missed out on becoming Granny. "The casting department thought I was too young. You're always too young or too old, too fat or too thin," Ryan recalled to The Marshall News Messenger (via MeTV). As real fans of "The Beverly Hillbillies" know, Ryan was only 59 at the time. 

Luckily, she wasn't about to be defeated so easily. She'd worked with show creator Paul Henning before, so Ryan went directly to his office to persuade him to give her the job. However, Henning was initially partial to another actor, Bea Benaderet (who ironically was a few years younger). Benaderet had voiced Granny in "Looney Tunes," so maybe that gave her an early edge. Fortunately, Ryan's talent was undeniable during auditions, and Benaderet urged Henning to cast Ryan instead. Benaderet's generosity paid off, and Henning found a different part for her on "The Beverly Hillbillies," and a starring role on "Petticoat Junction."