Rubber-faced comic Jim Varney was wildly popular with juveniles (and grown-ups) in a series of low budget flicks in the early ’90s. However, what Varney particularly did well was achieve this specific and colorful cornpone character named Ernest T. Worrell. Worrell could be identified as an “aw-shucks, know whadda mean” type of cartoon character translated into a flesh-and-blood “red neck” teddy bear!
Before his film success, Varney played in hundreds of commercials around the country as “Ernest”. The commercials were a kind of evolution of an American folk hero.
What may be inconceivable to many is that Varney was adept at playing Shakespeare! Yep, sure ’nuff, Jim Varney was a versatile talent. He will not be easily replaced; although he made it look, oh so easy……………