The series rose to #1 in ratings within three weeks of its premiere, a feat that remains unmatched in television history. It stayed at #1 for 2 years.
All 36 episodes of the first season, and the first 19 episodes of the second season, are in the public domain because CBS, which bought the rights to the series shortly after it was cancelled, didn't renew their copyrights. Those episodes have been released on home video and DVD by many low-budget labels. In many video releases of the public domain episodes, the original theme music has been replaced by generic music due to copyright issues.
After the first season aired, an executive for sponsor Levi Strauss was quoted as saying that "Donna Douglas had done more for the sale of blue jeans in one year than cowboys have done in a hundred."
Buddy Ebsen was offered the role of Jed Clampett on the strength of his playing a similar role in "Desayuno con diamantes (1961)."
Irene Ryan (Granny) once stated in an interview that she really enjoyed "whomping" Jethro. She said that anytime the script called for her to hit him, she "let him have it."