Ernest Fun Club

Development of Jim Varney’s Acting Career

admin — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 00:00:00 +0000

James Albert Varney, Jr. began acting in Lafayette High school, Lexington, KY. At the age of eight, his mother put him in children-s theatre because of his ability to imitate the cartoon characters he would watch on television. He continued with his acting and while in high school he won top state awards in drama competitions. Jim performed in a local theatre version of Ebenezer Scrooge at the age of 15 and by 17 he was performing in nightclubs and coffee houses.
Mr. Varney-s first television commercial, which introduced the character of Ernest, was in 1980 at Beech Bend Park in Bowling Green, Kentucky. From that point on, Ernest became a household word and put Jim-s mark on the world.
Although most of his beginning works were in commercials, Ernest P. Worrell became so popular that a TV series “Hey Vern, It-s Ernest’ was created, and from there he went on to star in high-grossing movies in the ’80-s and ’90-s. Jim- Varney’s acting was either loved or hated ” in 1988 he was nominated for a Razzie Award and then in 1989 he won an Emmy.
James Albert Varney, Jr. passed away on February 10, 2000. He is missed.

The Whimsical Comedy Of Actor Jim Varney

admin — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Jim Varney, born James Albert Varney Jr., and lovingly referred to as Ernest after a character he played, was an American actor, musician, and comedian. Though he passed away February 10, 2000 at the age of 50, many fans still adore his work. Jim had the acting bug even early in his childhood. He would perform things he memorized in front of his family to entertain them. As a teenager and into his twenties, Jim started to perform on stage in the theater.

Jim has not only been in stand-up comedy and theater, but has had an on air presence since 1977 all the way until after his death with posthumous releases of Atlantis: The Lost Empire and Daddy and Them in which he had roles as well as some CGI commercial spots. He even did voice overs in several video games. Though not matter what part he played, Jim was most loved for his comedy stylings.

The most beloved character Jim portrayed was the whimsical Ernest P. Worrell. Jim-s Ernest character appeared in numerous movies and television shows and commercials. America fell in love with the comical character when he first appeared in cola commercials and never looked back.

Things I Bet You Didn’t Know About Jim Varney

admin — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Although the great character actor Jim Varney died in the year 2000, he has not been forgotten. His legacy will continue for years to come, due to his broad range of acting abilities and of course, the beloved character of Earnest P. Worrell, for which he is probably best known.

But, did you know that Jim Varney was also very active in the Make-a-Wish foundation? The Make-a-Wish Foundation grants wishes to dying children, and meeting or talking to Earnest was a wish that hundreds of these children requested. Jim Varney, in the character of Earnest, didn’t let them down. In past interviews, he had mentioned how much he learned from these children who were facing death but still lived their lives to the fullest, while they still could.

Also, did you know that he had to take a screen test(his first ever) to get the role of Jed Clampett? They were afraid he couldn’t pull it off–that he wasn’t versatile enough, because of his Earnest character. But he proved he was…and got the part.

Lastly, many don’t realize that Jim Varney was a frugal man. He once stated that he could spend all day at a garage sale…and how “Earnest” is that?

Ernest Loved Mississippi – So Should You!

admin — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0000

There are a lot of great reasons to visit Mississippi and the number one should be that Ernest loved it here! If you haven’t looked into hughesnet mississipi or booked your ticket yet you’ve got to see what you’re missing. It’s a wonderland here.
Mississippi Gulf Beaches: If you’re in the mood for some of Mississippi’s best beaches, you’ve got to head to the gulf. Spend the day soaking up the sun and when you’re finished there, head to one of the Gulf’s many great casinos.
Antebellum Tours: Mississippi has some of the most incredible history of anywhere in the US and if you really want to feel the ghosts of the past you’ve got to sign up for an antebellum tour. Book through your hotel or online and make sure you get to go inside at least one home.
Mount Locust Plantation: There’s no better way to get a glimpse into all that makes Mississippi Mississippi than to head to an old plantation. Locust is one of the best and there are daily tours all around the property.

How Did The Ernest P. Worrell Character Develop?

admin — Sun, 01 May 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Ernest P. Worrell is best known today for his numerous feature films starring the lovable and well meaning, yet painfully ignorant and slow Ernest. Ernest, however, got his start doing local television commercials down south. Initially, Ernest was invented by classically trained actor Jim Varney to be “everyone’s annoying neighbor.” The point of Ernest was to be that neighbor who is always bugging everyone about the latest deals and new products. The commercials were always Ernest addressing the camera, calling it Vern, and relentlessly pressing him on new products and sales.

After a few years, Ernest’s popularity sky rocketed, and in the mid eighties, Ernest was given a his own Saturday morning television show called “Hey, Vern! It’s me, Ernest!” The show was aimed at youthful audiences and consisted largely of sketch comedy. Vern was also back to take more of Ernest’s badgering.

After another couple of years, the decision was made to put the Ernest character into a feature film. Ernest Goes to Camp featured the lovable goof as a camp councilor working with troubled youth and winning them over to help save the camp from real estate developers. The success of the film kick started Ernest’s film career and the rest is history.

Who Is The Actor Jim Varney?

admin — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Jim Varney (June 15, 1949 – February 10, 2000) was an American actor, stand-up comedian, musician, voice-over artist, and writer. He was best known for his role as Earnest P. Worrell, a character he portrayed in numerous commercials, television shows, and films.

Varney was born James Albert Varney, Jr. in Lexington, Kentucky on June 15, 1949. He displayed considerable talent from a young age, first reciting long poems and passages from books for family and friends and later imitating cartoon characters that he saw on television. He regularly competed in drama competitions while attending Lafayette High School, and by the age of 17 he was appearing on stage in clubs and local coffee houses. By the time he was 24 he was regularly appearing on stage at the Pioneer Playhouse located in Danville, Kentucky.

Varney debuted his Earnest character in a series of commercials that began in 1980. “Earnest” was franchised to companies all over the country, often by dairies to advertise milk products. He later branched out and became the spokesman for natural gas utilities in New Orleans and car dealerships around the country.

The Earnest character proved to be so popular that Varney began portraying him in films such as “Earnest Saves Christmas,” Earnest Goes to Camp,” “Earnest Scared Stupid,” and “Earnest Rides Again.” Varney later starred in the children’s show “Hey Vern, It’s Earnest!” for which he won a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Performer in a Children’s Series in 1988.

About Time for a Box Set

www.ernestfunclub.com — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Now over 10 years after actor Jim Varney‘s passing, soon to be 11 this coming February, what better way to celebrate the man’s lifetime achievement than rereleasing the stories of his most prolific character, Ernest P. Worrell, in one comprehensive compilation. Unfortunately, as of now, no such box set is on the market. Though many Ernest favorites are still available for purchase, mostly online, as time has pushed demand back relative to newer children’s releases, DVDs are increasingly hard to come by.A re-released commemorative box set would help to ensure Varney’s timeless character continues on for another generation, as many adults who are now beginning to have children once enjoyed the antics of Ernest growing up. At the very least, all nine full length Ernest films should be packaged together and available for purchase, in chronological order, Ernest Goes to Camp, Ernest Saves Christmas, Ernest Goes to Jail, Ernest Scared Stupid, Ernest Rides Again, Ernest Goes to School, Slam Dunk Ernest, Ernest Goes to Africa, and Ernest in the Army.True fans would agree, however, the movies alone don’t do the collective body of work justice. Adding more layers to the Ernest persona are 13 episodes of the television show, Hey Vern, It’s Ernest, and seemingly countless television commercials from which Ernest was born, possibly included as part of a special features disc, not to mention a complementary copy of It’s the Ernest P. Worrell Book of Knawledge, written by Jim Varney in character as Ernest P. Worrell, arguably the greatest insight on record into the mind of the hilarious hillbilly.Perhaps the most complete Ernest collection to date is the 2-disc Essential Ernest featuring Ernest Goes to Africa, Ernest’s Greatest Hits I & II, Ernest in the Army, Hey Vern! It’s My Family Album and Your World As I See It. While it’s nice to see Ernest material bundled together, Essential Ernest focuses primarily on Varney’s latter work as Ernest, omitting the gems that endeared the character to the hearts of millions. Since the 10-year mark was either missed or ignored by studio execs, hopefully the 15 year anniversary will finally bring about the posthumous praise and tribute Varney rightfully deserves.

Ernest Scared Stupid: Preview

admin — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 21:53:09 +0000

After the box office success of Ernest‘s first holiday movie Ernest Saves Christmas, it wasn’t long before Ernest P. Worrell found himself in the midst of a spooky Halloween tale. While, as always, Ernest is the star of the film, this story dates back to Ernest’s early ancestor Phineas Worrell in 19^th century Briarville, Missouri (a fictional town). Briarville is plagued by a troll who turns little boys and girls into wooden dolls, in turn, harvesting them for energy. The town enlists the help of their village elder, Phineas, to rid them of the horrible monster before the troll takes all their children. Led by Phineas, the Briarvillians band together to capture the troll and seal him beneath a giant oak tree, but before the seal is complete, the troll places a curse on Phineas, dictating that his descendants would become progressively less intelligent with every passing generation. The troll delivers a prophecy that some day one of Phineas’ own flesh and blood will be dumb enough to release the troll from its deeply rooted cell, at which point he will have his revenge.In the year 1991, Ernest is working a job as a sanitation engineer assigned to clean up a house in where else but Briarville, Missouri. The land is owned by Old Lady Hackmore, whose sister was one of the troll’s little girl victims long ago. Fearing the curse, Old Lady Hackemore orders Ernest to leave once she learns of his heritage, but her efforts prove fruitless. Ernest and his friends choose the very tree beneath which the troll is sealed to build a haunted tree house after their earlier ground-level attempt is the victim of bully vandals. When Old Lady Hackemore sees Ernest and friends up to no good near the tree she rushes to confront them. Ernest, of course slowed by generational de-evolution, decides to prove her wrong and perform the release ritual, unleashing the troll and a new legion of troll followers upon the town. It’s now Ernest’s job, with the help of his friends to stop the evil trolls and restore order to the sleepy Missouri town.

Ernest Saves Christmas: Preview

admin — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 21:48:51 +0000

In Ernest‘s first holiday feature, the do-gooder protagonist finds himself as a cab driver in Orlando when he encounters a portly, grey-bearded passenger claiming to be none other than Santa Claus. When Ernest inquires what brings Santa so far south of the North Pole, he finds out that Santa is in town to inform Joe Carruthers, an Orlando based Mr. Rogers clone, he has been chosen as the heir apparent to the jolliest job on the planet, the role of Santa Claus. While riding with Santa, the pair offer a lift to a young teenage girl who claims her name is Harmony Star.Santa meets Carruthers at the (fictional) Orlando Children’s Museum, where he attempts to speak with him about the Santa position, but he is cut off by Carruthers’ agent Marty Brock. Eventually after finally getting a word in with the disinterested Brock playing keeper to Carruthers, Santa is disheartened to find that neither Brock nor Carruthers believe Santa’s story. Mistaking Santa for a nutcase, they have him arrested, but trusting Ernest is not so quick to abandon his new friend. To make matters worse, Santa has somehow misplaced his magic sack of gifts. Ernest poses as Aster Clement, an official from the governor’s office, along with Harmony who pretends to be the governor’s niece, as the duo spring Santa from jail, claiming he has “infectious insanity” and is a danger to everyone there unless placed in solitary confinement. The disguises are not done, however, as Ernest now dons Apopka snake rancher attire in an effort to get Santa on a movie studio lot (delivering snakes to a horror set of course) so he can once again try to convince Carruthers to take the job. After finally tracking down Carruthers, he informs Santa that his agent has persuaded him to star in a lewd and violent holiday flick dubbed Christmas Slay, which adds insult to injury for poor Santa Claus. With Santa’s replacement gone to the dark side and Santa’s magic sack of gifts still missing, Ernest take’s it upon himself to make everything right and save Christmas.

Ernest Goes to Camp: Preview

admin — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 21:39:22 +0000

In this classic camp tale, Ernest begins the summer not as a highly revered counselor ready to teach young campers about life in the wilderness, but as a lowly handyman with menial tasks to fix this and tighten that. Of course, Ernest has his sights set on earning a counselor position and, never lacking the courage to give something a good natured try, sets out to do just that. Through showing off his hard work, plus taking on additional tasks, such as learning to translate for camp owner Indian Chief St. Cloud, Ernest is eventually rewarded with the counselor position he has long desired. In a twist, however, Ernest is assigned to a group of juvenile delinquents who try to get under his skin through a series of pranks. Though initially they do not respect him, Ernest is earnest in his attempts to take the boys under his wing, and stands up for them when mocked by more well-to-do campers and counselors.While hard working well intentioned, Ernest is once again plagued by his naivety when Sherman Krader, who runs a questionable mining practice, proposes to purchase the camp’s land, with Chief St. Cloud using Ernest as his interpreter. Ernest is easily duped by the savvy Krader, conning Ernest into convincing St. Cloud into what he believes is a conservation petition. Ernest is heartbroken and beside himself when he learns the truth behind Krader’s intentions, confronting mining group’s foreman in an attempt to strong arm his way towards a suitable solution. Instead, Ernest winds up on the losing end of the physical confrontation, walking away beaten and embarrassed. Even the campers, unaware of what a noble counselor he has been, always taking their side and defending their actions, mock Ernest behind his back. Upon finally learning of what a courageous and selfless leader Ernest has been on their behalf, the delinquent campers resolve to make things right by Ernest and aid him in his quest to save the camp and restore his honor, in this underdog story about knowing who your friends are and standing up for what’s right.