Buddy Ebsen
Acting • Born 1908-04-02 – Died 2003-07-06
Biography
Christian Ludolf "Buddy" Ebsen Jr. (April 2, 1908 – July 6, 2003) was an American actor and dancer, whose career spanned seven decades, including the role of Jed Clampett in the CBS television sitcom The Beverly Hillbillies (1962–1971) and the title character in the television detective drama Barnaby Jones (1973–1980), also on CBS. The SAG-AFTRA records also show him as Frank "Buddy" Ebsen. A performer for seven decades, he had starring roles as Jed Clampett in the long-running television series "The Beverly Hillbillies" and as the title character in the 1970s detective series "Barnaby Jones". Ebsen was cast as the original Tin Man in 1939 film "The Wizard of Oz", but fell ill, reacting to the aluminum dust in his makeup, and was forced to drop out of the film. Ebsen made his television debut on an episode of The Chevrolet Tele-Theatre in 1949. This led to television appearances in: Stars Over Hollywood, Gruen Guild Playhouse, four episodes of Broadway Television Theatre, Schlitz Playhouse of Stars, Corky and White Shadow, the H.J. Heinz Company's Studio 57, Screen Directors Playhouse, two episodes of Climax!, Tales of Wells Fargo, The Martha Raye Show, Playhouse 90, Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse, Johnny Ringo, two episodes of Bonanza, three episodes of Maverick (in which he portrayed assorted homicidal villains), and 77 Sunset Strip. Ebsen received wide television exposure when he played Georgie Russel, a role based on a historical person and companion to frontiersman Davy Crockett, in the Disneyland television miniseries Davy Crockett (1954–1955). In the 1958–1959 season, Ebsen co-starred in the 26-episode half-hour NBC television adventure series Northwest Passage. This series was a fictionalized account of Major Robert Rogers, a colonial American fighter for the British in the French and Indian War. Ebsen played the role of Sergeant Hunk Marriner; Keith Larsen played Rogers. In 1960, Ebsen appeared in episodes of the television series Rawhide, in the episodes "The Pitchwagon" and Tales of Wells Fargo, which he reprised in episodes of both series during 1962 in the roles of different characters. Also in 1960, Ebsen played in season 4 episode 30 of Have Gun, Will Travel called "El Paso Stage", as a corrupt marshal. From 1961 to 1962, Ebsen had a recurring role as Virge Blessing in the ABC drama series Bus Stop, the story of travelers passing through the bus station and diner in the fictitious town of Sunrise, Colorado. Robert Altman directed several episodes. Arthur O'Connell had played Virge Blessing in the earlier film version on which the series was loosely based. Ebsen also appeared as "Mr. Dave" Browne, a homeless hobo, on The Andy Griffith Show opposite Ron Howard, and as Jimbo Cobb in The Twilight Zone episode "The Prime Mover" (season 2, episode 21) in 1961.
Filmography
130 credits
Breakfast at Tiffany's
Movie • 1961
Doc Golightly
Attack
Movie • 1956
Tolliver
Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier
Movie • 1955
George Russel
The Horror at 37,000 Feet
Movie • 1973
Glenn Farlee
The Girl of the Golden West
Movie • 1938
Alabama
Broadway Melody of 1938
Movie • 1937
Peter Trot
Born to Dance
Movie • 1936
'Mush' Tracy
Broadway Melody of 1936
Movie • 1935
Ted Burke
The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band
Movie • 1968
Calvin Bower
Davy Crockett and the River Pirates
Movie • 1956
George Russel
Between Heaven and Hell
Movie • 1956
Pvt. Willie Crawford
Captain January
Movie • 1936
Paul Roberts
Night People
Movie • 1954
M/Sgt. Eddie McColloch
Davy Crockett's Keelboat Race
Movie • 1955
George Russel
Davy Crockett Goes to Congress
Movie • 1955
George Russel
The Legend of the Beverly Hillbillies
Movie • 1993
Stone Fox
Movie • 1987
Grandpa
Four Girls in White
Movie • 1939
Express, an Orderly
The Daughters of Joshua Cabe
Movie • 1972
Joshua Cabe
Sing Your Worries Away
Movie • 1942
Tommy Jones
Yellow Jack
Movie • 1938
Jellybeans
Banjo on My Knee
Movie • 1936
Buddy
Davy Crockett, Indian Fighter
Movie • 1954
George Russel
The Kid From Texas
Movie • 1939
'Snifty'
Mail Order Bride
Movie • 1964
Will Lane
Mission of Danger
Movie • 1960
Hunk Marriner
Silver City Bonanza
Movie • 1951
Gabe Horne
Frontier Rangers
Movie • 1959
Sergeant Hunk Marriner
Disneyland: U.S.A.
Movie • 1956
Self - George Russel
The Interns
Movie • 1962
Dr. Sidney Wohl
The Return of the Beverly Hillbillies
Movie • 1981
Jed Clampett
Parachute Battalion
Movie • 1941
Jeff Hollis
Hollywood Hobbies
Movie • 1939
Self (uncredited)
Working Tra$h
Movie • 1990
Vandevere Lodge
My Lucky Star
Movie • 1938
Buddy
Under Mexicali Stars
Movie • 1950
Homer Oglethorpe
Thunder in God's Country
Movie • 1951
Happy Hooper
Utah Wagon Train
Movie • 1951
'Snooper' Trent
They Met in Argentina
Movie • 1941
Duke Ferrel
That's Entertainment!
Movie • 1974
(archive footage)
The Wizard of Oz
Movie • 1939
Tin Man (singing voice) (uncredited)
Audrey Hepburn: Remembered
Movie • 1993
Self (archive footage)
Fire on the Mountain
Movie • 1981
John Vogelin
Television: The First Fifty Years
Movie • 1999
Jed Clampett (archive footage)
Leave Yesterday Behind
Movie • 1978
Doc
The Tiny Tree
Movie • 1975
Squire Badger (Narrator) (voice)
Smash-Up on Interstate 5
Movie • 1976
Al Pearson
The Andersonville Trial
Movie • 1970
Dr. John Bates
Fury River
Movie • 1961
Sergeant Hunk Marriner
Rodeo King and the Senorita
Movie • 1951
Muscles Benton
Red Garters
Movie • 1954
Ginger Pete
NBC Salutes the 25th Anniversary of the Wonderful World of Disney
Movie • 1978
Self
Kraft Salutes Disneyland's 25th Anniversary
Movie • 1980
Self
That's Entertainment! III
Movie • 1994
(archive footage)
The President's Plane Is Missing
Movie • 1973
Vice President Kermit Madigan
Judy Garland: By Myself
Movie • 2004
Self - Actor (voice)
Tom Sawyer
Movie • 1976
Muff Potter
The Paradise Connection
Movie • 1979
Stuart Douglas
James Stewart: A Wonderful Life
Movie • 1987
Self (archive footage)
That's Dancing!
Movie • 1985
From 'Born to Dance' (archive footage)
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: The Making of a Movie Classic
Movie • 1990
Self (archive footage)
The Beverly Hillbillies
Movie • 1993
Barnaby Jones
Davy Crockett at the Alamo
Movie • 1955
George Russel
Pioneers of Primetime
Movie • 2005
Walt Disney Treasures - Davy Crockett
Movie • 1954
George Russell (archive footage)
The Andy Griffith Show
TV • 1960
David Browne
Hardcastle and McCormick
TV • 1983
King of the Hill
TV • 1997
Chet Elderson (voice)
Hawaii Five-O
TV • 1968
Professor Ambrose Pierce
The Beverly Hillbillies
TV • 1962
Jed "JD" Clampett
Alias Smith and Jones
TV • 1971
Omnibus
TV • 1952
Gunsmoke
TV • 1955
Hannibal
The Wonderful World of Disney
TV • 1954
Night Gallery
TV • 1970
General Electric Theater
TV • 1953
Pa Jericho
The Twilight Zone
TV • 1959
Jimbo Cobb
Bus Stop
TV • 1961
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
TV • 1958
Northwest Passage
TV • 1958
Sergeant Hunk Marriner
Rawhide
TV • 1959
George Stimson
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
TV • 1951
Rainspout Jones
Matt Houston
TV • 1982
Roy Houston
Climax!
TV • 1954
Ben
Adventures in Paradise
TV • 1959
Ben Curtis
Bronco
TV • 1958
The Dean Martin Show
TV • 1965
Black Saddle
TV • 1959
Gurney Rhodes
Lock-Up
TV • 1959
Riverboat
TV • 1959
Niles Cox
The Steve Allen Show
TV • 1956
Self - Northwest Passage
Johnny Ringo
TV • 1959
Sample
Vacation Playhouse
TV • 1963
Davy Crockett
TV • 1954
George Russel
Tony Orlando and Dawn
TV • 1974
Self
Studio 57
TV • 1954
Maverick
TV • 1957
The Barbara Stanwyck Show
TV • 1960
Dr. Mark Carroll
The Ed Wynn Show
TV • 1949
Self
The Mike Douglas Show
TV • 1961
Self
Gunsmoke
TV • 1955
Quimby
Gunsmoke
TV • 1955
Drago
Reading Rainbow
TV • 1983
Self - Narrator (voice)
Barnaby Jones
TV • 1973
Barnaby Jones
Checkmate
TV • 1960
Pete O'Mara
Chevron Theatre
TV • 1952
Bonanza
TV • 1959
Cactus Murphy
Maverick
TV • 1957
Nero Lyme
Bonanza
TV • 1959
Sheriff Jesse Sanders
Have Gun, Will Travel
TV • 1957
Marshal Elmo Crane
Burke's Law
TV • 1994
Louie Pike
Climax!
TV • 1954
Gaffney
The Carol Burnett Show
TV • 1967
Self
Finder of Lost Loves
TV • 1984
Walter Lewis
The Wonderful World of Disney
TV • 1954
George Russel
Disney Family Album
TV • 1984
Narrator
Corky and White Shadow
TV • 1956
Sheriff Matthew Brady
CBS Summer Playhouse
TV • 1987
Buddy Tucker
77 Sunset Strip
TV • 1958
Baxter Kellogg
The Danny Kaye Show
TV • 1963
Self
The Critical List
TV • 1978
Charles Sprague
The Yellow Rose
TV • 1983
Toat Gilmore
Cannon
TV • 1971
Barnaby Jones
Dinah!
TV • 1974
Self
Maverick
TV • 1957
Sheriff Scratch Madden
Have Gun, Will Travel
TV • 1957
Bram Holden
Rawhide
TV • 1959
Will Kinch
The Bob Hope Show
TV • 1950
Self
Gunslinger
TV • 1961
Jed Spangler
The Bastard
TV • 1978
Benjamin Edes