James Albert Varney Jr. (June 15, 1949 – February 10, 2000) was an American actor and comedian. He is best known for his broadly comedic role as Ernest P. Worrell, appearing in numerous television commercial advertising campaigns, films and television series, Hey, Vern, It’s Ernest! (1988), for which he won a Daytime Emmy Award. He played Jed Clampett in a film adaptation of The Beverly Hillbillies (1993), with Diedrich Bader, Dabney Coleman, Erika Eleniak, Cloris Leachman, Rob Schneider, Lea Thompson, and Lily Tomlin; and voiced Slinky Dog in Toy Story (1995) and Toy Story 2 (1999), collectively with the voices of Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Don Rickles, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger, Annie Potts, R. Lee Ermey, John Morris, Laurie Metcalf, Erik von Detten, Joan Cusack, Kelsey Grammer, Estelle Harris, Wayne Knight, and Jodi Benson.
Other notable films include Fast Food (1989), with Clark Brandon, Tracey Griffith, Traci Lords, Michael J. Pollard, Blake Clark, and Pamela Springsteen; Wilder Napalm (1993), with Dennis Quaid, Arliss Howard, Debra Winger, and M. Emmett Walsh; The Expert (1994), with Jeff Speakman and James Brolin; Snowboard Academy (1997), with Corey Haim, Brigitte Nielsen, and Joe Flaherty.
Varney died of lung cancer in 2000. His last 2 on screen credits were Daddy and Them (2001), with Billy Bob Thornton (who also directed), Laura Dern, Andy Griffith, Ben Affleck, Kelly Preston, Diane Ladd, Brenda Blethyn, Tuesday Knight, and Jamie Lee Curtis; and the Disney animated film, Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001), with the voices of Michael J. Fox, Cree Summer, James Garner, Leonard Nimoy, Don Novello, Phil Morris, Claudia Christian, Jacqueline Obradors, Florence Stanley, John Mahoney, David Ogden Stiers, and Corey Burton.
Each review will be linked to the title below.
(*seen originally in theaters)
(**seen rereleased in theaters)
- Spittin’ Image (1982) – directed by Rusty Kern
- The Rousters (1983) – directed by E.W. Swackhamer – TV movie
- Knowhutimean? Hey Vern, It’s My Family Album (1983) – directed by John Cherry anthology
- The Rousters (1983-1984) – TV series – 13 episodes – main cast
- Ernest’s Greatest Hits Volume 1 (1986) – directed by John Cherry – compilation of commercials
- Dr. Otto and the Riddle of the Gloom Beam (1986) – directed by John Cherry
- Ernest Goes the Camp (1987) – directed by John Cherry
- Hey Vern, Win $10,000…Or Just Count on Having Fun! (1987) – directed by John Cherry – contest short
- Ernest Saves Christmas (1988) – directed by John Cherry
- Hey, Vern, It’s Ernest! (1988) – directed by John Cherry – TV series – 13 episodes – main role
- Fast Food (1989) – directed by Michael A. Simpson
- Ernest Goes to Jail (1990) – directed by John Cherry
- Ernest Scared Stupid (1991) – directed John Cherry
- Ernest’s Greatest Hits Volume 2 (1992) – directed by John Cherry – compilation of commercials
- Wilder Napalm (1993) – directed by Glenn Gordon Caron
- The Beverly Hillbillies (1993) – directed by Penelope Spheeris
- Ernest Rides Again (1993) – directed by John Cherry
- Ernest Goes to School (1994) – directed by Coke Sams – straight to video
- The World as I See It (1994) – directed by John Cherry – compilation of shorts
- The Expert (1995) – directed by Rick Avery & William Lustig (uncredited)
- Slam Dunk Ernest (1995) – directed by John Cherry – straight to video
- Toy Story (1995)* – directed by John Lasseter
- Snowboard Academy (1997) – directed by John Shepphird
- Ernest Goes to Africa (1997) – directed by John Cherry – straight to video
- 100 Proof (1997) – directed by Jeremy Horton
- Blood, Friends and Money (1997) – Armanda Costanza
- Annabelle’s Wish (1997) – directed by Roy Wilson – straight to video
- Ernest in the Army (1998) – directed by John Cherry – straight to video
- 3 Ninjas: High Noon at Mega Mountain (1998) – directed by Sean McNamara – straight to video
- Existo (1999) – directed by Coke Sams
- Treehouse Hostage (1999) – directed by Sean McNamara – straight to video
- Toy Story 2 (1999)* – directed by John Lasseter
- Daddy and Them (2001) – directed by Billy Bob Thornton – posthumous release
- Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001) – directed by Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise – posthumous release
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