Who Played Sonny Drysdale on The Beverly Hillbillies

On the classic television sitcom The Beverly Hillbillies, the socially ambitious son of banker Milburn Drysdale was a recurring presence in several episodes. The role of Sonny Drysdale, the well-meaning but occasionally scheming son of the bank president, was played by American child actor Weldon Heyburn. This evergreen profile explores Heyburn’s work on the show, the details of his casting, and how the character contributed to the series’ humor and social commentary. The following sections cover episode air dates, character function, and Heyburn’s broader career context during the late 1960s.