SPEAKER_00: Hello, from Wonder Media Network, I'm Jenny Kaplan, and this is Womanica. We're celebrating Pride Month with icons, supreme queens of queer culture. Some are household names, others are a little more behind the scenes. All have defied social norms and influenced generations of people to be unapologetically themselves. Today's icon became famous for her comedic role on a hit 1960s sitcom, and later tried her hand in the political arena. She kept people talking long after her career came to an end by coming out in an interview published after her death. Let's talk about Nancy Culp. Nancy was born in 1921 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. All her life she was interested in media and writing. She studied journalism at Florida State University and wrote feature articles for Miami papers in the 1940s. When she was 30 years old, Nancy married Charles Dacus. They were wed on April Fool's Day, which might have been foreshadowing for the very short-lived marriage that followed. A year later, Nancy was in California. Just three weeks into her journey through Hollywood, she was cast in her first role through A-list director George Cukor. It was a small part, mostly silent. Nancy played a maid looking for a love match through a marriage broker. Somehow, in her early 30s, she was already playing the old spinster role she'd returned to time and time again in her career. In 1962, Nancy landed the role of Miss Jane Hathaway in the Beverly Hillbillies. She was a plain, prim secretary, often playing the straight man to the Clampett family, a group of unsophisticated Tennesseans who moved to Beverly Hills after striking oil. Miss Jane was often confused and dismayed by their antics, but she was also head over heels for the unwitting Jethro Bodine, the Clampett's cousin. They have a lovely pool and Jethro.
SPEAKER_01: Oh, yes, ma'am?
SPEAKER_01: I'm taking a bikini to Palm Springs. Isn't that faster than a train?
SPEAKER_00: People loved the show, and it lasted nine seasons on air. After it wrapped, Nancy kept acting on Broadway and in other TV shows. Soon, though, she set her eyes on a new frontier, politics. Nancy had long been involved in local party politics in Pennsylvania and was an active member of the Screen Actors Guild. In 1984, she ran for Congress as a Democrat in the highly conservative county of Port Royal. She faced E.G. Schuster, a longtime incumbent. Reflecting on her decision to run in such a difficult race, she said, I think a man in office for 12 years should be opposed and the people given a choice. I think he should be asked to answer for his voting record. He hasn't been asked to do that for some time. Her candidacy made waves. Voters in the area kept hearing a radio ad starring Buddy Ebsen, the actor who'd played Jethro on the Beverly Hillbillies. In it, he lamented, Nancy, I love you dearly, but you're too liberal for me. Nancy lost the race. She later said, My feeling is a candidate is elected because they're perceived to be something. Ronald Reagan never talked issues. He waved the flag and the people loved it. I was perceived to be an ultra liberal. That is their perception. Even if they like me, then I can't win. Regardless of the end result, Nancy called the race a highlight of her life. In 1989, Nancy sat down for an interview with Boze Hadley. He was penning a book he'd call Hollywood Lesbians about the closeted women who'd existed on screen. He had decided to delay publishing the book until his interviewees had passed. Out of respect for the attention, likely negative, it would bring to many of the subjects. Boze asked Nancy if she'd speak on the big question of her sexuality. Nancy grinned and retorted, The big question? Show business makes it the fatal question. Actually, Nancy didn't even let him ask her the big question. Instead, she said, I'd appreciate it if you let me phrase the question. Here's how I would ask it. Do you find the opposites attract? My own reply would be that I'm the other sort. I find that birds of a feather flock together. That answers your question. The interview also reflects on Nancy's career, the challenges she'd faced, and the legacy of Miss Jane Hathaway. She said one of the most interesting parts of being Miss Jane was the fan mail she'd get, from women who thanked her for presenting a character who had a career, was cool and competent, and seemed perfectly satisfied without a husband. Boze asked her if those letters had come from lesbian viewers. Nancy said few described themselves as such, but she could often tell. The book was published in 1994, three years after Nancy died of cancer when she was 69 years old. All month we're talking about icons. For more information, find us on Facebook and Instagram at Womanica Podcast. Special thanks to Liz Kaplan, my favorite sister and co-creator. Talk to you tomorrow.
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SPEAKER_01: The clock is ticking. It's time for the new season of 60 minutes. The CBS News Sunday Night tradition is back for its 56th season with all new big name interviews, hard hitting investigations, and epic adventures. No place, no one, no story is off limits. And you'll always learn something new. It's time for 60 minutes. New episode airs Sunday, September 24th on CBS and streaming on Paramount+.
