Milburn Drysdale

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Milburn Drysdale was a fictional character in the sitcom The Beverly Hillbillies as well as the 1993 movie of the same name. In the television series, he was played by actor Raymond Bailey; and in the movie, he was played by actor Dabney Coleman.

[edit] The Hillbilly's best friend

Milburn is the president of the fictitious Commerce Bank of Beverly Hills, where Jed "JD" Clampett store his millions of dollars gained from an oil strike. His concern of their lack of knowledge of city ways causes him to buy them a mansion right next door to his own; this way he can keep an eye on his biggest depositors.

Marriage to his snobbish wife, Margaret Drysdale was a trial. She never understood how or why he fawned and indulged the Clampett family as his best customers. In fact, it was safe to say that she outright hated them, seeing their eccentric, shabby hillbilly ways as an embarrassment to the neighborhood.

Milburn, himself, could be quite manipulative, and his greed was absolutely palpable. Oftentimes, he would be yanked back into his place by his efficient assistant; and sometimes called his conscience, Jane Hathaway. Despite their somewhat differing views, he really does value her. Whenever one of the Clampetts wishes to make a withdrawal of their funds, he sometimes goes into a very deep depression.

Milburn and Margaret have a son named Sonny (Louis Nye), who once tried to marry Elly May Clampett to keep her family's money in the family. However, like many men who have tried to win her hand, failed.

Although he could be one of the most conniving men known, Milburn was also known for trying to be the key to civilization for a family who had been so far removed from it.