From Wikipedia the free encyclopedia 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 19621971 and the title character in the television detective drama Barnaby Jones 19731980 also on CBS3 The SAGAFTRA records also show him as Frank Buddy Ebsen A performer for seven decades he had starring roles as Jed Clampett in the longrunning 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 TeleTheatre 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 HJ Heinz Companys 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 19541955 In the 19581959 season Ebsen costarred in the 26episode halfhour 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 OConnell 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
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