Home> Facts and Trivia > Stars > Buddy Ebsen
Buddy Ebsen Facts
| Sign | Aries |
| Born |
Apr 2, 1908 Belleville, IL |
| Died |
Jul 6, 2003 Torrance, CA |
| Age | Died at 95 |
| Total Facts | 45 |
After he died, his family sent Shirley Temple an invitation to his memorial, but she declined.
After seeing Ebsen in Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961), the creator of "The Beverly Hillbillies" (1962) wanted him to play family patriarch Jed Clampett. At the time, Ebsen was thinking of retiring, but the producers sent him a copy of the script, and he changed his mind.
Almost all of his sisters lived long lives, just like Buddy himself. Both Helga and Norma died in the late 1990s. His sister, Vilma, died in 2007, just four years after her brother's own death.
An outspoken Republican, he helped defeat Nancy Kulp, his co-star in "The Beverly Hillbillies" (1962), in her 1984 Democratic congressional bid in Pennsylvania. Ebsen made radio ads for her opponent accusing Kulp of being "too liberal" and not good for the district. The two did not speak for years after the incident, but eventually settled their differences.
Appeared in three musical film extravaganzas starring tap great Eleanor Powell.
At 12, his family moved to Orlando, Florida, where Ebsen was raised.
Attended Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida shortly before starting his film career.
Became a best-selling author at the age of 93. [2001]
Before he was a successful actor, he was a successful singer and dancer.
Best remembered by the public for his starring role as Jed Clampett on "The Beverly Hillbillies" (1962) or as the lead role on "Barnaby Jones" (1973).
Biography in: "The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives". Volume 7, 2003-2005, pages 161-163. Farmington Hills, MI: Thomson Gale, 2007.
Co-founder of the Beverly Hills Coin Club with an young, unknown actor, Chris Aable.
Director Norman Foster first recommended Ebsen to Walt Disney to play Davy Crockett, and Disney was "half sold" on the idea. Then Disney saw Fess Parker in the sci-fi film Them! (1954) and cast the strapping actor as the famed frontiersman. Ebsen was crestfallen because he knew how big the picture would be. The next day the studio signed Ebsen on as Crockett's weatherbeaten sidekick, Georgie Russel. The part helped to turn his career around and arguably played a part in Ebsen's getting the role of the equally equally grizzled and popular Jed Clampett.
Fathered two daughters, Elizabeth Ebsen and Alix Ebsen, with his first wife, Ruth. Had five additional children (Susannah, Cathy, Bonnie Ebsen, Kiersten Kiki Ebsen, and Dustin Ebsen) with his second wife, Nancy.
Future politician and talk show host Jerry Springer, said Ebsen was his childhood television hero.
Graduated from Orlando High School in Orlando, Florida, in 1926.
Had four sisters - Helga, Norma, Vilma Ebsen and Leslie. He was the middle child.
Had surgery on June 10, 1998 to repair an aortic valve in his heart.
He and sister Vilma Ebsen performed in vaudeville doing variations on the same theme -- with Vilma playing a dancing instructor who teaches the seemingly uncoordinated country doofas Buddy how to dance. A vaudeville showstopper in such shows as "Whoopee!," "Flying Colors" and "The Ziegfeld Follies of 1934," they were known for a time as "The Baby Astaires."
He had 15 hobbies over his long life: dancing, playing guitar, coin collecting, swimming, golfing, riding horses, sailing, painting, building sailboats, spending time with his family, politics, gardening, fishing, traveling and singing.
He served in the Coast Guard during WWII as the executive officer on the Pocatello, a submarine chaser in the North Pacific.
His "The Beverly Hillbillies" (1962) co-star, Donna Douglas, had a lot in common. Like Buddy, she too is a successful singer (of gospel), is also a character actress, and is also a Republican.
His father owned a dance studio, and when Ebsen was a young boy insisted that he take dance lessons.
His first wife, Ruth, was originally Walter Winchell's secretary/Girl Friday.
His former "Barnaby Jones" (1973) co-star, Lee Meriwether, said she reminded him a lot of Ray MacDonnell, with whom she had a wonderful relationship on "All My Children" (1970).
His show "Barnaby Jones" (1973) was canceled at the end of the eighth season, because Buddy had decided to retire from acting.
His show "The Beverly Hillbillies" (1962) was canceled at the end of the ninth season, because of the infamous rural purge that axed all shows in 1971.
In 1938 MGM offered him a seven-year contract, starting at $2,000 a week but requiring him to give the studio absolute control over his career. He rejected it. MGM blackballed him and his film career went into eclipse for nearly 20 years, until Walt Disney hired him to play Georgie Russel, Davy Crockett's sidekick, in Davy Crockett: King of the Wild Frontier (1955).
In the 1930s, Disney animators filmed him dancing in front of a grid to "choreograph" Mickey Mouse's dance steps for the Silly Symphony cartoons.
In the last two years of his life, he recorded his first CD in which he sang some of his own songs.
Initially wanted to become a doctor. He took premed courses at Rollins College and the University of Florida, but his mother persuaded him into show business.
Of Danish and Latvian descent.
One of his last roles was a gag cameo in The Beverly Hillbillies (1993) in which Jim Varney played Jed. Ebsen showed up as Barnaby Jones.
Originally cast as the Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz (1939), Buddy was hospitalized as a result of inhaling aluminum powder used as part of his make-up. One chorus of "We're Off to See the Wizard" in the movie and soundtrack album retain Ebsen's original vocals as the Tin Man, recorded before he was forced to leave the production. Because of the prolonged hospitalization, he was replaced by Jack Haley (whose reformulated make-up used pre-mixed aluminium dust), and Ebsen's scenes were re-shot using Haley. Footage of Ebsen as the Tin Man still exists, and was included as an extra with the U.S. 50th anniversary video release of The Wizard of Oz (1939).
Owned a 36-acre ranch in the Santa Monica Mountains.
Remained friends with Donna Douglas and Max Baer Jr. during and after "The Beverly Hillbillies" (1962).
Remained friends with Lee Meriwether during and after "Barnaby Jones" (1973).
Set up the Ebsen School of Dance in Pacific Palisades, California. When Buddy was young, his father, a physical fitness advocate, taught dance in West Palm Beach, Florida. This is where Buddy and younger sister Vilma Ebsen learned their craft and they appeared in local and school productions.
Son Dustin Ebsen is married to Stan Freberg 's daughter Donna.
Taught Judy Garland the shim-sham shimmy while they were at MGM.
Was best friends with: Shirley Temple, Jane Withers, Fess Parker, Dick Van Dyke and Linda Henning.
Was initiated into DeMolay at the John M. Cheney Chapter in Orlando Florida, in 1926. DeMolay is a Masonic youth organization for young men between 12 and 21. Was inducted into the DeMolay Hall of Fame on June 21st, 1996.
When he left Florida to arrive in New York City in 1928, he had $26.75 in his pocket. He and Vilma both formed the act, while attending supper clubs. In Vaudeville, they were known as "The Baby Astaires".
While filming "Barnaby Jones" (1973), he was hospitalized with pains in his legs. [2 July 1976].
Wrote a half dozen plays, five of which were produced, including a farce called Honest John in 1948 and Champagne General in 1973, a Civil War story. Also a part-time songwriter, he became a newly-published author of a romantic novel at the age of 93, titled Kelly's Quest.