Buddy Ebsen
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- April 2, 1908
- Died
- July 6, 2003 (aged 95)
- Birthplace
- Belleville, Illinois, USA
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.
Known For
Photos
Filmography
Pioneers of Primetime
Movie
Judy Garland: By Myself
Movie · as Self - Actor (voice)
Television: The First Fifty Years
Movie · as Jed Clampett (archive footage)
King of the Hill
TV · as Chet Elderson (voice) · 1 ep
That's Entertainment! III
Movie · as (archive footage) (uncredited)
Burke's Law
TV · as Louie Pike · 1 ep
The Legend of the Beverly Hillbillies
Movie
Audrey Hepburn: Remembered
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
The Beverly Hillbillies
Movie · as Barnaby Jones
Working Tra$h
Movie · as Vandevere Lodge
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: 50 Years of Magic
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Stone Fox
Movie · as Grandpa
James Stewart: A Wonderful Life
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
CBS Summer Playhouse
TV · as Buddy Tucker · 1 ep
That's Dancing!
Movie · as From 'Born to Dance' (archive footage)
Finder of Lost Loves
TV · as Walter Lewis · 1 ep
Disney Family Album
TV · as Narrator · 20 eps
Hardcastle and McCormick
TV · 1 ep
Reading Rainbow
TV · as Self - Narrator (voice) · 1 ep
The Yellow Rose
TV · as Toat Gilmore · 2 eps
Matt Houston
TV · as Roy Houston · 22 eps
The Return of the Beverly Hillbillies
Movie · as Jed Clampett
Fire on the Mountain
Movie · as John Vogelin
Kraft Salutes Disneyland's 25th Anniversary
Movie · as Self
The Paradise Connection
Movie · as Stuart Douglas
Leave Yesterday Behind
Movie · as Doc
NBC Salutes the 25th Anniversary of the Wonderful World of Disney
Movie · as Self
The Critical List
TV · as Charles Sprague · 2 eps
The Bastard
TV · as Benjamin Edes · 2 eps
Smash-Up on Interstate 5
Movie · as Al Pearson
Tom Sawyer
Movie · as Muff Potter
The Tiny Tree
Movie · as Squire Badger (Narrator) (voice)
That's Entertainment!
Movie · as (archive footage) (uncredited)
Tony Orlando and Dawn
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Dinah!
TV · as Self · 1 ep
The Horror at 37,000 Feet
Movie · as Glenn Farlee
The President's Plane Is Missing
Movie · as Vice President Kermit Madigan
Barnaby Jones
TV · as Barnaby Jones · 178 eps
The Daughters of Joshua Cabe
Movie · as Joshua Cabe
Alias Smith and Jones
TV · 2 eps
Cannon
TV · as Barnaby Jones · 1 ep
The Andersonville Trial
Movie · as Dr. John Bates
Night Gallery
TV · 1 ep
Hawaii Five-O
TV · as Professor Ambrose Pierce · 1 ep
The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band
Movie · as Calvin Bower
The Carol Burnett Show
TV · as Self · 1 ep
The Dean Martin Show
TV · 3 eps
Mail Order Bride
Movie · as Will Lane
Vacation Playhouse
TV · 1 ep
The Danny Kaye Show
TV · as Self · 3 eps
The Interns
Movie · as Dr. Sidney Wohl
The Beverly Hillbillies
TV · as Jed "JD" Clampett · 274 eps
Breakfast at Tiffany's
Movie · as Doc Golightly
Fury River
Movie · as Sergeant Hunk Marriner
Bus Stop
TV · as Virge Blessing · 1 ep
The Mike Douglas Show
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Gunslinger
TV · as Jed Spangler · 1 ep
Mission of Danger
Movie · as Hunk Marriner
The Andy Griffith Show
TV · as David Browne · 1 ep
The Barbara Stanwyck Show
TV · as Dr. Mark Carroll · 1 ep
Checkmate
TV · as Pete O'Mara · 1 ep
Frontier Rangers
Movie · as Sergeant Hunk Marriner
The Twilight Zone
TV · as Jimbo Cobb · 1 ep
Rawhide
TV · as George Stimson, Will Kinch · 1 ep
Adventures in Paradise
TV · as Ben Curtis · 1 ep
Black Saddle
TV · as Gurney Rhodes · 1 ep
Lock-Up
TV · 1 ep
Riverboat
TV · as Niles Cox · 1 ep
Johnny Ringo
TV · as Sample · 1 ep
Bonanza
TV · as Cactus Murphy, Sheriff Jesse Sanders · 1 ep
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
TV · 1 ep
Northwest Passage
TV · as Sergeant Hunk Marriner · 26 eps
Bronco
TV · as Sergeant Cass
77 Sunset Strip
TV · as Baxter Kellogg · 1 ep
Maverick
TV · as Nero Lyme, Sheriff Scratch Madden · 1 ep
Have Gun, Will Travel
TV · as Marshal Elmo Crane, Bram Holden · 1 ep
Attack
Movie · as Tolliver
Davy Crockett and the River Pirates
Movie · as George Russel
Between Heaven and Hell
Movie · as Pvt. Willie Crawford
Disneyland: U.S.A.
Movie · as Self - George Russel
The Steve Allen Show
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Corky and White Shadow
TV · as Sheriff Matthew Brady · 17 eps
Tony Awards
TV · as Self - Host, Self - Presenter, Self - Host / Presenter / Performer · 1 ep
Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier
Movie · as George Russel
Davy Crockett's Keelboat Race
Movie · as George Russel
Davy Crockett Goes to Congress
Movie · as George Russel
Davy Crockett at the Alamo
Movie · as George Russel
Gunsmoke
TV · as Hannibal, Quimby, Drago · 1 ep
Night People
Movie · as M/Sgt. Eddie McColloch
Davy Crockett, Indian Fighter
Movie · as George Russel
Red Garters
Movie · as Ginger Pete
Walt Disney Treasures - Davy Crockett
Movie · as George Russell (archive footage)
Climax!
TV · as Ben, Gaffney · 1 ep
Davy Crockett
TV · as George Russel · 5 eps
Studio 57
TV · 1 ep
The Wonderful World of Disney
TV · as George Russel · 5 eps
General Electric Theater
TV · as Pa Jericho · 1 ep
Omnibus
TV · 1 ep
Chevron Theatre
TV · 2 eps
Silver City Bonanza
Movie · as Gabe Horne
Thunder in God's Country
Movie · as Happy Hooper
Utah Wagon Train
Movie · as 'Snooper' Trent
Rodeo King and the Senorita
Movie · as Muscles Benton
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
TV · as Rainspout Jones · 1 ep
Under Mexicali Stars
Movie · as Homer Oglethorpe
The Bob Hope Show
TV · as Self · 1 ep
The Ed Wynn Show
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Sing Your Worries Away
Movie · as Tommy Jones
Parachute Battalion
Movie · as Jeff Hollis
They Met in Argentina
Movie · as Duke Ferrel
Four Girls in White
Movie · as Express, an Orderly
The Kid From Texas
Movie · as 'Snifty'
Hollywood Hobbies
Movie · as Self (uncredited)
The Wizard of Oz
Movie · as Tin Man (singing voice) (uncredited)
The Girl of the Golden West
Movie · as Alabama
Yellow Jack
Movie · as Jellybeans
My Lucky Star
Movie · as Buddy
Broadway Melody of 1938
Movie · as Peter Trot
Born to Dance
Movie · as 'Mush' Tracy
Captain January
Movie · as Paul Roberts
Banjo on My Knee
Movie · as Buddy
Broadway Melody of 1936
Movie · as Ted