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Irene Ryan (October 17, 1902 – April 26, 1973) was an American actress, one of the few entertainers who found success in vaudeville, radio, film, television and Broadway. She is most widely known for her portrayal of "Granny" on the long-running TV series The Beverly Hillbillies (1962–1971), for which she was nominated for Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 1963 and 1964. Commonly thought to have been born in El Paso, Texas, Irene was actually born in San Francisco, California (IMDB entry for Irene Ryan). This is proven by personal records closer to the... MORE

Irene Ryan (October 17, 1902 – April 26, 1973) was an American actress, one of the few entertainers who found success in vaudeville, radio, film, television and Broadway. She is most widely known for her portrayal of "Granny" on the long-running TV series The Beverly Hillbillies (1962–1971), for which she was nominated for Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 1963 and 1964. Commonly thought to have been born in El Paso, Texas, Irene was actually born in San Francisco, California (IMDB entry for Irene Ryan). This is proven by personal records closer to the family, and census records. Ryan was born Jessie Irene Noblitt. She was born to an American father, James Merrit Noblitt, and an Irish immigrant mother, Katherine McSharry. Before her role as "Granny" on The Beverly Hillbillies, Ryan was an established vaudeville, radio, and movie actress, though not as well known prior to her television stint. Ryan and her first husband, writer-comedian Tim Ryan, were popular in vaudeville. Their type of double act, known in show business as a "Dumb Dora" routine and epitomized by George Burns and Gracie Allen, had the dizzy woman saying silly things to her boyfriend or LESS