Buddy Ebsen

Christian Ludolf "Buddy" Ebsen Jr. (2 April 1908 – 6 July 2003) was an American actor. He is best known for his portrayals of Jed Clampett in The Beverly Hillbillies, and the title character in Barnaby Jones, both on CBS.
In 1987, he played Willy's grandfather in the live-action Hanna-Barbera TV movie The Stone Fox.
== Biography ==
Buddy Ebsen began his career as a dancer in the late 1920s in a Broadway chorus. He later formed a vaudeville act with his sister Vilma Ebsen, which also appeared on Broadway. In 1935, he and his sister went to Hollywood, where they were signed for the first of MGM's Eleanor Powell movies, Broadway Melody of 1936 (1935). While Vilma retired from stage and screen shortly after this, Buddy starred in two further MGM movies with Powell. Two of his dancing partners were Frances Langford in Born to Dance (1936) and Judy Garland in Broadway Melody of 1938 (1937). They were a little bit taller than Shirley Temple, with whom he danced in Captain January (1936). MGM studio chief Louis B. Mayer offered him an exclusive contract in 1938, but Ebsen turned it down.
Despite Mayer's warning that he would never get a job in Hollywood again, Ebsen was offered the role of the scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz (1939). Ebsen agreed to change roles with Ray Bolger, who was cast as the Tin Man. Ebsen subsequently became ill from the aluminum make-up, however, and was replaced by Jack Haley. Ebsen returned to the stage, making only a few films before he got a role in the Walt Disney production of Davy Crockett: King of the Wild Frontier (1955). After this, he became a straight actor, and later won more fame in his own hit series, The Beverly Hillbillies (1962) and Barnaby Jones (1973).
== External Links ==
* Buddy Ebsen at the Internet Movie Database
Category:Actors
Category:Real People
Category:The Funtastic Index