by Justin Lloyd
Henson was also involved … Robert Cooper, “ ‘Fire on Mountain’ at 3rd Masque is a Hilarious Hillbilly Musical,” Chattanooga Times (Sept. 23, 1970).
At the Third Masque Dinner Theatre … Robert Cooper, “ ‘Fire on Mountain’ at 3rd Masque is a Hilarious Hillbilly Musical,” Chattanooga Times (Sept. 23, 1970).
From One of Jim’s … to … was not returned: Author interview with Charles Edward Pogue.
Jim’s sister Jake … Author interview with Jake McIntyre.
Headquartered in … “High Schools Will See ‘Antigone’ This Week,” Kingsport Times (Feb. 27, 1972).
The actors would meet … “Fantastick Takes Snow White and Seven Dwarfs to School,” Kingsport Times (March 29, 1972).
As the tour wound down … Bart Mills, “Actor won’t minimize the importance of being Ernest,” Daily Breeze (Torrance, Calif.) (May 22, 1987).
In one of the Opryland folk … Jerry Morse, “Lexington’s Own Jim Varney,” Views of Lexington (March 1995).
From Yet despite the … to … it even more: Author interview with Jake McIntyre.
Chapter Nine: Finding Glory with Cherry
From Jim soon caught … to “… replied ‘Yes, Sir!’”: Author interview with Thom Ferrell.
Years later when being interviewed … Beverly Keel, “The Importance of Being Ernest,” Nashville Scene (Nov. 11, 1999).
In addition to Sergeant Glory … Jerry Morse, “Lexington’s Own Jim Varney,” Views of Lexington (March 1995).
It was the car salesman … Bart Mills, “Actor won’t minimize the importance of being Ernest,” Daily Breeze (Torrance, Calif.) (May 22, 1987).
From He decided … to … around their bed: Author interview with Joe Liles.
Jim’s family didn’t see much of him: Author interview with Jake McIntyre.
From Liles’ efforts … to … asked him to: Author interview with Joe Liles.
The grim look on Jim’s face … “Johnny Cash – Ridin’ The Rails: The Great American Train Story” television special (1974).
From During the taping … to … him additional bookings: Author interview with Joe Liles.
One of Jim’s early influences … John Kiesewetter, “Jonathan Winters Loosens Up,” Cincinnati Enquirer (August 13, 2000).
Maude Frickert was based …Archive of American Television’s Web site, http://www.emmytvlegends.org/interviews/people/jonathan- winters (Accessed Nov. 17, 2012).
Elwood P. Suggins was a hillbilly … John Kiesewetter, “Jonathan Winters Loosens Up,” Cincinnati Enquirer (Aug. 13, 2000).
In one popular routine … “Whistle Stopping With Jonathan Winters,” album (1964).
Jim used various small towns … Audiotapes of Jim performing at Exit/In, provided to the author by Joe Liles (1975).
From Soon after Liles … to “… but it worked”: Author interview with Joe Liles.
Also attached to the bio … Excerpt from Jim Varney’s 1975 William Morris bio.
From After signing with … to … way they could: Author interview with Joe Liles.
Thom Ferrell had left … Author interview with Thom Ferrell.
In addition to polishing material …Author interview with Joe Liles.
In October …Milford Reid, “Los Angeles-Bound Varney Looking for Break in Show Business,” Lexington Herald-Leader (Oct. 9, 1975).
Jim sent a letter home … Jim Varney letter to his parents (1975).
Chapter Ten: Striking It Rich in California
From By February 1976 … to … in college: Author interview with Joe Liles. (Additional author interview with Ed McChord also contributed to information cited here.)
Club owner Mitzi Shore … Tom Robinson, “Hey Vern! I’m a Celebrity,” Nashville! (September 1982).
Jim later talked … Bob Thomas, “Jim Varney Is No Clod,” Associated Press (April 25, 1990).
From Along with helping … to “… Morris closed it”: Author interview with Joe Liles.
The show, “Johnny Cash and Friends” … Marshall Fallwell Jr., “Nashville Beat,” Photoplay (September 1976).
From Liles remembers Martin … to … invited him back: Author interview with Joe Liles.
Even though the four-episode … Marshall Fallwell Jr., “Nashville Beat,” Photoplay (September 1976).
From Now that Jim … to … Jim’s sensitivity: Author interview with Joe Liles.
On October 19, 1976 … Official Web site for Johnny Carson, http://www.johnnycarson.com/carson/search.do?singleDateMonth=10&singleDateDay=19&singleDateYear=1976 (Accessed Sept. 9, 2008).
From Jim had just … to … to his career: Author interview with Joe Liles.
Jim was also continuing … Author interview with Joe Liles.
John Cherry later admitted … “Personality Sells,” Sellingpower.com, http://www.sellingpower.com/article/display.asp?print=TRUE@aid=SP8826606 (Accessed July 26, 2009).
He later recalled … Beverly Keel, “The Importance of Being Ernest,” Nashville Scene (Nov. 15, 1999).
One reporter interviewing … Tom Robinson, “Hey Vern! I’m a Celebrity,” Nashville! (September 1982).
Liles recalls the Virgil Simms character … Author interview with Joe Liles.
Virgil also entertained with stories … “Fernwood 2 Night” television show (1976).
Jim also landed a part … This book provided excellent background material on “Riding High”: Lee Goldberg, “Unsold TV Pilots: The Almost Complete Guide to Everything You Never Saw on TV 1955-1990.” (An Author’s Guild Backprint Edition, iUniverse.com).
Jim’s agent at William Morris … Author interview with Joe Liles.
“Operation Petticoat” was a comedy … EPGuides.com, http://epguides.com/OperationPetticoat/ (Accessed Aug. 9, 2009).
In the summer of 1978 … Marilyn Beck, “Pink Subs Crew Gets Pink Slips,” United Feature Syndicate (Aug. 8, 1978).
Liles visited Jim on the set … Author interview with Joe Liles.
In the fall … “Alice” television show (Nov. 5, 1978).
Actress Zsa Zsa Gabor … “Norm Crosby’s Comedy Shop” television show (1979).
Jim also landed an appearance …”Alan King’s Third Annual Final Warning” television special, Baseline Research, http://www.inbaseline.com/project.aspx?project_id=39404 (Accessed Aug. 9, 2009).
From Even though Liles … to … Hocker, among others: Author interview with Joe Liles.
The proposal said … “Jim Varney’s Family Album” television proposal, provided to the author by Joe Liles.
Meanwhile, in the summer of 1979 … Author interview with Joe Liles.
In describing Jim’s act … Gregory Curtis, “Theater In Brief,” Texas Monthly (October 1979).
Comedian Lonnie Shorr … Author interview with Lonnie Shorr.
From Liles accompanied Jim … to … over the years: Author interview with Joe Liles.
He continued to do stand-up … “What’s Doing in San Diego County,” Los Angeles Times (Sept. 7, 1979).
Pink lady was not an actual lady … Alan Sepinwall, “ ‘Pink Lady’ so bad it was spectacular.” The Star-Ledger (Dec. 8, 2001).
Even though the girls struggled … Author interview with Jake McIntyre.
Chapter Eleven: Becoming Vern’s Favorite Neighbor
In July 1980 …Robert A. McLean, “Ad-ventures,” Boston Globe (Aug. 20, 1980).
“There we were …” Tom Robinson, “Hey Vern! I’m a Celebrity,” Nashville! (September 1982).
From Liles always thought … to … as an artist: Author interview with Joe Liles.
With no real paying acting …Author interview with Jake McIntyre.
John Cherry and Thom Ferrell … Cathy Darnell, “Ernest a Good Work for Beech Bend,” The Tennessean (Aug. 20, 1980).
“We developed Ernest coming back …” Cathy Darnell, “Ernest a Good Word for Beech Bend,” The Tennessean (Aug. 31, 1980).
After getting the premise down … Beverly Keel, “The Importance of Being Ernest,” Nashville Scene, (Nov. 1
1, 1999).
Ernest also promoted … Cathy Darnell, “Ernest a Good Work for Beech Bend,” The Tennessean (Aug. 20, 1980).
Since Ernest had been tailored … Paula Wade, “Ernest: KnowwhutImean?” The Commercial Appeal (April 21, 1985).
Ernest seemed destined for the same fate … Lou Gaul, “Advertising whiz created Jim Varney’s character,” The Intelligencer/Record (Nov. 27, 1988).
In the latter part of 1981 … Walt Potter, “From chance to instant hit,” Nashville Banner (Jan. 26, 1983).
In Raleigh, N.C., Pine State … Ben Steelman, “Earnest fans know what Ernest Means,” Star-News (June 5, 1983).
In April 1982 … Baseline Research, http://www.inbaseline.com/project.aspx?project_id=61174 (Accessed Aug. 9, 2009).
After Purity and Pine State … Lew Powell, “Hey Vern …,” The Charlotte Observer (Feb. 8, 1986).
Jerry Carden, John Cherry’s partner …Walt Potter “From chance to instant hit,” Nashville Banner (Jan. 26, 1983).
He had spent most of his career … Author interview with Roy Lightner.
One was teaming up … Author interview with Thom Ferrell.
In the fall of 1982 …Tom Robinson, “Hey Vern! I’m a Celebrity,” Nashville! (September 1982).
But before the 26 taped episodes … Ed Cromer, “Chancellor Says ‘Ernest’ TV Ads Can Continue,” The Tennessean (Nov. 13, 1982).
Mayhew countersued …”Ernest actor settles contract lawsuits.” Nashville Banner (Feb. 18, 1983).
Both sides eventually settled …”Ernest actor settles contract lawsuits.” Nashville Banner (Feb. 18, 1983).
Meanwhile, Jim continued … Mary Ann Hea, “Varneys to do their comic routines,” Nashville Banner (Feb. 15, 1983).
According to Jo Swerling Jr.: … Mary Jane Brown, “NBC expects Ernest figure to really soar in a new series,” Nashville Banner (July 6, 1983).
The “Rousters” pilot … Diane Bartley, “ ‘Ernest’ Headed for Hollywood – YaknowwhutImean?” The Tennessean (May 11, 1983).
During the show’s short run … Joe Edwards, “Recognition Catches Up to Versatile Varney,” Daily Intelligencer (May 27, 1984).
The demands of filming … Homer Brickey, “Hey Vern,” Toledo Blade (March 12, 1989).
In one piece, Jim spoke … Jim Warren, “He’s A Star – Know Whut Uh Mean?” Lexington Herald-Leader (Feb. 6, 1984).
Jim’s mother was interviewed … Don Edwards, “Being Ernest May Make Lexington Native a Millionaire,” Lexington Herald-Leader (July 29, 1984).
Les Bosse, advertising director … Jim Warren, “He’s A Star – Know Whut Uh Mean?” Lexington Herald-Leader (Feb. 6, 1984).
In March 1984 … The Woodford Sun (March 29, 1984).
Jim’s father carried a copy … Author interview with Jake McIntyre.
Many had themes … Janet Patton, “Anita Madden honored as trailblazing businesswoman,” Lexington Herald-Leader (April 9, 2012).
In May 1984 … Beverly Fortune, “Diamonds Add Glitter to the Maddens’ Gala Derby Parties,” Lexington Herald Leader (May 5, 1984).
A Tulsa, Okla., TV station … Linda Franklin, “Varney was the talk of the town,” The Journal Record (Feb. 14, 2000).
Customers at a Braum’s … Cynthia Foley, “Store becomes filming site for commercials Vern!?” Choctaw loves that,” The Daily Oklahoman (May 10, 1983).
Originally referred to … Diane Bartley, “Old Ernest Goes to National TV,” The Tennessean (March 6, 1984).
Consisting of six sketches … “Hey Vern, It’s My Family Album” television special (1983).
Charlie Chaplin had explored … “The Gold Rush” film, Charles Chaplin Productions. (1925).
From Meanwhile, after getting … to … into the wall: “Hey Vern, It’s My Family Album” television special (1983).
In Nashville, Ernest’s home base … Diane Bartley, “Ole Ernest Gets His Own TV Show: KnowhutImean?” The Tennessean (July 13, 1984).
In the second piece … “CBS Evening News” (December 06, 1985).
In March 1985 … “NBC Nightly News,” (March 22, 1985).
Chapter Twelve: The Secret of Ernest’s Success
Jim said once … “Varney’s Idols,” Orlando Sentinel (Nov. 5, 1988).
Another time Jim said … “Jim Varney, 50, comedian who starred in Ernest films,” Atlanta Journal Constitution (Feb. 11, 2000).
John Cherry admitted later: John Cherry’s speech at Jim Varney’s memorial service, witnessed by the author (Feb. 16, 2000).
In a 1987 television interview … Mike Randall, WKBW News (Buffalo, NY) (1987).
Ernest writer Glenn Petach said … Homer Brickey, “Hey Vern,” The Toledo Blade (March 12, 1989).
Another Ernest writer … Josh Armstrong, “Hey Vern, It’s Ernest collaborator Coke Sams,” Knowtheartist.com, http://knowtheartist.com/hey-vern-it%E2%80%99s-ernest-collaborator-coke-sams/ (Accessed Oct 30, 2011).
Jim told the Daily Oklahoman … Tony Frazier, “Hey Vern! Ernest Goes to Camp Today,” The Daily Oklahoman (May 22, 1987).
Jim once offered a simplified … Bruce Cook, “Great American Goofball Leaps From Commercials to Films,” Los Angeles Daily News (May 22, 1987).
Even before the success … “Personality Sells,” Sellingpower.com http://www.sellingpower.com/article/display.asp?print=TRUE@aid=SP8826606 (1987). (Accessed July 26, 2009).
No matter how much praise … Mike Randall, WKBW News (Buffalo, NY) (1987).
As discussed earlier … “E! True Hollywood Story Ernest Goes to Hollywood: Jim Varney” television show (2000).
Perhaps there was no better … Mark Dawidziak, “ ‘Heyyy Vern’ Crazy Character Brings Fame to Actor,” Akron Beacon Journal (May 19, 1985).
As far as Ernest’s last name … Lou Gaul, “Advertising whiz created Jim Varney’s Character,” Intelligencer Record (Nov. 27, 1988).
Writer Coke Sams recalled … Josh Armstrong, “Hey Vern, It’s Ernest Collaborator Coke Sams,” Knowtheartist.com, http://knowtheartist.com/hey-vern-it%E2%80%99s-ernest-collaborator-coke-sams/ (Accessed Oct. 30, 2011)
In one instance … “E! True Hollywood Story Ernest Goes to Hollywood: Jim Varney” television show (2000).
Coke Sams once said … Josh Armstrong, “Hey Vern, It’s Ernest collaborator Coke Sams,” Knowtheartist.com, http://knowtheartist.com/hey-vern-it%E2%80%99s-ernest-collaborator-coke-sams/ (Accessed Oct. 30, 2011)
Luckily, he never suffered … Homer Brickey, “Hey Vern,” The Toledo Blade (March 12, 1989).
As Cherry once said … William Greer, “Jim Varney: The importance of being Ernest,” Advantage Magazine (July 1988).
Studio was founded … Valerie V. Hansen, “Roll’em! Nashville’s video production is booming,” Nashville Business and Lifestyle (May 1, 1991).
Cherry was aware that a commercial … Cynthia DeMarcus, “Hey Vern! Looka There!” Bluegrass Magazine (December 1988).
Jim said once … Mark Dawidziak, “ ‘Hey Vern’ Crazy Character Brings Fame to Actor,” Akron Beacon Journal (May 19, 1985).
Jim said that there was … Carole Kass, “Hey Vern! Ernest is Spending His Third Movie in Jail,” Richmond Times-Dispatch (April 8, 1990).
In Ernest’s early years … Timothy K. Smith, “Abominable Ernest of TV Commercials Noses Out Everyone,” Wall Street Journal (Nov. 20, 1985).
Cherry admitted … Bethany Kandel, “Varney’s ‘Ernest’ Pops Up in Big Apple,” Lexington Herald-Leader (Jan. 10, 1986).
One aspect that Cherry mentioned … “Raucous television huckster pays off,” Alton Telegraph (July 24, 1984).
In a 2009 appearance … “Inside the Actors Studio” television show (Ricky Gervais) (Jan. 19, 2009).
The commercial … Ronni Lundy, “Ernest Goes to Camp.” The Courier-Journal (Oct. 26, 1986).
Cherry also said once … “Personality Sells” Sellingpower.com http://www.sellingpower.com/article/display.asp?print=TRUE@aid=SP8826606, (Accessed July 26, 2009).
Cream o’Weber … Jim Erickson, �
�Hey Vern!” Anchorage Daily News (April 17, 1986).
When Carden & Cherry … William Greer, “Jim Varney: The importance of being Ernest,” Advantage Magazine (July 1988).
California car dealership owner … Mike Dunne, “Something Strange Happening in Television Land, Vern,” Sacramento Bee (March 13, 1986).
Cherry once said … “Personality Sells” Sellingpower.com http://www.sellingpower.com/article/display.asp?print=TRUE@aid=SP8826606, (Accessed July 26, 2009).
Cherry would laugh about … Kevin Nance, “Varney, ‘Ernest’ creator, dies at 50,” The Tennessean (Feb. 11, 2000).
Cliff Cummings saw how Ernest … Kathy Kalafut, “Hey Vern, I’m A Star,” Entertainment Weekly (April 13, 1990).
Cummings once described … “NBC Nightly News” (March 22, 1985).
He further explained … Kathy Kalafut, “Hey Vern, I’m A Star,” Entertainment Weekly (April 13, 1990).
Meanwhile, in Indianapolis … Paula Wade, “Ernest: KnowwhutImean?” The Commercial Appeal (April 21, 1985).
And according to Roy Lightner … Roy Lightner’s speech at Jim Varney’s memorial service, witnessed by the author (Feb. 16, 2000).
Lightner laughed about the time … “E! True Hollywood Story Ernest Goes to Hollywood: Jim Varney” television show (2000).
When Ernest first became popular … Paula Wade, “Ernest: KnowwhutImean?” The Commercial Appeal (April 21, 1985).
In one Cleveland newspaper article … Ken Gottlieb, “There may be life after Ernest P. KnowwhutImean,” Chronicle-Telegram (Dec. 15, 1984).
In New Mexico … Hollis Engley, “Hey, Vern! I’m sellin’ KOB,” The New Mexican (May 30, 1985).
In the spring of 1986 … Ed Bark, “Shaping The Image of TV News,” Dallas Morning News (April 17, 1986).
Said Coke Sams … Josh Armstrong, “Hey Vern, It’s Ernest collaborator Coke Sams,” Knowtheartist.com, http://knowtheartist.com/hey-vern-it%E2%80%99s-ernest-collaborator-coke-sams/ (Accessed Oct 30, 2011).
Jim did once say … Cynthia Foley, “Store becomes filming site for commercials Vern!?” The Daily Oklahoman (May 10, 1983).
Jim, who was always … Associated Press, (May 21, 1984).
In realizing what a hot commodity … William Greer, “Jim Varney: The importance of being Ernest,” Advantage Magazine (July 1988).