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Buddy Epsen |
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Buddy Ebsen was born Christian Rudolph Ebsen Jr. in Belleville, Illinois on April 2, 1908. His family moved to Florida at age 10. In Orlando, his father ran a dance studio where Buddy and his sisters learned to dance. He graduated from Orlando High School in 1926. He was originally going to study medicine and went to college at the University of Florida in Gainesville from 1926-27 and then Rollins College in Winter Park from 1927-28. When his family suffered financial problems caused by the end of the Florida land boom, he left college for good at age 20.
In the summer of 1928, he decided to try out as a dancer on the Vaudeville circuit. He and his sister Vilma spent the early 30's performing in supper clubs, vaudeville theaters and on Broadway. They moved to Hollywood and made their film debut in 1935's Broadway Melody of 1936, for which he received his only Oscar. Buddy continued to appear in other musicals and was known for his original dancing and singing style.
Buddy suffered two major disappointments in his long career. In 1939 he was cast in The Wizard of Oz as the "Tin Man." He recorded all his songs, rehearsed and even started filming with the cast. He was hospitalized nine days after the filming began. The aluminum dust from the experimental "tin" makeup caused his lungs to seize up. He was hospitalized for two weeks and the experience was nearly fatal. In the meantime, he was replaced by Jack Haley, who used a paste instead of the dust makeup. (Haley did re-record most of Buddy’s vocals, but Buddy's voice can still be heard on the soundtrack during the song "We’re Off to See the Wizard!") His second disappointment was the loss of the role of televison's Davy Crockett. Disney cast Fess Parker as Davy Crockett and Ebsen was given the sidekick role of George Russell.
His biggest role was Jed Clampett in 1962's television production of The Beverly Hillbillies. It was a huge hit and he was the most prominent star of the ensemble cast. The show was still receiving good ratings when CBS canceled it because the advertisers didn’t like the idea of a series that attracted a rural audience. In 1973, he was given the lead role in a detective series called Barnaby Jones. The hit show ran on CBS from 1973-1980.
He continued acting into the 1990's. He reprised his role of Barnaby Jones in the 1993 movie production of The Beverly Hillbillies starring Jim Varney as Jed Clampett. This was his final film appearance. (Ironically he outlived Jim who died of lung cancer in 2000.) His last acting role was as a voice in the animated series King of the Hill in 1999. Buddy remained active in his 90's. He died on July 6, 2003 in Torrance, California at the age of 95 from complications due to pneumonia. He had been married three times. His first wife was Ruth Cambridge who was Walter Winchell’s original Girl Friday. They had 2 daughters. His second wife was Nancy Wolcott and they had 5 children. His third wife was Dorothy Knott and they had 1 child.
-Biography by 1262Mac
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