The Sara Chronicles

Daisy Moses? How about the feisty "Granny"? Yup, Daisy was the character's name, even though you never heard it on the TV version of "The Beverly Hillbillies".Irene Ryan, who played Granny on the series, was known as a film and Broadway actress who started doing guest shots on TV in 1954. The late Bea Benaderet, who was a semi-regular on radio's "The Jack Benny Program" and played Kate Bradley on "Petticoat Junction" used to tell the following story:Bea was originally slated to audition for the role of Granny but when she walked in, she took one look at Irene Ryan and told producer Paul Henning, "THERE'S your Granny!" Ryan got the role, while Benaderet was cast as Jed's Cousin Pearl.Ryan was actually a bit younger than Granny when the series started in 1962, but with proper use of a wig, make-up and glasses, she became the character.Cloris Leachman, who never had a problem with not appearing glamorous in any role, played the character in the 1993 movie version. Interesting, loved Granny.