Max Baer Jr. movies and tv shows, wife, children, net worth, parents, and now– people still have an interest in this American actor of late ‘90s. Being the son of famous boxer Max Baer, the actor himself has to prove his talent too. Likewise, junior Max didn’t fail. Max worked in Hollywood for thirty years in different roles. He got famous after playing the role of Jethro Bodine on The Beverly Hillbillies in 1962. However, he retired after 1991 at the age of 54 which is early. But he didn’t stop his different ventures. We will talk about all of them later.
Even after taking a permanent pause from acting, Max Baer Jr. can’t stop curiosity about his personal life and present whereabouts. So, in this article, we jot down everything about this American star. Let’s see how a person from the B&W screen remains so relevant in the era of OTT, online fan-following, etc.
Who is Max Baer Jr.?
Max Baer Jr. is known for his contribution to American films as an actor, comedian, director, and producer at once. He worked in this industry from 1960 to 1991. As the son of famous boxer Max Baer, he made his own name with his skills. In this article, you will get to know interesting facts about this aged star.
Biography/Wiki
| Full name | Maximilian Adalbert Baer |
| Nickname | Max |
| Date of Birth | September 04, 1937 |
| Age | 85 years |
| Birthplace | Oakland, California, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Religion | Jewish |
| Zodiac Sign | Sagittarius |
| Profession | Actor, Screenwriter, Director, Producer |
| Net worth | $60 million (approx.) |
| Parents | Max Baer and Mary Ellen Sullivan |
| Siblings | A brother and a sister |
| Spouse | Joanne Kathleen Hill (m. 1966, div. 1971) |
| Best known for | Jethro Bodine in The Beverly Hillibilles |
Max Baer Jr. Early Life, Parents, Siblings, Education
Max Jr.’s full name is Maximilian Adalbert Baer. He was born on 4 December 1937 at East Oakland Hospital in Oakland, California. His parents are Max Baer and his wife Mary Ellen Sullivan. They have different ethnicity as Max senior was of German Jewish descent, and his mother was of Scots-Irish descent. Max has a younger brother, James Manny Baer, and a younger sister, Maude Baer. James was an accountant who worked for AK Steel, Rainbow Liquor, Barbarian Bros. Sadly, he passed away in 2009.
Son of Boxer Max Baer
Now, before talking about Max Jr., let’s know about his father a bit more. Max Baer was a world-famous boxer. He almost ruled the ring in his times and became world heavyweight champion from 1934 to 1935. His lifetime records sum up as 71 victories against 13 losses only. From 1929 to 1941, he was a successful boxer. Likewise, he ranked 22 among the 100 greatest punchers of all time by Ring magazine. His brother and Max Jr.’s uncle Jacob Henry Baer (or, Buddy Baer) was a heavyweight boxer as well. Besides boxing, Max appeared for acting also. Some of the films were about boxing and there are other genres too. He appeared as a guest for multiple television shows.
On 21st November 1959, he died due to a heart attack. To show respect to this legendary boxer, there are parks named after him in Livermore, California, and Sacramento. In 1988, the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame showed honor to him. The Max Baer Heart Fund works for heart research and education in the USA.
Coming back to Max Baer Jr., he was a student of Christian Brothers High School in Sacramento. Max was good at sports as he won letters in four sports and twice won the junior title at the Sacramento Open golf tournament. After that, Max went to Santa Clara University in California. He completed a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a minor in philosophy.
Max Baer Jr. Girlfriend, Wife, Children, Personal Life
Max Baer Jr. married Joanne Kathleen Hill on 30 July 1966. After five years of marriage, they separated in 1971. The reason is not public. Joanne is an actress and her current net worth is $9 million approximately. They don’t have any children together. After this marriage, Max or Joanne never married anyone else. However, this actor had some complex relationships afterward.
Firstly, Max was dating actress Victoria Principal. Principal is a famous Japanese-American actress who played the role of Pamela Barness Ewing in Dallas for nine long years. Max and Victoria dated for a while. However, things turned worse when Max Jr. slapped her girlfriend once. He denied this allegation back then but after 35 years in 2005, Max admitted the incident. He said that Victoria was acting wrong and she deserved that slap. Moreover, the American actor has no guilt for doing this.
Secondly, Max had a relationship with model Chere Rhodes for a long time. However, she committed suicide at the age of 30 for an unknown reason. She shot herself dead. Police found a note where it’s written, relationship problem. On a contrary, Max Baer Jr. didn’t state anything. After this relationship, there are no other rumors about his relationship with any other women.
Max Baer Movies and TV Shows
Max debuted in 1949, at the age of 12, with the Blackpool Pavilion production. After that, his actual acting career started in 1960. As his father and uncle were actors too, we can guess where he got interested in this field from easily.
Max Baer Jr. worked in 18 television shows including series and movies as an actor. In just three years from 1960 to 1962, Max acted in 10 different TV shows of America! And all of these shows have a 7+ rating on IMDb. Among them, in Maverick (1960), SurfSide 6 (1960-61), Hawaiian Eye (1960-61), and 77 Sunset Strip (1960-61), Max appeared in multiple episodes. Maverick was his debut show as an adult (role as Ticket Taker / Chuck / Brazos) and he got Jack Kelly, James Garner, and Roger Moore as his colleague. It was a comedy TV series that continued from 1957 to 1962.
In 1962, Max Baer Jr. got the main role in The Beverly Hillbillies as Jethro Bodine. Jethro was the dull-witted son of the cousin of a character named Jed Clampett. The Beverly Hillibilles was one of the most popular shows of that time. And this character was a breakthrough for Max. He was in all the 253 episodes from 1962 to 1971. Earlier, he got the highest 4 episodes in any show. Paul Henning created this family-comedy series that featured Buddy Ebsen, Donna Douglas, and Irene Ryan.
After working as an actor for some years, max Baer Jr. started producing. His first produced TV movie was Two for the Money (1972). Bernard L. Kowalski directed this movie. Likewise, Max produced and directed multiple drama films and independent films. In Macon County Line (1974), Max played the role of deputy Reed Morgan along with direction and production.
Post-Acting Activities
Murder, She Wrote is a popular TV series where Max Baer Jr. appeared twice as Johnny Wheeler and state trooper Boone Willoughby in 1989 and 1991 respectively. Apparently, it was his last work as an actor.
From 1985, he took interest in the gambling industry. Likewise, he used the role of Jethro from The Beverly Hillibillies and took sublicensing right from the makers. According to his business partner, the cost of obtaining the rights and developing the ideas was nearly US$1 million! After 14 years of observation and planning on this industry, sixty-five Beverly Hillbillies slot machines were built in 1999 and placed in 10 casinos. Till 2014, there were ups and downs in this business.
Max Baer Jr. Net Worth, Awards
With a long career in acting, direction, and producing for almost 40 years, Max Bear Jr. earned a lot of money. In addition, he did business in the hotel and gambling industry. His current net worth is $50-60 million approximately. He worked as a screenwriter, actor, film producer, film director at the same time.
Max Baer Jr. didn’t receive many awards in his career. However, he received TV Land Award for Favorite Fish Out of Water in 2004 for playing Jethro Bodine in The Beverly Hills.
Interesting Trivia on Max Baer Jr.
- Max Baer Jr. was a good friend of Frank Buddy Ebsen, the famous American actor. However, he passed away in 2003. Buddy was Max’s acting mentor too. He also appeared in the episode for Buddy Ebsen in Biography as an interviewee in 2005.
- Max is the surrogate nephew of Buddy Ebsen. In 1962, he revealed his close relationship with Ebsen.
- After the sad demise of Donna Douglas in 2015, Max Baer is the only living regular cast from The Beverly Hillibilles.
- He is the uncle of American actress, model, and exotic dancer Amy Lynn Baxter.
- Max Bear got his breakthrough character quite surprisingly. He drove his roommate for this audition and then himself auditioned for Jethro’s role.
- In Macon County Line, Max did acting, directing, and producing. Later, he told if this movie won’t be successful, he have to sell door to door.
- Max once mentioned that he does 300 to 400 crunches every day.
Max Baer Jr. Body Measurements, Height, Weight, Size
| Hair Color | Black |
| Eye Color | Brown |
| Height and Weight | 6 feet 4 inches, 80 kgs |
| Shoe Size | 8 |
| Sexual Orientation | Straight |
Is Max Baer Jr Alive?
Despite rumors of his death, it’s a relief to confirm that Max Baer Jr is still very much alive and thriving. Born on December 4, 1937, in Oakland, California, Max is a proud American and a Sagittarius by zodiac sign. He has made significant contributions to the entertainment industry as an actor, film producer, and director, leaving a lasting impact on the big and small screen.
Max Baer Jr’s most memorable role was that of Jethro Bodine in the TV series “The Beverly Hillbillies,” which ran from 1962 to 1971. He appeared in over 270 episodes of the show, alongside other legendary actors such as Buddy Ebsen, Donna Douglas, and Irene Ryan. Max’s talent and dedication to his craft earned him critical acclaim and a place in the hearts of fans worldwide.
Apart from acting, Max has also made significant contributions as a film producer and director. His passion for storytelling and his willingness to take risks has led to the creation of several outstanding films that have stood the test of time.
Despite his success, Max has managed to live a quiet life in Los Angeles, California, away from the spotlight. His commitment to his craft and his humility make him a true inspiration to aspiring actors and filmmakers around the world.
Max Baer Jr Age & Height
Max Baer Jr was born on December 4, 1937, which makes him 85 years old as of now (2023). He was born in Oakland, California, United States. Additionally, Max stands tall at a height of 1.93 m (6 feet 4 inches), which is quite impressive.
FAQs
Who is Max Baer Jr?
Max Baer Jr is an American actor, film producer, and director, born on December 4, 1937, in Oakland, California, United States. He is best known for his role as Jethro Bodine in the TV series “The Beverly Hillbillies,” which ran from 1962 to 1971.
How old is Max Baer Jr?
Max Baer Jr was born on December 4, 1937, which makes him 85 years old as of 2023.
What is Max Baer Jr’s height?
Max Baer Jr stands tall at a height of 1.93 m (6 feet 4 inches).
Is Max Baer Jr still alive?
Yes, Max Baer Jr is still alive and living a quiet life in Los Angeles, California, United States. Despite rumors of his death, he has been proven to be hale and healthy.
What was Max Baer Jr’s most notable role?
Max Baer Jr’s most notable role was as Jethro Bodine in the TV series “The Beverly Hillbillies,” which he appeared in over 270 episodes from 1962 to 1971.