10 Things You Didn’t Know About KY Native Jim Varney
One of my favorite actors of all time is Jim Varney. I have such fond memories of watching his Ernest movies as a kid and all the while, I had no idea he was a Kentuckian. It wasn't until he passed away in 2000 that I learned he was born in Lexington in 1949.
In the early 90s, when I was really young probably in first grade, my mom and I were eating in Nashville at a restaurant called Cooker. We had just sat down and I look over and there he was in all his glory, Ernest P. Worrell. I was TOTALLY starstruck.
Ever since then, I've loved learning about him and now showing his movies to my son, Rollins. Here are some fun facts about Jim Varney that I bet you didn't know.
1. Ernest P. Worrell was originally a character created for commercials. Most of the commercials were filmed right in his own kitchen with a handheld camera. His first appearance was in 1980 in an advertisement for Bowling Green's Beech Bend Amusement Park. After that, he filmed commercials for anything from soft drinks, to car dealerships, to milk, to pizza. One of them was for a car dealership in Henderson, KY Ernest sat in a Dodge Viper that was mounted to the top of the sign pole. I'm not sure what it was called at the time, but it's now, Audubon Chrysler Center.
2. Jim Varney began acting in local theatre when he was only 8 years old. He was very good at memorizing long monologues and dialogue in plays. His first professional acting gig was the role of Puck in William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. He was a big fan of Shakespeare, and as an adult Jim visited Stratford upon Avon, Shakespeare's childhood home.
3. While performing stand-up comedy at Los Angeles' Comedy Store, Jim became close friends with Robin Williams. He was also friends with Waylon Jennings and William Shatner.
4. His stand-up career landed him spots on The Merv Griffin Show and The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.
5. You'll see him make a few appearances in the music video for Hank Williams Jr.'s "All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight." He takes a little ride on a bull and a dip in the pool.
6. Even though Jim's most famous persona, Ernest, wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, Jim supposedly had a near genius I.Q.
7. In the movie, Ernest Goes to Camp, there is a scene where Jim sings "Gee, I'm Glad It's Raining" with his beautiful baritone voice. He nailed it in one take. I have to be honest, the last time I watched it (as an adult) it made me cry!
8. He was sometimes frustrated that he was mostly known for his Ernest character. He appeared in and voiced other roles including the tv show Roseanne, The Simpsons, Disney's Hercules, Toy Story 1 & 2, and starred as Jed Clampett in The Beverly Hillbillies movie, among many others. The TV show version of the Clampetts was one of Jim's favorites growing up.
9. Jim and his longtime supporter, friend, writer and director, Jim Cherry made a total of nine Ernest films, Ernest Goes to Camp (1987) Ernest Saves Christmas (1988), Ernest Goes to Jail (1990), Ernest Scared Stupid (1991), Ernest Rides Again (1993), Ernest Goes to School (1994), Slam Dunk Ernest (1995), Ernest Goes to Africa (1997) and Ernest in the Army (1998).
There is a rumor that they were reportedly working on a 10th, Ernest the Pirate, but it was actually a non-Ernest movie called Pirates of the Plain. He sadly became ill before being able to film. You can read more about it here:
10. Every year there is a celebration in August to commemorate the first Ernest film, Ernest Goes to Camp. Folks gather at Montgomery Bell State Park in Tennessee where Camp Kikakee was brought to life. Touring the cabins, turtle catapulting, wildlife workshops, an Ernest look-a-like contest, viewing of the movie and more.
A team of folks is working on producing a documentary about Jim's life. Director, David Pagano, Researcher and Jim's nephew Justin Lloyd who wrote the biography "The Importance of Being Ernest, and others are dedicated to preserving and sharing the memory of one of the most iconic comedic actors of all time. He was such an interesting man, I could have doubled this list of cool facts. So, be sure to follow them on Facebook for more awesome Ernest stories.
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