the-beverly-hillbillies-darth-vader-actor-david-prowse-made-hilariously-weird-guest-appearance

‘The Beverly Hillbillies’: ‘Darth Vader’ Actor David Prowse Made Hilariously Weird Guest Appearance

“A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away” is a long way from Beverly Hills. But, actor David Prowse was able to bridge that gap pretty easily. Before he played Darth Vader in the original “Star Wars” trilogy, the actor made a pretty weird appearance on “The Beverly Hillbillies.”

Before we get into Prowse’s appearance on that classic sitcom, it should be mentioned that Prowse was the physical presence of Darth Vader in the original “Star Wars” trilogy. Legendary actor James Earl Jones provided the voice for the iconic villain.

With that out of the way – let’s talk about Prowse’s appearance on “The Beverly Hillbillies.”

According to an article on MeTV.com, Prowse was a bodybuilder who hailed from Great Britain. He wasn’t just any bodybuilder – he was a weightlifting champion during the 1960s.

David Prowse’s acting career was kick started during 1971 thanks to his appearance in “A Clockwork Orange.”

The film is one of legendary director Stanley Kubrick’s most memorable films. In it, Prowse played an assistant to character Frank Alexander.

However, Prowse’s path to the Death Star didn’t follow a direct path from “A Clockwork Orange.”

Between that film and “Star Wars,” the actor appeared in several other films and in television shows. According to MeTV.com, one of those shows was “The Beverly Hillbillies.”

David Prowse Appears in ‘The Beverly Hillbillies’ Episode Set in England

During the seventh season of “The Beverly Hillbillies,” Jed Clampett and the gang take a trip to England. According to the article, the first five episodes of that season followed the storyline of the Clampetts’ adventures – and misadventures – in Englad.

It was during the season seven episode “Coming Through the Rye” that David Prowse made his appearance on “The Beverly Hillbillies.”

According to MeTV.com, Prowse played the role of a kilt-wearing male. His character wants to impress Elly May. How does he decide to do that? He plays the bagpipes. Who doesn’t love getting serenaded by bagpipes?

However, Prowse’s bagpipe-playing character struggles to stay on his feet. The character is weird and goofy and got some laughs. And, as MeTV.com points out, the character is very far removed from the role of Darth Vader.

So, before you watch the original “Star Wars” trilogy yet again why don’t you try to find David Prowse’s episode of “The Beverly Hillbillies”?

How Much Were the Clampetts Supposed to Be Worth?

It’s not surprising that the Clampetts traveled to England during the seventh season of “The Beverly Hillbillies.” With the amount of money they had, they could have traveled pretty much anywhere on the globe. So, how much money did they really have?

According to an article released on ScreenRant.com in 2020, when the show premiered in 1962 it was said that the Clampetts had amassed a fortune of $25 million thanks to that “black gold” or “Texas tea” discovered by Jed.

So, how much money is that in today’s world? Well, according to the article that $25 million in 1962 would be worth $215 million today. By the time the show came to an end nine years later, the Clampett fortune was said to be $100 million. If you adjust that figure for inflation, the Clampetts would be worth $850 million if the show was airing now.