HWOF

Buddy Ebsen (April 2, 1908 – July 6, 2003) was an American character actor and dancer. 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, and played Barnaby Jones in the movie version of The Beverly Hillbillies. Ebsen also played Fess Parker’s sidekick in Walt Disney’s Davy Crockett miniseries (1953–54), and was cast as the Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz (1939) until he fell ill due to an allergy to the makeup.

• Born: Christian Rudolph Ebsen, Jr. April 2, 1908 Belleville, Illinois
• Died: July 6, 2003 (aged 95) Torrance Memorial Medical Center in Torrance, California
• Occupation: Actor/Dancer
• Years active: 1928-2001
• Height: 6-foot 3½ inches
• Spouse: Ruth Cambridge (m.1936-1942; divorced) Nancy Wolcott (m.1944-1985) Dorothy Knott (m.1985-2003; his death)

Read more about Buddy Ebsen at Wikipedia or at the Internet Movie Database

Today in Theatre History: JULY 6
Playbill Combined , 2010-07-06 04:00:00
1939 A young Hollywood hopeful is forced to watch her own career fizzle as her boyfriend's blossoms in Lew Brown's new musical, Yokel Boy. Lois January and Buddy Ebsen star in the new show, opening tonight at the Majestic Theatre on Broadway. There will be 208 performances.