Harriet MacGibbon was a talented and versatile actress who had a long and successful career in film, stage and television. She is best known for her role as Mrs. Margaret Drysdale, the snobbish and wealthy banker’s wife, in the popular sitcom The Beverly Hillbillies. But how did she die and what was her cause of death? Here is what we know about her life and death.
Early Life and Career
Harriet MacGibbon was born on October 5, 1905 in Chicago, Illinois. Her birth name was Harriet Elizabeth McGibbon. She attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and began her acting career on the Broadway stage in 1925, when she was only 19 years old. She appeared in many plays, such as Beggar on Horseback, You Can’t Take It With You, The Front Page, and The Big Fight. She also performed on radio, playing Lucy Kent on the soap opera Home Sweet Home from 1934 to 1937.
Film and Television Roles
MacGibbon made her film debut in 1930, in a short comedy called The Golf Specialist, starring W.C. Fields. She had a small role as a snooty woman walking a dog across a golf course. She did not appear in another film until 1962, when she played Madame de Lancel in Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, directed by Vincente Minnelli and starring Glenn Ford, Ingrid Thulin, Charles Boyer, and Lee J. Cobb. She also had roles in three other films: The Wheeler Dealers (1963), The Loved One (1965), and The Fortune Cookie (1966).
MacGibbon was more active on television, starting from 1950. She guest-starred on many shows, such as Bewitched, Meet Mr. McNutley, My Three Sons, Perry Mason, The Donna Reed Show, The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Andy Griffith Show, I Dream of Jeannie, The Lucy Show, Green Acres, and The Love Boat. Her most famous role was Mrs. Margaret Drysdale on The Beverly Hillbillies, which ran from 1962 to 1971. She played the uptight and snooty wife of banker Milburn Drysdale (Raymond Bailey), who disapproved of the Clampetts, a poor hillbilly family who struck oil and moved to Beverly Hills. She often clashed with Granny (Irene Ryan), the matriarch of the Clampetts, who had a strong personality and a penchant for moonshine.
Personal Life and Death
MacGibbon was married twice in her life. Her first husband was producer William Reno Kane of Philadelphia, whom she married in September 1930. They had one son, William McKibbon Kane. They divorced in April 1942. Her second husband was writer Charles Corwin White, whom she married in April 1942. They remained married until White’s death on Christmas Day in 1967.
MacGibbon died on February 8, 1987 at the age of 81 in Beverly Hills, California. According to Wikipedia, her cause of death was pulmonary and cardiac problems. She was cremated and her ashes were interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Hollywood Hills.
Harriet MacGibbon was a talented actress who left a lasting impression on many viewers with her comedic skills and memorable characters. She will always be remembered as Mrs. Drysdale, the snooty neighbor of the Clampetts on The Beverly Hillbillies.
