Known For
Acting
Known Credits
134
Gender
Male
Birthday
April 2, 1908 (118 years old)
Place of Birth
Belleville, Illinois, USA
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.
| 2005 | Pioneers of Primetimeas | |
| 2004 | Judy Garland: By Myselfas Self - Actor (voice) | |
| 1999 | Television: The First Fifty Yearsas Jed Clampett (archive footage) | |
| 1997 | King of the Hillas Chet Elderson (voice) | |
| 1994 | That's Entertainment! IIIas (archive footage) | |
| 1994 | Burke's Lawas Louie Pike | |
| 1993 | The Beverly Hillbilliesas Barnaby Jones | |
| 1993 | Audrey Hepburn: Rememberedas Self (archive footage) | |
| 1993 | The Legend of the Beverly Hillbilliesas | |
| 1990 | Working Tra$has Vandevere Lodge | |
| 1990 | The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: 50 Years of Magicas Self (archive footage) | |
| 1987 | CBS Summer Playhouseas Buddy Tucker | |
| 1987 | Stone Foxas Grandpa | |
| 1987 | James Stewart: A Wonderful Lifeas Self (archive footage) | |
| 1985 | That's Dancing!as From 'Born to Dance' (archive footage) | |
| 1984 | Finder of Lost Lovesas Walter Lewis | |
| 1984 | Disney Family Albumas Narrator | |
| 1983 | The Yellow Roseas Toat Gilmore | |
| 1983 | Hardcastle and McCormickas | |
| 1983 | Reading Rainbowas Self - Narrator (voice) | |
| 1982 | Matt Houstonas Roy Houston | |
| 1981 | Fire on the Mountainas John Vogelin | |
| 1981 | The Return of the Beverly Hillbilliesas Jed Clampett | |
| 1980 | Kraft Salutes Disneyland's 25th Anniversaryas Self | |
| 1979 | The Paradise Connectionas Stuart Douglas | |
| 1978 | NBC Salutes the 25th Anniversary of the Wonderful World of Disneyas Self | |
| 1978 | The Critical Listas Charles Sprague | |
| 1978 | The Bastardas Benjamin Edes | |
| 1978 | Leave Yesterday Behindas Doc | |
| 1976 | Tom Sawyeras Muff Potter | |
| 1976 | Smash-Up on Interstate 5as Al Pearson | |
| 1975 | The Tiny Treeas Squire Badger (Narrator) (voice) | |
| 1974 | Tony Orlando and Dawnas Self | |
| 1974 | Dinah!as Self | |
| 1974 | That's Entertainment!as (archive footage) (uncredited) | |
| 1973 | The President's Plane Is Missingas Vice President Kermit Madigan | |
| 1973 | The Horror at 37,000 Feetas Glenn Farlee | |
| 1973 | Barnaby Jonesas Barnaby Jones | |
| 1972 | The Daughters of Joshua Cabeas Joshua Cabe | |
| 1971 | Cannonas Barnaby Jones | |
| 1971 | Alias Smith and Jonesas | |
| 1970 | Night Galleryas | |
| 1970 | The Andersonville Trialas Dr. John Bates | |
| 1968 | Hawaii Five-Oas Professor Ambrose Pierce | |
| 1968 | The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Bandas Calvin Bower | |
| 1967 | The Carol Burnett Showas Self | |
| 1965 | The Dean Martin Showas | |
| 1964 | Mail Order Brideas Will Lane | |
| 1963 | The Danny Kaye Showas Self | |
| 1963 | Vacation Playhouseas | |
| 1962 | The Beverly Hillbilliesas Jed "JD" Clampett | |
| 1962 | The Internsas Dr. Sidney Wohl | |
| 1961 | The Mike Douglas Showas Self | |
| 1961 | Breakfast at Tiffany'sas Doc Golightly | |
| 1961 | Bus Stopas | |
| 1961 | Bus Stopas Virge Blessing | |
| 1961 | Fury Riveras Sergeant Hunk Marriner | |
| 1961 | Gunslingeras Jed Spangler | |
| 1960 | The Andy Griffith Showas David Browne | |
| 1960 | The Barbara Stanwyck Showas Dr. Mark Carroll | |
| 1960 | Checkmateas Pete O'Mara | |
| 1960 | Mission of Dangeras Hunk Marriner | |
| 1959 | Adventures in Paradiseas Ben Curtis | |
| 1959 | Johnny Ringoas Sample | |
| 1959 | The Twilight Zoneas Jimbo Cobb | |
| 1959 | Lock-Upas | |
| 1959 | Riverboatas Niles Cox | |
| 1959 | Bonanzaas Cactus Murphy | |
| 1959 | Bonanzaas Sheriff Jesse Sanders | |
| 1959 | Black Saddleas Gurney Rhodes | |
| 1959 | Rawhideas George Stimson | |
| 1959 | Rawhideas Will Kinch | |
| 1959 | Frontier Rangersas Sergeant Hunk Marriner | |
| 1958 | 77 Sunset Stripas Baxter Kellogg | |
| 1958 | Westinghouse Desilu Playhouseas | |
| 1958 | Broncoas | |
| 1958 | Northwest Passageas Sergeant Hunk Marriner | |
| 1957 | Maverickas | |
| 1957 | Maverickas Nero Lyme | |
| 1957 | Maverickas Sheriff Scratch Madden | |
| 1957 | Have Gun, Will Travelas Bram Holden | |
| 1957 | Have Gun, Will Travelas Marshal Elmo Crane | |
| 1956 | Disneyland: U.S.A.as Self - George Russel | |
| 1956 | Between Heaven and Hellas Pvt. Willie Crawford | |
| 1956 | Attackas Tolliver | |
| 1956 | Davy Crockett and the River Piratesas George Russel | |
| 1956 | The Steve Allen Showas Self - Northwest Passage | |
| 1956 | Tony Awardsas Self - Host | |
| 1956 | Tony Awardsas Self - Host / Presenter / Performer | |
| 1956 | Tony Awardsas Self - Presenter | |
| 1956 | Corky and White Shadowas Sheriff Matthew Brady | |
| 1955 | Davy Crockett's Keelboat Raceas George Russel | |
| 1955 | Gunsmokeas Drago | |
| 1955 | Gunsmokeas Hannibal | |
| 1955 | Gunsmokeas Quimby | |
| 1955 | Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontieras George Russel | |
| 1955 | Davy Crockett at the Alamoas George Russel | |
| 1955 | Davy Crockett Goes to Congressas George Russel | |
| 1954 | Davy Crockett, Indian Fighteras George Russel | |
| 1954 | Davy Crockettas George Russel | |
| 1954 | Walt Disney Treasures - Davy Crockettas George Russell (archive footage) | |
| 1954 | The Wonderful World of Disneyas | |
| 1954 | The Wonderful World of Disneyas George Russel | |
| 1954 | Climax!as Ben | |
| 1954 | Climax!as Gaffney | |
| 1954 | Studio 57as | |
| 1954 | Night Peopleas M/Sgt. Eddie McColloch | |
| 1954 | Red Gartersas Ginger Pete | |
| 1953 | General Electric Theateras Pa Jericho | |
| 1952 | Omnibusas | |
| 1952 | Chevron Theatreas | |
| 1951 | Utah Wagon Trainas 'Snooper' Trent | |
| 1951 | Schlitz Playhouse of Starsas Rainspout Jones | |
| 1951 | Rodeo King and the Senoritaas Muscles Benton | |
| 1951 | Thunder in God's Countryas Happy Hooper | |
| 1951 | Silver City Bonanzaas Gabe Horne | |
| 1950 | Under Mexicali Starsas Homer Oglethorpe | |
| 1950 | The Bob Hope Showas Self | |
| 1949 | The Ed Wynn Showas Self | |
| 1942 | Sing Your Worries Awayas Tommy Jones | |
| 1941 | Parachute Battalionas Jeff Hollis | |
| 1941 | They Met in Argentinaas Duke Ferrel | |
| 1939 | The Wizard of Ozas Tin Man (singing voice) (uncredited) | |
| 1939 | Hollywood Hobbiesas Self (uncredited) | |
| 1939 | The Kid From Texasas 'Snifty' | |
| 1939 | Four Girls in Whiteas Express, an Orderly | |
| 1938 | My Lucky Staras Buddy | |
| 1938 | Yellow Jackas Jellybeans | |
| 1938 | The Girl of the Golden Westas Alabama | |
| 1937 | Broadway Melody of 1938as Peter Trot | |
| 1936 | Banjo on My Kneeas Buddy | |
| 1936 | Born to Danceas 'Mush' Tracy | |
| 1936 | Captain Januaryas Paul Roberts | |
| 1935 | Broadway Melody of 1936as Ted |
| 1979 | The Paradise Connection...Producer |