Buddy Ebsen
Known for: Acting
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
Series
King of the Hill
Chet Elderson (voice)
1997
Series
The Mike Douglas Show
Self
1961
Series
The Andy Griffith Show
David Browne
1960
Series
Bonanza
Cactus Murphy
1959
Series
Bonanza
Sheriff Jesse Sanders
1959
Series
Hawaii Five-O
Professor Ambrose Pierce
1968
Series
Tony Awards
Self - Host
1956
Series
Tony Awards
Self - Presenter
1956
Series
Tony Awards
Self - Host / Presenter / Performer
1956
Series
Maverick
1957
Series
Maverick
Nero Lyme
1957
Series
Maverick
Sheriff Scratch Madden
1957
Series
The Twilight Zone
Jimbo Cobb
1959
Series
Have Gun, Will Travel
Marshal Elmo Crane
1957
Series
Have Gun, Will Travel
Bram Holden
1957
Series
Rawhide
George Stimson
1959
Series
Rawhide
Will Kinch
1959
Series
The Beverly Hillbillies
Jed "JD" Clampett
1962
Series
Cannon
Barnaby Jones
1971
Series
The Carol Burnett Show
Self
1967
Series
Climax!
Ben
1954
Series
Climax!
Gaffney
1954
Film
The Wizard of Oz
Tin Man (singing voice) (uncredited)
1939
Series
Gunsmoke
Hannibal
1955
Series
Gunsmoke
Quimby
1955
Series
Gunsmoke
Drago
1955
Series
Night Gallery
1970
Series
Barnaby Jones
Barnaby Jones
1973
Series
The Steve Allen Show
Self - Northwest Passage
1956
Series
Matt Houston
Roy Houston
1982
Series
Dinah!
Self
1974
Series
The Bob Hope Show
Self
1950
Series
Omnibus
1952
Series
77 Sunset Strip
Baxter Kellogg
1958
Series
Adventures in Paradise
Ben Curtis
1959
Series
Reading Rainbow
Self - Narrator (voice)
1983
Series
Hardcastle and McCormick
1983
Series
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
1958
Series
Alias Smith and Jones
1971
Series
Checkmate
Pete O'Mara
1960
Series
Bronco
1958
Series
Studio 57
1954
Series
The Danny Kaye Show
Self
1963
Film
Breakfast at Tiffany's
Doc Golightly
1961
Series
Burke's Law
Louie Pike
1994
Series
Johnny Ringo
Sample
1959
Series
Finder of Lost Loves
Walter Lewis
1984
Series
The Barbara Stanwyck Show
Dr. Mark Carroll
1960
Series
The Dean Martin Show
1965
Series
Riverboat
Niles Cox
1959
Series
Lock-Up
1959
Series
Black Saddle
Gurney Rhodes
1959
Vacation Playhouse
1963
Chevron Theatre
1952
Series
Bus Stop
1961
Series
Bus Stop
Virge Blessing
1961
Series
The Wonderful World of Disney
1954
Series
The Wonderful World of Disney
George Russel
1954
Series
CBS Summer Playhouse
Buddy Tucker
1987
Film
The Beverly Hillbillies
Barnaby Jones
1993
Film
Mail Order Bride
Will Lane
1964
Series
Gunslinger
Jed Spangler
1961
Series
Tony Orlando and Dawn
Self
1974
Television: The First Fifty Years
Jed Clampett (archive footage)
1999
Series
The Yellow Rose
Toat Gilmore
1983
Film
The Daughters of Joshua Cabe
Joshua Cabe
1972
Series
The Bastard
Benjamin Edes
1978
Series
Davy Crockett
George Russel
1954
Film
That's Entertainment!
(archive footage) (uncredited)
1974
Film
That's Entertainment! III
(archive footage)
1994
Series
General Electric Theater
Pa Jericho
1953
Film
Night People
M/Sgt. Eddie McColloch
1954
Film
Davy Crockett and the River Pirates
George Russel
1956
Series
Northwest Passage
Sergeant Hunk Marriner
1958
Series
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Rainspout Jones
1951
The Ed Wynn Show
Self
1949
Series
Corky and White Shadow
Sheriff Matthew Brady
1956
Film
Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier
George Russel
1955
Film
Audrey Hepburn: Remembered
Self (archive footage)
1993
Film
Attack
Tolliver
1956
Film
James Stewart: A Wonderful Life
Self (archive footage)
1987
Film
That's Dancing!
From 'Born to Dance' (archive footage)
1985
Film
They Met in Argentina
Duke Ferrel
1941
Film
The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band
Calvin Bower
1968
Series
The Critical List
Charles Sprague
1978
Series
Disney Family Album
Narrator
1984
Film
Between Heaven and Hell
Pvt. Willie Crawford
1956
Film
The Return of the Beverly Hillbillies
Jed Clampett
1981
Film
Pioneers of Primetime
2005
Film
The President's Plane Is Missing
Vice President Kermit Madigan
1973
Film
Disneyland: U.S.A.
Self - George Russel
1956
Film
Judy Garland: By Myself
Self - Actor (voice)
2004
Film
Captain January
Paul Roberts
1936
Film
The Horror at 37,000 Feet
Glenn Farlee
1973
Film
Born to Dance
'Mush' Tracy
1936
Film
Under Mexicali Stars
Homer Oglethorpe
1950
Film
Broadway Melody of 1938
Peter Trot
1937
Film
Smash-Up on Interstate 5
Al Pearson
1976
Film
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: 50 Years of Magic
Self (archive footage)
1990
Film
The Girl of the Golden West
Alabama
1938
Film
Broadway Melody of 1936
Ted
1935
Film
The Andersonville Trial
Dr. John Bates
1970
Film
Fire on the Mountain
John Vogelin
1981
Film
Working Tra$h
Vandevere Lodge
1990
Film
The Paradise Connection
Stuart Douglas
1979
Film
Four Girls in White
Express, an Orderly
1939
Film
Davy Crockett Goes to Congress
George Russel
1955
Film
The Interns
Dr. Sidney Wohl
1962
Film
Banjo on My Knee
Buddy
1936
The Legend of the Beverly Hillbillies
1993
Film
Red Garters
Ginger Pete
1954
Film
Hollywood Hobbies
Self (uncredited)
1939
Film
Silver City Bonanza
Gabe Horne
1951
Film
Frontier Rangers
Sergeant Hunk Marriner
1959
Film
Thunder in God's Country
Happy Hooper
1951
Film
NBC Salutes the 25th Anniversary of the Wonderful World of Disney
Self
1978
Film
Parachute Battalion
Jeff Hollis
1941
Film
The Kid From Texas
'Snifty'
1939
Film
Leave Yesterday Behind
Doc
1978
Film
Kraft Salutes Disneyland's 25th Anniversary
Self
1980
Film
Mission of Danger
Hunk Marriner
1960
Film
Rodeo King and the Senorita
Muscles Benton
1951
Film
Stone Fox
Grandpa
1987
Film
Fury River
Sergeant Hunk Marriner
1961
Film
Davy Crockett at the Alamo
George Russel
1955
Film
My Lucky Star
Buddy
1938
Film
Walt Disney Treasures - Davy Crockett
George Russell (archive footage)
1954
Film
Davy Crockett, Indian Fighter
George Russel
1954
Film
Tom Sawyer
Muff Potter
1976
Film
Utah Wagon Train
'Snooper' Trent
1951
Film
Davy Crockett's Keelboat Race
George Russel
1955
Film
Yellow Jack
Jellybeans
1938
Film
The Tiny Tree
Squire Badger (Narrator) (voice)
1975
Film
Sing Your Worries Away
Tommy Jones
1942