Joanne Kathleen Hill: Max Baer Jr.’s Ex-Wife From The Beverly Hillbillies Era

Joanne Kathleen Hill is best remembered as the first wife of Max Baer Jr., the actor who became a household name playing Jethro Bodine on The Beverly Hillbillies. Their marriage lasted from 1966 to 1971, placing it squarely in the years when the show was at its peak popularity. Outside of her connection to Baer, Hill also worked as an actress and later transitioned into real estate. She’s kept a remarkably low profile over the decades, and very little personal information about her — including her exact date and place of birth — has ever been made public. What we do know paints a picture of someone who lived adjacent to one of television’s biggest stars but chose to stay out of the spotlight on her own terms.

Who Is Joanne Kathleen Hill?

Joanne Kathleen Hill is an American former actress who gained public attention primarily through her marriage to Max Baer Jr. Details about her early life are scarce. Her birthday and birthplace haven’t been confirmed in any public records, and she didn’t leave a significant filmography behind to trace her career through.

What’s clear is that Hill was part of the entertainment world during the 1960s, a time when Hollywood was booming with television comedies and variety shows. She crossed paths with Max Baer Jr. during this era, and their relationship quickly became one of the defining aspects of her public identity. After their divorce, Hill moved into real estate — a common second career for people stepping away from the entertainment industry in Southern California, where the property market has always been competitive.

Hill’s decision to remain private has meant that most of what’s written about her circles back to her years with Baer. That’s not unusual for spouses of famous actors from this period, but it does make it difficult to build a complete picture of who she was beyond that connection.

Marriage to Max Baer Jr.

Joanne Kathleen Hill and Max Baer Jr. married in 1966. By that point, Baer was already one of the most recognizable faces on American television. The Beverly Hillbillies had debuted in 1962 and quickly shot to the top of the ratings, making Baer’s character Jethro Bodine a pop culture fixture.

The marriage lasted five years before they divorced in 1971. The specific reasons behind their split were never widely reported — both parties kept the details private, which was somewhat unusual for a celebrity divorce in that era. Hollywood marriages during the 1960s were frequently tabloid fodder, but Hill and Baer managed to keep their separation relatively quiet.

Their divorce coincided roughly with the end of The Beverly Hillbillies, which aired its final episode in 1971 after nine seasons. Whether the pressures of Baer’s career contributed to the marriage’s end is something neither has publicly addressed. Baer never remarried, though he had other long-term relationships in the decades that followed.

Max Baer Jr.’s Career

Max Baer Jr. was born on December 4, 1937, in Oakland, California. He’s best known for playing the good-natured but not-too-bright Jethro Bodine on The Beverly Hillbillies, which ran from 1962 to 1971 on CBS. The show followed the Clampett family — a group of Ozark Mountain hillbillies who struck oil and moved to Beverly Hills. Baer’s Jethro, the nephew of patriarch Jed Clampett (played by Buddy Ebsen), became one of the show’s most popular characters.

After the show ended, Baer struggled with typecasting. Audiences and casting directors couldn’t separate him from Jethro, which limited his options. He shifted his focus behind the camera, producing and directing the 1974 film Macon County Line, which became a surprise box office hit. He followed that up with The Return of the Beverly Hillbillies in 1981, though it didn’t achieve the same success.

In later years, Baer pursued business ventures, including a long-running attempt to build a casino resort themed around The Beverly Hillbillies in Northern Nevada. The project faced numerous regulatory hurdles and never fully materialized. As of recent years, Baer remains the last surviving principal cast member of the original series.

The Baer Family Legacy

Joanne Kathleen Hill married into a family with a significant place in American sports history. Max Baer Jr.’s father, Max Baer Sr., was the World Heavyweight Boxing Champion from 1934 to 1935. Baer Sr. defeated Primo Carnera at Madison Square Garden Bowl to claim the title, in a fight that drew over 48,000 spectators.

The elder Baer was known for his powerful right hand and his colorful personality outside the ring. He later appeared in several Hollywood films, including The Prizefighter and the Lady (1933), making entertainment a family tradition of sorts. Baer Sr. passed away in 1959 at the age of 50 from a heart attack.

Max Baer Jr.’s uncle, Buddy Baer, was also a professional boxer who fought Joe Louis twice for the heavyweight title. The Baer family’s combination of athletic and entertainment fame made them one of the more interesting dynasties in mid-20th century American culture. When Hill married Max Baer Jr., she was joining a family whose name carried weight well beyond Hollywood.

Life After Divorce

After her divorce from Max Baer Jr. in 1971, Joanne Kathleen Hill largely disappeared from public life. She transitioned into a career as a real estate agent, leaving the entertainment industry behind. This wasn’t an uncommon move — many actors and industry-adjacent people in the Los Angeles area found real estate to be a natural fit, given their existing connections and understanding of the local market.

Hill didn’t participate in any of the Beverly Hillbillies reunion projects or nostalgia events that cropped up over the years. She appears to have made a clean break from both the show’s legacy and the public attention that came with being connected to it.

There’s no confirmed information about whether she remarried or had children. Her privacy has been thorough enough that even in the age of the internet, very little new information about her post-divorce life has surfaced. For someone who was once connected to one of the biggest television shows in American history, that level of anonymity takes real commitment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Joanne Kathleen Hill?

Joanne Kathleen Hill is an American former actress and real estate agent who is best known as the ex-wife of actor Max Baer Jr. She was married to Baer from 1966 to 1971, during the peak years of The Beverly Hillbillies.

Why did Joanne Kathleen Hill and Max Baer Jr. divorce?

The specific reasons for their divorce have never been publicly disclosed. Both Hill and Baer kept the details of their separation private. They divorced in 1971 after five years of marriage.

What did Joanne Kathleen Hill do after her divorce?

After divorcing Max Baer Jr., Hill stepped away from entertainment and worked as a real estate agent. She has maintained a very private life since then, with almost no public appearances or interviews.

Did Max Baer Jr. remarry after Joanne Kathleen Hill?

No, Max Baer Jr. never remarried after his divorce from Hill. He had other relationships over the years but remained unmarried. He’s the last surviving main cast member of The Beverly Hillbillies.