Buddy Ebsen | |
|---|---|
 Ebsen (left) asBarnaby Jones, withLee Meriwether (1973) | |
| Born | Christian Ludolf Ebsen Jr.[1] (1908-04-02)April 2, 1908 Belleville, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | July 6, 2003(2003-07-06) (aged 95) Torrance, California, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Rollins College,University of Florida |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1928–1999 |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 7, includingKiki |
| Relatives | Vilma Ebsen (sister) |
Buddy Ebsen (bornChristian Ludolf Ebsen Jr.;[1] April 2, 1908 – July 6, 2003), also known asFrank "Buddy"Ebsen,[2] was an American actor and dancer. One of his most famous roles was asJed Clampett in theCBS televisionsitcomThe Beverly Hillbillies (1962–1971); afterwards he starred as thetitle character in the television detective dramaBarnaby Jones (1973–1980).[3]
Originally a dancer, Ebsen began his film career inBroadway Melody of 1936. He also appeared as a dancer with child starShirley Temple inCaptain January (1936). He was cast to appear inThe Wizard of Oz (1939), originally as the Scarecrow, but before filming began, his role was changed to the Tin Man. He fell seriously ill during filming due to the aluminum dust in his makeup and was forced to drop out. He appeared withMaureen O'Hara inThey Met in Argentina (1941) andJune Havoc inSing Your Worries Away (1942). InBreakfast at Tiffany's (1961), he portrayed Doc Golightly, the much older husband ofAudrey Hepburn's character. Before his starring role inThe Beverly Hillbillies, Ebsen had a successful television career, the highlight of which was his role as Davy Crockett's sidekick, George Russell, inWalt Disney'sDavy Crockett miniseries (1953–54).
A middle child with four sisters, Buddy Ebsen was born as Christian Ludolf Ebsen Jr., on April 2, 1908, inBelleville, Illinois.[4][3] His father, Christian Ludolf Ebsen Sr., was born inNiebüll, Germany in 1872 and moved to the United States in 1888.[5][6] Ebsen Sr. worked as a choreographer and was a physical fitness advocate: he owned a dance studio and subsequently operated aswimming pool for the local school district.[7] His mother, Frances (née Wendt),[8] was a Baltic German (specifically, Latvian) painter.[citation needed]
Ebsen was raised in Belleville until the age of ten when his family moved toPalm Beach County, Florida. In 1920, Ebsen and his family relocated toOrlando, Florida. Ebsen and his sisters learned to dance at a dance studio his father operated in Orlando.[citation needed]
During his high school years, Ebsen became a member of John M. Cheney Chapter,Order of DeMolay. His involvement as a teenager led to his being recognized by DeMolay in adult life with the award of the Legion of Honor Degree, and later by induction into the DeMolay Alumni Hall of Fame.[citation needed]
Ebsen graduated fromOrlando High School in 1926.[9] Initially interested in a medical career, Ebsen attended theUniversity of Florida inGainesville, Florida, from 1926 to 1927, and thenRollins College inWinter Park, Florida, from 1927 to 1928. Family financial problems caused by the collapse of theFlorida land boom forced Ebsen to leave college at age 20.[10]
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Ebsen left Orlando in the summer of 1928 to try his luck as a dancer inNew York City, arriving with only $26.75 in his pocket, and worked at asoda fountain shop. He and his sisterVilma Ebsen performed as a dance act insupper clubs and invaudeville — they were known as "The Baby Astaires". OnBroadway, the Ebsens appeared in themusicalsWhoopee,Flying Colors, andZiegfeld Follies of 1934. A rave review from New York columnistWalter Winchell, who saw them perform inAtlantic City, New Jersey, led to a booking at thePalace Theatre in New York City, the pinnacle of the vaudeville world.
Ebsen went on to appear in numerous films, both musicals and nonmusicals, including the 1936Born to Dance, the 1936Captain January (in which he danced withShirley Temple), the 1937Broadway Melody of 1938 (withJudy Garland as his dance partner), and the 1938The Girl of the Golden West. Ebsen partnered with actressesEleanor Powell andFrances Langford, among others, and also danced solo.
Ebsen was noted for his unusual, surreal dancing and singing style (for example, his contribution to the "Swingin' the Jinx Away" finale ofBorn to Dance). His abilities might have been a reason filmmakerWalt Disney chose Ebsen to be filmed dancing in front of a grid as an aid to animatingMickey Mouse's dancing in Disney's 1929 to 1939Silly Symphonies animated short films.
Ebsen turned downLouis B. Mayer's offer of an exclusive MGM contract, and Mayer warned him that he would never work in Hollywood again. Nonetheless, MGM cast him as the Scarecrow in its 1939 filmThe Wizard of Oz. Ebsen then swapped roles with actorRay Bolger, who was originally cast as the Tin Man. Bolger wanted to play the Scarecrow, and Ebsen did not object to the change. Ebsen had recorded all of his songs as the Tin Man, attended all the rehearsals, and had begun filming. However, he soon began experiencing body aches, muscle cramps, and shortness of breath, eventually leading to a lengthy hospitalization. Doctors determined that the aluminum dust used in the Tin Man makeup was coating his lungs and keeping his blood from being oxygenated,[11] and he was forced to leave the production.[12][13] Ebsen recalled in an interview included on the 2005 DVD release ofThe Wizard of Oz that the MGM studio heads did not believe that he was ill until he was ordered back to the set and was intercepted by an angry nurse.
Ebsen was replaced byJack Haley, with the makeup quickly changed to a safer aluminum paste. MGM did not publicize the true reason for Ebsen's departure; even Haley was not told until much later. Haley re-recorded most of Ebsen's vocals, although Ebsen's Midwestern accent can still be heard on the soundtrack during several reprises of "We're Off to See the Wizard", with the enunciated "r" in the word "wizard", as opposed to Haley'sBoston accent. Ebsen's recording of the Tin Man's solo "If I Only Had a Heart" is included on the deluxe edition of the film's soundtrack, while a still photo recreation of the sequence featuring shots of Ebsen as the Tin Man was included as an extra with all VHS and DVD releases of the film since 1989. For the rest of his life, Ebsen complained of breathing problems from his involvement in "that damned movie". Nonetheless, he outlived all the major cast members in the film, with only someMunchkin actors, extras such asShep Houghton and stand-ins such asCaren Marsh Doll outliving him.[14]
After recovering from the illness, Ebsen became embroiled in a contract dispute with MGM that left him idle for long periods. He took up sailing and became so proficient in seamanship that he taught the subject to naval officer candidates. He applied several times for a commission in the Navy in 1941, but was repeatedly turned down. TheUnited States Coast Guard accepted his application for a commission, and he was promptly given the rank of lieutenant, junior grade. This wartime rank was one step up from the rank of ensign, the usual rank given newly appointed naval officers in peacetime. Ebsen served as damage control officer and later as executive officer on the Coast Guard-crewed Navy frigateUSS Pocatello, which recorded weather at its "weather station" 1,500 miles west ofSeattle. These patrols consisted of 30 days at sea, followed by 10 days in port at Seattle. Ebsen was honorably discharged from the Coast Guard as a lieutenant in 1946.[15]
Ebsen made his television debut on an episode ofThe Chevrolet Tele-Theatre in 1949. This led to television appearances in:Stars Over Hollywood,Gruen Guild Playhouse, four episodes ofBroadway Television Theatre,Schlitz Playhouse of Stars,Corky and White Shadow, theH.J. Heinz Company'sStudio 57,Screen Directors Playhouse, two episodes ofClimax!,Tales of Wells Fargo,Playhouse 90,Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse,Johnny Ringo, two episodes ofBonanza, three episodes ofMaverick (in which he portrayed assorted homicidal villains), and77 Sunset Strip. Ebsen received wide television exposure when he played Georgie Russel, a role based on a historical person[16][17] and companion tofrontiersmanDavy Crockett, in theDisneyland television miniseriesDavy Crockett (1954–1955).
In the 1958–1959 season, Ebsen co-starred in the 26-episode half-hourNBC television adventure seriesNorthwest Passage. This series, the first half-hour Western filmed and broadcast in color on NBC, was a fictionalized account ofMajor Robert Rogers, a colonial American fighter for the British in theFrench and Indian War. Ebsen played the role of Sergeant Hunk Marriner;Keith Larsen played Rogers. From 1960 to 1962, Ebsen appeared in episodes of the television seriesRawhide andTales of Wells Fargo. Ebsen also portrayed a corrupt, bloodthirsty marshal in "El Paso Stage", an episode ofHave Gun, Will Travel broadcast in April 1961.
Between October 1961 and March 1962, Ebsen had a recurring role as Virge Blessing in theABC drama seriesBus 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 earlierfilm version on which the series was loosely based. Ebsen also appeared as "Mr. Dave" Browne, a homelesshobo, onThe Andy Griffith Show oppositeRon Howard, and as Jimbo Cobb inThe Twilight Zoneepisode "The Prime Mover" (season 2, episode 21) in 1961. Throughout the show's run, he played several characters onGunsmoke including as the episode title character in Season 17, Episode 11 (Drago). A notable exception to Ebsen's continual work in Westerns and rural television shows was an acclaimed role as Doc Golightly, an older, rural veterinarian deserted by his young wife (played byAudrey Hepburn) in 1961'sBreakfast at Tiffany's.
Paul Henning recalls his reason for choosing Ebsen to playJed Clampett: "I had seen him on TV and I couldn't imagine anyone else doing the role," he says. "I was fortunate to have him, because he became the cornerstone of the show."
Ebsen became famous asJed Clampett, an easygoing backwoods mountaineer who strikes oil and moves with his family toBeverly Hills, California, in the long-running,fish-out-of-water CBS sitcomThe Beverly Hillbillies.
Although scorned by critics,The Beverly Hillbillies attracted as many as 60 million viewers between 1962 and 1971 and was several times the highest-rated series on television. The show also spawned similar Paul Henning-produced rural sitcoms such asGreen Acres andPetticoat Junction, which were eventually linked in crossover episode arcs.The Beverly Hillbillies was still earning good ratings when it was canceled by CBS (because programmersbegan shunning shows that attracted a rural audience). One episode, "The Giant Jack Rabbit", broadcast January 8, 1964 (season 2, episode 16) was the highest-rated half-hour on television to that time and remains[when?] the most-watched half-hour sitcom episode.[19]
Not all was harmonious among cast members onThe Beverly Hillbillies set, especially between the politically conservative Ebsen and the more liberalNancy Kulp. Donna Douglas (Elly May) said, "They had a different view, so they had some heated discussions about that. They would go at it for weeks." In 1984, Kulp unsuccessfully ran for theU.S. House of Representatives as a Democrat fromPennsylvania. To her dismay, Ebsen supported her Republican opponent, incumbent RepresentativeBud Shuster, going so far as to tape an ad for Shuster that labeled Kulp as "too liberal". Ebsen claimed she was exploiting her celebrity status and did not know the issues.[20][21]
Ebsen returned to television in 1973 as the title character ofBarnaby Jones, which proved to be his second long-running television series. Barnaby Jones was a milk-drinking detective who came out of retirement to investigate the death of his son. The program lasted eight seasons and 178 episodes.[22]Lee Meriwether, 1955Miss America, played Barnaby's widowed daughter-in-law, Betty Jones. Ebsen appeared briefly as Barnaby Jones on two other productions: a 1975 episode ofCannon and the 1993 filmThe Beverly Hillbillies.
Meriwether said of her on and off screen chemistry with Ebsen, "He really worked at being at the top of his game." "You had to keep up with him. I adored him. I think he had feelings for me, too."[23] She also said of the man, "I loved that man! I was so lucky. He was a dream." "He loved the idea of being a detective. We had CSI-type equipment in the office on the set and he liked doing his own tests. It was a show the whole family could watch."[24]
Ebsen's last regular television series wasMatt Houston on ABC, starringLee Horsley. Ebsen played Matt's uncle, Roy Houston, during the show's third season from 1984 to 1985. He also appeared in "The Waiting Room", aNight Gallerysegment that originally aired January 26, 1972.[25]
Ebsen narrated the documentary seriesDisney Family Album during the 1980s on theDisney Channel andSteven Kellogg's "Paul Bunyan" on thePBS seriesReading Rainbow in 1985. He made his final guest-starring appearance in 1994 on an episode of the short-lived television series revivalBurke's Law.
Although generally retired from acting as he entered his 80s, Ebsen filmed a cameo in the1993 film version ofThe Beverly Hillbillies as Barnaby Jones. This was Ebsen's final motion picture role. In 1999, Ebsen provided the voice of Chet Elderson for an episode of the Fox Entertainment programKing of the Hill. This was his last TV appearance.[26]
Ebsen has a star on theHollywood Walk of Fame at 1765 Vine Street, and a star on theSt. Louis Walk of Fame.[27]
In 1993, Ebsen was inducted as aDisney Legends award winner.[28]
In 1936, Ebsen married Ruth Cambridge. They had two daughters. The marriage ended in divorce.[29][4]
In 1945, Ebsen married fellow lieutenant Nancy Wolcott. They had four daughters, includingKiki Ebsen, and a son. This marriage, after 39 years, also ended in divorce in 1985.[29][4] Ebsen's daughters Kiki, Kathy, and Bonnie are all accomplished horsewomen.[30]
In 1985, Ebsen married his third wife, Dorothy "Dotti" Knott, 40 years his junior. They had no children.[29][4][31]
Throughout his life, Ebsen had many interests. He became a folk artist and an avidcoin collector, co-founding theBeverly Hills Coin Club in 1987 with actor Chris Aable. Ebsen's collection included many rarities such as afour-dollar gold piece worth $200,000. The coin collection was sold in several auctions both before and after his death. As Ebsen entered his nineties, he continued to keep active, and two years before his death, his bestselling novelKelly's Quest was published.[29][31] Ebsen wrote several other books includingPolynesian Concept (about sailing),The Other Side of Oz (an autobiography) andSizzling Cold Case (a mystery based on his Barnaby Jones character).[32]
Ebsen supportedBarry Goldwater in the1964 United States presidential election.[33]
Ebsen died ofrespiratory failure atTorrance Memorial Medical Center inTorrance, California, on July 6, 2003, at the age of 95.[29][4][3][31]
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