Max Baer Jr.
Actor

Max Baer Jr. Net Worth

Max Baer Jr. is a classic example of Hollywood typecasting, best known for his role as Jethro Bodine in the hit TV series The Beverly Hillbillies. After the show ended, Baer struggled to find work in Hollywood for three years. He eventually wrote, produced, and starred in the movie Macon County Line, which earned him over $35 million dollars in box office and rental receipts from an initial investment of just over $100,000. Despite having only a sixth grade education, Baer was able to make a successful career in Hollywood.
Max Baer Jr. is a member of Actor

Age, Biography and Wiki

Who is it? Actor, Producer, Director
Birth Day December 04, 1937
Birth Place  Oakland, California, United States
Age 85 YEARS OLD
Birth Sign Capricorn
Occupation Film and television actor, producer, director
Years active 1960–1991
Spouse(s) Joanne Kathleen Hill (1966-1971; divorced)
Parent(s) Max Baer Sr. and Mary Ellen Sullivan

💰 Net worth: $20 Million (2024)

Max Baer Jr. is a highly accomplished and multi-talented individual in the field of entertainment. As an actor, producer, and director, Max has left an indelible mark on the film industry in the United States. With his incredible talent and dedication, he has been able to build a substantial wealth for himself. As of 2024, Max Baer Jr.'s net worth is estimated to be an impressive $20 million. His success can be attributed to his numerous successful acting ventures, his work behind the camera, and his entrepreneurial endeavors. Max Baer Jr. continues to inspire and awe audiences with his immense talent and passion for his craft.

Biography/Timeline

1937

Baer was born Maximilian Adalbert Baer Jr. in Oakland, California, in 1937, the son of boxing champion Max Baer and his wife Mary Ellen Sullivan. His father was of German, Jewish and Scots-Irish descent. His brother and sister are James Manny Baer (1941–2009) and Maude Baer (b. 1943). His uncle was boxer and actor Buddy Baer.

1949

Baer's first acting role was in Goldilocks and the Three Bears at the Blackpool Pavilion in England in 1949. He began acting professionally in 1960 at Warner Bros., where he made appearances on television programs such as Maverick, Surfside 6, Hawaiian Eye, Cheyenne, The Roaring 20s, and 77 Sunset Strip. His career took off two years later, when he joined the cast of The Beverly Hillbillies.

1962

In 1962, Baer was cast in the role of the doltish Jethro Bodine, Jed Clampett's cousin's son. It proved to be the high point of his acting career and the role for which he is best remembered.

1968

He attended Christian Brothers High School in Sacramento, where he earned letters in four Sports and twice won the junior title at the Sacramento Open golf tournament. (Playing with Charlie Sifford, he later won the pro-am tournament at the 1968 Andy Williams - San Diego Open.)

1971

Following the cancellation of The Beverly Hillbillies in 1971, Baer made numerous guest appearances on television, but he quickly found his acting career hampered on the "small screen" by typecasting. He therefore began to concentrate on working in feature motion pictures, especially behind the camera, writing, producing and directing. Baer wrote and produced the drama Macon County Line (1974), in which he played Deputy Reed Morgan. It was the highest-grossing movie per dollar invested at the time. Made for just US$110,000, it earned almost US$25 million at the box office. This record lasted until The Blair Witch Project broke it in 1999. He also wrote, produced, and directed the drama The Wild McCullochs (1975), as well as playing the role of Culver Robinson.

1976

Baer then had the idea of using the title of a popular song as a movie title, so he acquired the rights to Bobbie Gentry's hit song to produce the 1976 film Ode to Billy Joe, which he also directed. Made for only US$1.1 million, it grossed $27 million at the box office, plus earnings in excess of US$2.65 million outside the US, US$4.75 million from television, and US$2.5 million from video. The film starred Robby Benson and Glynnis O'Connor.

1979

He directed the 1979 comedy Hometown U.S.A. before retiring to his home at Lake Tahoe, Nevada. He still makes occasional guest appearances on television.

1981

Baer has said that playing Jethro Bodine sank his acting career. When Paul Henning asked him to reprise the role for a 1981 television movie, he declined. Yet when the feature film The Beverly Hillbillies was made 22 years later, reports cited Baer's dissatisfaction that only Ebsen was asked to do a cameo. He appeared in the 1993 television special The Legend of the Beverly Hillbillies, reprising his role as Jethro. By 2004, Baer had recognized the marketability of The Beverly Hillbillies and appeared with Actress Donna Douglas at the annual TV Land Awards.

1984

Since the success of Ode to Billy Joe, the motion picture industry has produced more than 100 song-title movies. Baer decided to pursue the rights to the hit song "Like a Virgin", recorded by the singer Madonna in 1984. When ABC tried to prevent him from making the film, he sued and won a judgment of more than US$2 million.

1985

In 1985, Baer began investigating the gambling industry. He noted that tourists paid a US$5 to US$6 admission to tour the "Ponderosa Ranch", which was the location for filming some episodes of TV's Bonanza. There was nothing to see but a working cattle ranch, but people enjoyed it because of the Bonanza connection. Baer decided that tourists would also pay for something dealing with The Beverly Hillbillies. He began using his Jethro Bodine role as a marketing opportunity toward the gambling and hotel industry. Baer obtained the sublicensing rights, including food and beverage rights, to The Beverly Hillbillies from CBS in 1991. His Business partner estimates the cost of obtaining the rights and developing the ideas has been US$1 million. Sixty-five Beverly Hillbillies slot machines were built in 1999 and placed in 10 casinos.

2003

He remained close friends with Buddy Ebsen until his death on July 6, 2003, from pneumonia. Just before his acting mentor's death, he and Donna Douglas both had visited Ebsen in the hospital.

2007

In late 2003, Baer attempted the redevelopment of a former Walmart location in Carson City into a Beverly Hillbillies-themed hotel and casino, but was unsuccessful due to building code conflicts and other developers on the neighboring properties. On May 4, 2007, he announced the sale of the property and the purchase of another parcel just outside Carson City, in neighboring Douglas County, where he expected less resistance to his plans. Baer purchased a 2.5-acre (10,000 m) parcel in north Douglas County for US$1.2 million, and will purchase an additional 20 acres (81,000 m) once he has obtained the required zoning variances. The plans are for a 40,000-square-foot (3,700 m) gambling area with 800 slot machines and 16 tables, flanked by various eateries including "Jethro's All You Ken Et Buffet." The project would feature a showroom, cinema complex and a 240-room, five-story hotel.

2015

With the 2015 death of co-star Donna Douglas, Baer is the only surviving cast member.

2017

As of December 2017, development of Jethro's Casino had been suspended. Ongoing litigation involving Max Baer Jr, the developer and Douglas County has delayed the development of the project indefinitely.

Some Max Baer Jr. images

About the author

Lisa Scholfield

As a Senior Writer at Famous Net Worth, I spearhead an exceptional team dedicated to uncovering and sharing the stories of pioneering individuals. My passion for unearthing untold narratives drives me to delve deep into the essence of each subject, bringing forth a unique blend of factual accuracy and narrative allure. In orchestrating the editorial workflow, I am deeply involved in every step—from initial research to the final touches of publishing, ensuring each biography not only informs but also engages and inspires our readership.