Acting · Belleville, Illinois, USA · Born April 2, 1908
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 (1962–1971) and the title character in the television detective drama Barnaby Jones (1973–1980), also on CBS. The SAG-AFTRA records also show him as Frank "Buddy" Ebsen. A performer for seven decades, he had starring roles as Jed Clampett in the long-running 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 Tele-Theatre 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 H.J. Heinz Company's 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 (1954–1955). In the 1958–1959 season, Ebsen co-starred in the 26-episode half-hour 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 O'Connell 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.
MoviePioneers of Primetime
2005
MovieJudy Garland: By Myself
2004
as Self - Actor (voice)
Television: The First Fifty Years
1999
as Jed Clampett (archive footage)
TVKing of the Hill
1997
as Chet Elderson (voice)
MovieThat's Entertainment! III
1994
as (archive footage)
TVBurke's Law
1994
as Louie Pike
MovieThe Beverly Hillbillies
1993
as Barnaby Jones
MovieAudrey Hepburn: Remembered
1993
as Self (archive footage)
The Legend of the Beverly Hillbillies
1993
MovieWorking Tra$h
1990
as Vandevere Lodge
MovieThe Wonderful Wizard of Oz: 50 Years of Magic
1990
as Self (archive footage)
TVCBS Summer Playhouse
1987
as Buddy Tucker
MovieStone Fox
1987
as Grandpa
MovieJames Stewart: A Wonderful Life
1987
as Self (archive footage)
MovieThat's Dancing!
1985
as From 'Born to Dance' (archive footage)
TVFinder of Lost Loves
1984
as Walter Lewis
TVDisney Family Album
1984
as Narrator
TVThe Yellow Rose
1983
as Toat Gilmore
TVHardcastle and McCormick
1983
TVReading Rainbow
1983
as Self - Narrator (voice)
TVMatt Houston
1982
as Roy Houston
MovieFire on the Mountain
1981
as John Vogelin
MovieThe Return of the Beverly Hillbillies
1981
as Jed Clampett
MovieKraft Salutes Disneyland's 25th Anniversary
1980
as Self
MovieThe Paradise Connection
1979
as Stuart Douglas
MovieNBC Salutes the 25th Anniversary of the Wonderful World of Disney
1978
as Self
TVThe Critical List
1978
as Charles Sprague
TVThe Bastard
1978
as Benjamin Edes
MovieLeave Yesterday Behind
1978
as Doc
MovieTom Sawyer
1976
as Muff Potter
MovieSmash-Up on Interstate 5
1976
as Al Pearson
MovieThe Tiny Tree
1975
as Squire Badger (Narrator) (voice)
TVTony Orlando and Dawn
1974
as Self
TVDinah!
1974
as Self
MovieThat's Entertainment!
1974
as (archive footage) (uncredited)
MovieThe President's Plane Is Missing
1973
as Vice President Kermit Madigan
MovieThe Horror at 37,000 Feet
1973
as Glenn Farlee
TVBarnaby Jones
1973
as Barnaby Jones
MovieThe Daughters of Joshua Cabe
1972
as Joshua Cabe
TVCannon
1971
as Barnaby Jones
TVAlias Smith and Jones
1971
TVNight Gallery
1970
MovieThe Andersonville Trial
1970
as Dr. John Bates
TVHawaii Five-O
1968
as Professor Ambrose Pierce
MovieThe One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band
1968
as Calvin Bower
TVThe Carol Burnett Show
1967
as Self
TVThe Dean Martin Show
1965
MovieMail Order Bride
1964
as Will Lane
TVThe Danny Kaye Show
1963
as Self
Vacation Playhouse
1963
TVThe Beverly Hillbillies
1962
as Jed "JD" Clampett
MovieThe Interns
1962
as Dr. Sidney Wohl
TVThe Mike Douglas Show
1961
as Self
MovieBreakfast at Tiffany's
1961
as Doc Golightly
TVBus Stop
1961
MovieFury River
1961
as Sergeant Hunk Marriner
TVGunslinger
1961
as Jed Spangler
TVThe Andy Griffith Show
1960
as David Browne
TVThe Barbara Stanwyck Show
1960
as Dr. Mark Carroll
TVCheckmate
1960
as Pete O'Mara
MovieMission of Danger
1960
as Hunk Marriner
TVAdventures in Paradise
1959
as Ben Curtis
TVThe Twilight Zone
1959
as Jimbo Cobb
TVJohnny Ringo
1959
as Sample
TVLock-Up
1959
TVRiverboat
1959
as Niles Cox
TVBonanza
1959
as Cactus Murphy
TVBlack Saddle
1959
as Gurney Rhodes
TVRawhide
1959
as George Stimson
MovieFrontier Rangers
1959
as Sergeant Hunk Marriner
TV77 Sunset Strip
1958
as Baxter Kellogg
TVWestinghouse Desilu Playhouse
1958
TVBronco
1958
TVNorthwest Passage
1958
as Sergeant Hunk Marriner
TVMaverick
1957
TVHave Gun, Will Travel
1957
as Marshal Elmo Crane
MovieDisneyland: U.S.A.
1956
as Self - George Russel
MovieBetween Heaven and Hell
1956
as Pvt. Willie Crawford
MovieAttack
1956
as Tolliver
MovieDavy Crockett and the River Pirates
1956
as George Russel
TVThe Steve Allen Show
1956
as Self - Northwest Passage
TVTony Awards
1956
as Self - Host
TVCorky and White Shadow
1956
as Sheriff Matthew Brady
MovieDavy Crockett's Keelboat Race
1955
as George Russel
TVGunsmoke
1955
as Hannibal
MovieDavy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier
1955
as George Russel
MovieDavy Crockett at the Alamo
1955
as George Russel
MovieDavy Crockett Goes to Congress
1955
as George Russel
MovieDavy Crockett, Indian Fighter
1954
as George Russel
TVDavy Crockett
1954
as George Russel
MovieWalt Disney Treasures - Davy Crockett
1954
as George Russell (archive footage)
TVThe Wonderful World of Disney
1954
TVClimax!
1954
as Ben
TVStudio 57
1954
MovieNight People
1954
as M/Sgt. Eddie McColloch
MovieRed Garters
1954
as Ginger Pete
TVGeneral Electric Theater
1953
as Pa Jericho
TVOmnibus
1952
Chevron Theatre
1952
MovieUtah Wagon Train
1951
as 'Snooper' Trent
TVSchlitz Playhouse of Stars
1951
as Rainspout Jones
MovieRodeo King and the Senorita
1951
as Muscles Benton
MovieThunder in God's Country
1951
as Happy Hooper
MovieSilver City Bonanza
1951
as Gabe Horne
MovieUnder Mexicali Stars
1950
as Homer Oglethorpe
TVThe Bob Hope Show
1950
as Self
The Ed Wynn Show
1949
as Self
MovieSing Your Worries Away
1942
as Tommy Jones
MovieParachute Battalion
1941
as Jeff Hollis
MovieThey Met in Argentina
1941
as Duke Ferrel
MovieThe Wizard of Oz
1939
as Tin Man (singing voice) (uncredited)
MovieHollywood Hobbies
1939
as Self (uncredited)
MovieThe Kid From Texas
1939
as 'Snifty'
MovieFour Girls in White
1939
as Express, an Orderly
MovieMy Lucky Star
1938
as Buddy
MovieYellow Jack
1938
as Jellybeans
MovieThe Girl of the Golden West
1938
as Alabama
MovieBroadway Melody of 1938
1937
as Peter Trot
MovieBanjo on My Knee
1936
as Buddy
MovieBorn to Dance
1936
as 'Mush' Tracy
MovieCaptain January
1936
as Paul Roberts
MovieBroadway Melody of 1936
1935
as Ted
