Buddy Ebsen

July 8, 2003 3:03 AM

Buddy Ebsen aka Jed Clampett and Barnaby Jones, dies... I don't recall ever seeing The Beverly Hillbillies on Irish TV, but I clearly remember Barnaby Jones as a kid, which got shown in syndication here. I always thought he was too old to be a detective, but I always found the show strangely watchable. He had quite a career - a career in vaudeville, he danced with child star Shirley Temple, he was the singing voice of the Tin Man in the Wizard of Oz, he was the framework for Mickey Mouse in some of the early Mickey Mouse cartoons....truly, he was one of the last connections to the golden age of Hollywood. RIP Buddy.
posted by tomcosgrave (6 comments total)

Didn't this happen a couple of days ago? I'm a fan of the man myself, but I'm wondering why you decided to post this now.
posted by LittleMissCranky at 8:07 AM on July 8, 2003

I only found out today, and it wasn't posted here previously that I could see. Hence, the post.
posted by tomcosgrave at 8:17 AM on July 8, 2003

Too many people are going to remember him as Jed.

But he was so much cooler as Doc.
posted by grabbingsand at 8:35 AM on July 8, 2003

is it possible that yesterday morning's news of ebsen's death actually has actually gone unheard by any mefite over 24 hours later? oldnewssummaryobituaryfilter.
posted by quonsar at 8:54 AM on July 8, 2003

FWIW, a minor correction.

Buddy Ebsen wasn't the singing voice of the Tin Man in the Wizard of Oz. Jack Haley did his own singing.

Buddy Ebsen was originally cast as the Scarecrow. Ray Bolger, who was playing the Tin Man, talked Ebsen into swapping roles. Ebsen had a severe reaction to the the Tin Man's metallic make-up, and Haley took over the role.

As for Ebsen's passing: "Whee doggie.", as Jed Clampett would say.
posted by russh at 1:16 PM on July 8, 2003

Buddy Hacket, Buddy Ebsen...who will complete the dead Buddy trifecta?
posted by khisel at 7:57 PM on July 8, 2003