Jim Varney
Birthday: Born in 1949-06-15 in Lexington, Kentucky, USA
Deathday: 2000-02-10
James Albert "Jim" Varney Jr. (June 15, 1949 – February 10, 2000) was an American actor, voice artist, and comedian, best known for his role as Ernest P. Worrell, who was used in numerous television commercial campaigns and movies in the following years, giving Varney fame nationally in the United States.
TV Credits
Alice
Character:
Alice is an American sitcom television series that ran from August 31, 1976 to March 19, 1985 on CBS. The series is based on the 1974 film Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore. The show stars Linda Lavin in the title role, a widow who moves with her young son to start her life over again, and finds a job working at a roadside diner on the outskirts of Phoenix, Arizona. Most of the episodes revolve around events at Mel's Diner....
Duckman
Character:
Together with Cornfed, his portly, porcine partner in crime solving, this defective detective amazingly manages to solve crimes and be a single parent to his hilariously dysfunctional sons at the same time....
The Simpsons
Character: Cooder (voice)
Set in Springfield, the average American town, the show focuses on the antics and everyday adventures of the Simpson family; Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie, as well as a virtual cast of thousands. Since the beginning, the series has been a pop culture icon, attracting hundreds of celebrities to guest star. The show has also made name for itself in its fearless satirical take on politics, media and American life in general....
America 2-Night
Character: Virgil Simms
America 2-Night is the continuation of the talk-show parody series Fernwood 2 Night. It ran from April to July 1978. As in Fernwood, Barth Gimble was the host and Jerry Hubbard was his co-host. Happy Kyne and the Mirth-Makers was the band....
Hey Vern, It's Ernest!
Character: Ernest
Hey Vern, It's Ernest! is a short lived American children's television program. It aired on Saturday mornings on CBS for one season in 1988. Each episode involved short sketches based around a certain theme or scenario, featuring the popular fictional character Ernest P. Worrell, his unseen friend Vern, and various others. The series was a production of Ernest creator John Cherry's production company, The Emshell Producers' Group, in association with CBS, and was distributed by DIC Entertainment...
The Rousters
Character: Evan Earp
The Rousters is a 1983 NBC television series about a group of modern-day bounty hunters who are descendants of legendary lawman Wyatt Earp. Despite advertising claims that this series would "sink The Love Boat" in the ratings, it ran for only one season of 13 episodes....
Roseanne
Character: Prince Carlos
A working-class family struggles to get by on a limited income in the fictional town of Lanford, Illinois....
Operation Petticoat
Character: Seaman Broom
During World War II, a Navy officer commands a pink sub with a crew of five rescued Army nurses and a combat-phobic supply officer in this series based on the 1959 movie starring Cary Grant and Tony Curtis. Curtis's daughter Jamie Lee played one of the nurses (her first recurring role on network TV). First aired in 1977...
Movie Credits
Toy Story
Character: Slinky Dog (voice)
Led by Woody, Andy's toys live happily in his room until Andy's birthday brings Buzz Lightyear onto the scene. Afraid of losing his place in Andy's heart, Woody plots against Buzz. But when circumstances separate Buzz and Woody from their owner, the duo eventually learns to put aside their differences....
Atlantis: The Lost Empire
Character: Jebidiah Allardyce 'Cookie' Farnsworth (voice)
The world's most highly qualified crew of archaeologists and explorers is led by historian Milo Thatch as they board the incredible 1,000-foot submarine Ulysses and head deep into the mysteries of the sea. The underwater expedition takes an unexpected turn when the team's mission must switch from exploring Atlantis to protecting it....
The Beverly Hillbillies
Character: Jed Clampett
Jed Clampett and kin move from Arkansas to Beverly Hills when he becomes a billionaire, after an oil strike. The country folk are very naive with regard to life in the big city, so when Jed starts a search for a new wife there are inevitably plenty of takers and con artists ready to make a fast buck...
3 Ninjas: High Noon at Mega Mountain
Character: Lothar Zogg
Three young boys, Rocky, Colt and Tum Tum together with their neighbor girl, computer whiz Amanda are visiting Mega Mountain amusement park when it is invaded by an army of ninjas led by evil Medusa, who wants to take over the park and hold the owners for ransom. Kids and retired TV star Dave Dragon, who made his farewell appearance at the park at the time the ninjas appeared, have to break Medusa's vicious plans....
Ernest Saves Christmas
Character: Ernest P. Worrell
When Santa Claus decides to retire and pass on his magic bag of Christmas surprises to a new Saint Nick, he enlists the aid of a hilarious assortment of characters. A perky teen runaway and hapless taxi driver Ernest P. Worrell must convince a skeptical kiddie-show host to take over the post of Father Christmas....
Daddy and Them
Character: Hazel Montgomery
Ruby and her husband Claude are a working-class couple who live in suburban Arkansas. As crazy as they are for each other, their relationship is far from harmonious. (The lack of money doesn't help matters, either.) In fact, their whole family is fraught with unresolved conflicts. Then Claude's uncle is arrested on a felony charge, and everyone rallies round. Ruby's mother Jewel and flirtatious sister Rose (Claude's ex-girlfriend) even fly in from Tennessee; but, far from being a source of suppo...
Ernest Scared Stupid
Character: Ernest
Well-intentioned, eternally bumbling Ernest P. Worrell accidentally releases an evil demon from its sacred tomb. As the demon flexes its power and goes on a ruinous rampage, good-guy Ernest tries to step in to save the town from mass destruction. Trouble is, a 200-year-old curse has scared Ernest stupid, and that means hilarity all around! So, kick back and let the laugh-ridden adventures begin....
Ernest Rides Again
Character: Ernest P. Worrell
Buffoonish Ernest and his dimwitted pal Abner unearth a huge cannon reputed to contain the crown jewels of England....
Ernest Goes to Africa
Character: Ernest P. Worrell
The title says it all. There's a mix up involving stolen diamonds which Ernest has (naturally) made into a yo-yo and given to his would be girlfriend, Rene. But Rene wants a man of action, and doesn't think that Ernest fits the bill. After the bad guys come looking for the stolen diamonds and kidnap Rene, all of her fantasies come true as Ernest has to go to Africa to rescue her....
Snowboard Academy
Character: Rudy James
A wacky free-for-all comedy about the riotous rivalry between snobby skiers and knuckle-dragging snowboarders....
Time-Life: Country Legends Live, Vol. 3
Character: Self
Music City News was founded in 1963, by country music singer Faron Young. In 1967, the publication began to confer annual awards; in 1978, it began televising them, with the inclusion of artist performances. These awards were not decided by a secretive committee or by an "association," but by fan nominations. Each installment of the Country Legends Live series highlights performances from particular annual awards shows. Country Legends Live, Vol. 3 offers a "best of" the 1984, 1985 and 1986 Musi...
Ernest in the Army
Character: Ernest P. Worrell
Ernest P. Worrell is now in the military as a soldier. Once he begins, him and his team investigates a dictator who was responsible for the wars in the nearly village. Suddenly, Ernest finds a lost boy and has to keep him safe until his father recovers....
Slam Dunk Ernest
Character: Ernest P. Worrell
Ernest P. Worrell becomes a basketball star after an angel bearing an uncanny resemblance to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar gives him a pair of magic sneakers....
Ernest Goes to Camp
Character: Ernest P. Worrell
Ernest, a lovable loser who works as a summer camp handyman and dreams of becoming a guidance counselor, must find a way to inspire a group of juvenile delinquents while stopping a shady strip mining company from closing the camp as well....
Ernest Goes to Jail
Character: Ernest P. Worrell
Bumbling bank janitor Ernest P. Worrell is assigned to jury duty, and soon finds himself in trouble when he is covertly switched with a look-a-like crime boss. Ernest must escape from jail to expose the mix-up....
Dr. Otto and the Riddle of the Gloom Beam
Character: Dr. Otto VonSchnick / Rudd Hardtact / Laughin' Jack / Guy Dandy / Auntie Nelda / Ernest P. Worrell
Evil baddie Dr. Otto Von-Schnick-ick-ick tries to take over the planet by first destroying all of our financial systems, collapsing the world's economy and sending populations across the globe into mass panic! Only one goody-goody can stop him.. or can he? The oblivious Lance Sterling is on the case! With the aid of his underappreciated assistant Doris, will Lance manage to save the day and defeat Doctor Otto before the mad scientist's megalomaniacal plan is fulfilled? Or will the villain succee...
Wilder Napalm
Character: Rex
Wilder and Wallace are brothers and pyrokinetics. Ever since childhood they've been able to start fires with their minds but following a tragedy in which they accidentally killed a man, the brothers have grown up very differently. Wilder has become a regular 9-5 workaday joe but Wallace performs his feats with a traveling circus. When the circus comes to Wilder's home town Wallace starts coming on strong to Wilder's wife, Vida who, ironically, is a slight pyromaniac....
Spittin' Image
Character:
A twin falls off a wagon and meets a mountain man who teaches her to spit tobacco for a living....
The Importance of Being Ernest
Character: Self (archive footage)
Through nine feature films, an Emmy-award-winning TV show, and thousands of television commercials, Ernest P. Worrell became a beloved comedy icon. Originally created as an advertising character, Ernest transcended these humble beginnings to become an unexpected hit—given life through the creativity of an indispensable team of artists, as well as through the unparalleled talent of actor Jim Varney. Today, two decades after Varney’s death, both Ernest and Jim seem to endure largely as pop cultur...
Blood, Friends and Money
Character: The Old Mariner
Friends reunite in a cabin in the woods. What could go wrong?...
Treehouse Hostage
Character: Carl Banks
Timmy Taylor and his two friends, Stevie and Buddy capture escaped convict Carl Banks (Jim Varney) and hold him hostage in their treehouse over the weekend so that Timmy can use Carl as his current event project at school on Monday. The boys then find that Carl is mixed up in a counterfeiting ring that could spell trouble for them too....
Ernest Goes to Splash Mountain
Character: Ernest P. Worrell
An exciting mock documentary produced for the opening of the Splash Mountain attraction at Disneyland. Ernest Goes To Splash Mountain chronicles the adventures of Ernest P. Worrell who trains as America's first "Splashtranaut" destined to become the very first person to conquer the mountain. Ralph Story, veteran news anchor and his team are determined to cover the momentous event by every angle possible....
Annabelle's Wish
Character: Mr. Gus Holder (voice)
Annabelle - a calf who has a special wish for Christmas - wants to be a reindeer and help Santa Claus drive his sleigh as he delivers his presents! Annabelle's friends tell her not to get her hopes up, but to everyone's surprise, Santa does indeed meet up with Annabelle, and the calf gets to help Santa make the holiday special for one young boy....
Ernest Goes to School
Character: Ernest P. Worrell
Jim Varney's recurring dim-bulb character Ernest P. Worrell returns in this film as a school janitor seeking to obtain a high school diploma....
Your World as I See It
Character: Ernest P. Worrell
As seen through the eyes of Ernest's over-educated alter-ego, Astor Clement will attempt to unlock the sociological mysteries of our times. Astor will describe a unique event or ritual that lies at the very heart of the common man's existence. Then Ernest, with the help of his family members, also played by Jim Varney, will bring that ritual to life with non-stop, slap-stick comedy action....
XXX's & OOO's
Character: Self
Four ex-wives become friends bonding through their shared experiences as ex-wives of country music singers....
Ernest's Greatest Hits Volume 2
Character: Ernest P. Worrell
Hey Vern! Your ol' buddy Ernest is back in a new video that features Commercials, Bloopers, Behind-the-Scenes looks, and special surprises! Ernest sells things like ice cream, soft drinks, dairy products, even beer! He also has public service announcements on drunk driving and more. It also shows how Ernest commercials are made, and with the bloopers, how they're attempted to be made. It also features many of Ernest's long lived routines: the window slamming on his hands, falling off a ladder, t...
Hey Vern, It's My Family Album
Character: Ernest P. Worrell
Ernest finds his old family album in the attic and discusses his family members from the album to his neighbor, Vern....
Fast Food
Character: Wrangler Bob
Auggie and his pals are living it up as perpetual college students. When the dean decides teh only way to stop their schemes and antics is to graduate them, they have to go out and find real work. Auggie hears that Samantha is planning on selling her father's garage to fast food king Wrangler Bob, and comes up with one final scheme; a risky bank loan to turn the garage into stiff competition for Bob. When it looks like Bob will win after all, they develop a very special sauce that keeps the crow...
Ernest's Greatest Hits Volume 1
Character: Ernest P. Worrell
Before he went to camp, before he went to jail, before he saved Christmas, before he was scared stupid, before he went to Africa and before he was in the army, Ernest P. Worrell hosted a variety of commercials and public service announcements featured here....
Existo
Character: Marcel Horowitz
In this dystopian-musical-comedy, corporations and self-appointed guardians of "decency" and "morality" have society in a fascist choke-hold. It's up to a rag-tag group of actors, artists, and musicians to save the world the only way they know how - through the power of - wait for it - Performance Art! Led by the legendary Existo, his faithful sidekick Maxine, provocateur Marcel, and Vigo, this troupe of subversive insurgents have the Religio-Capitalist Complex in their cross-hairs. But the powe...
The Expert
Character: Snake
It was a brutal murder that sent deranged psychopath Martin Kagan to prison. It was a naive deputy warden that granted him a stay of execution. Now, the police department's tactical defence instructor, John Lomax, wants revenge for his beloved sister's death....
Walt Disney World Celebrity Circus
Character: Self
The Walt Disney World Celebrity Circus originally aired November 27, 1987. Join Mickey Mouse, Malcolm Jamal Warner, Lisa Bonet, Tony Randall, Kim Fields, Tim Conway, and Jim “Earnest” Varney along with 500 Clowns, lions and elephants for this once in a lifetime event. EPCOT Centers World Showcase plays host for the breathtaking performances....
The Story Behind 'Toy Story'
Character: Self
The documentary short of Toy Story of why and how the feature length blockbuster sleeper movie became a success and helps to boost Pixar's popularity of making one of the few animation movie production companies in the world today, especially in North America....
Toy Story 2
Character: Slinky Dog (voice)
Andy heads off to Cowboy Camp, leaving his toys to their own devices. Things shift into high gear when an obsessive toy collector named Al McWhiggen, owner of Al's Toy Barn kidnaps Woody. Andy's toys mount a daring rescue mission, Buzz Lightyear meets his match and Woody has to decide where he and his heart truly belong....
The Ernest Film Festival
Character: Ernest P. Worrell
Before he went to camp, before he went to jail, before he saved Christmas, before he was scared stupid, before he went to Africa and before he was in the army, Ernest P. Worrell hosted a variety of commercials, and a lot of them are here on this video. He even makes public service announcements. It also features many of his bloopers....
100 Proof
Character: Rae's Father
About the Lexington killing spree by LaFonda Fay Foster and Tina Hickey Powell, 100 Proof is a disturbingly authentic drama that portrays what kind of environment and events might lead up to such horrifying, seemingly random violence. Barely able to support their drug and alcohol habits, two women in a small, impoverished southern town turn to hustling and prostitution to get by. When the more forceful of the pair runs into her alcoholic and sexually abusive father....
Mr. Thornton Goes to Hollywood
Character: Self (archive footage)
A 14-part documentary that explores the life and career of Billy Bob Thornton, chronicling his journey that led him to work on Sling Blade. The piece features plenty of interview snippets with cast, crew, friends, and family; clips from other Thornton films; the origins of the Karl Childers character; how Sling Blade shaped his career; and more....
The Original Viral Star
Character: Himself / Ernest P. Worrel (archive footage)
Jim Varney - most commonly known for portraying Ernest P. Worrell in a series of films, commercials and shorts, was the world's first viral star. His versatile characters and talent for mimicry made each of his performances memorable. This documentary short explores his amazing climb to success, going from a down on his luck stand-up comedian to a national sensation and pop-culture icon....
Disneyland's 35th Anniversary Special
Character: Ernest
Celebration of Disneyland's 35th Anniversary...
Hey Vern, Win $10,000...Or Just Count On Having Fun!
Character: Ernest P. Worrell
A compilation of Ernest commercials, the VHS included a sweepstakes in which viewers who correctly counted the total mentions of the words "Vern" and "Knowhutimean?" in the video and submitted their answer before April 1, 1988 would be entered into a random drawing to win a $10,000 prize....
Toy Story at 20: To Infinity and Beyond
Character: Self (archive footage)
Retrospective looking at the revolutionary computer-animated feature film Toy Story....