by Justin Lloyd
To reassure thousands … Gene Wyatt, “Varney believes Ernest maturing,” The Tennessean (Oct. 11, 1991).
A year earlier … Dick Kreck, “Beneath Ernest’s Comic Side Lurks a Shakespearean Actor,” The Denver Post (March 31, 1990).
Now his sights … Margaret Dick, “Varney’s talent stretches beyond wacky comic,” The Nashville Banner (Oct. 10, 1991).
In March 1992 … Tom Humphrey, “Legislature Pauses For 2 Weeks of R R,” The Knoxville News-Sentinel (March 15, 1992).
It was around this time … “The Mouth That Roared,” Daily Breeze (Torrance, Calif.) (Oct. 16, 1991).
Jim had created … Author interview with Joe Liles.
Bunny shared little in common … “Jim Varney says he’s earnest about Ernest’s hip, new image,” Associated Press (May 15, 1992).
Chapter Twenty-One: Blue Jeans and T-Shirt Man
Just a few years into the Ernest … Patricia Duarte, “Ernest May Be a Redneck, But He’s a Hot Property, Too,” The Miami Herald (July 21, 1985).
Jim had been paid $300 … Lou Cedrone, Baltimore Sun (May 05, 1990).
When he did odd jobs … Author interview with Jake McIntyre.
Sometimes he told reporters … Don Edwards, “Hey Vern, It’s a Silver-Screen Debut for Actor Jim Varney,” Lexington Herald-Leader (December 11, 1984).
Another time … Tony Frazier, “Hey, Vern! Ernest Goes to Camp Today,” The Daily Oklahoman (May 22, 1987).
“I’m a blue jeans and T-shirt man …” Homer Brickey, “Hey Vern,” The Toledo Blade (March 12, 1989).
Chapter Twenty-Two: Buckmasters & Bubba
Bushman had started … Tom Fegely, “RV, White-Tailed Deer Shows Join Growing List of Outdoor TV Selections,” The Morning Call (July 8, 1990).
Jim met Bushman … Author interview with Jackie Bushman.
From Bushman remembers going … to “… my hunting consultant”: Author interview with Jackie Bushman.
Chapter Twenty-Three: A Hillbilly of an Ozark Kind
She also related … Joe Rhodes, “So they loaded up the truck and moved to Beverly,” Newsday (June 15, 1993).
The casting was … Luaine Lee, “Director talks about ‘Beverly Hillbillies’ and ‘Wayne’s World,’ ” Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service (Oct. 4, 1993).
After going through … Joe Rhodes, “So they loaded up the truck and moved to Beverly,” Newsday (June 15, 1993).
But at Spheeris’ insistence … Dayton Daily News (November 7, 1993).
He said, “I’ve been waiting …” Chris Hicks, “Varney Takes a Chance at Not Being Ernest,” The Deseret News (Nov. 11, 1993).
Spheeris had to restrain him … Chris Willman, “The Importance of Being Ernest,” Los Angeles Times (Oct. 16, 1993).
When asked what he thought … “Ebsen in Exclusive Jed Clampett Club,” The Pantagraph (Oct. 21, 1993).
He spoke of his nervousness … Chris Willman, “The Importance of Being Ernest,” Los Angeles Times (Oct. 16, 1993).
An Orlando Sentinel newspaper … Phil Rosenthal, “The Character Curse: Actor, Role Seen As One,” Orlando Sentinel (Oct. 27, 1991).
Soon after the movie’s release … Luaine Lee, “Director talks about ‘Beverly Hillbillies’ and ‘Wayne’s World,’ ” Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service (Nov. 4, 1993).
When talking to one reporter he claimed … Barry Koltnow, “The Story of a Man Named Jed Has ‘Em Packin’ Theatres,” Orange County Register (Oct. 29, 1993).
“It was actually kind of …” Chris Hicks, “Varney Takes a Chance at Not Being Ernest,” The Deseret News (Nov. 11, 1993).
Jim once joked that … Talk-show host Peter Anthony Holder interview with Jim Varney, on Holder’s Web site, http://peteranthonyholder.com/cjad28.htm (Accessed June 7, 2013).
From During the filming … to … his failed relationships: Author interview with Beth Harper.
At some point … “Jim (Ernest) Varney drops Disney to ride alone this time,” The Hamilton Spectator (Oct. 22, 1993).
This enabled Cherry to limit … RoughEdge.com, R. Scott Bolton, “Goodbye, Ernest” www.roughedge.com/videoverdicts/features/varney.htm, (Accessed December 6, 2011).
Always looking for new ways … Wendy Wilson, “The Education of Seeing ‘Ernest,’ ” Video Business (April 1, 1994).
With an estimated budget … Internet Movie Database, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106827/business?ref_=tt_dt_bus
Chapter Twenty-Four: Slinky Dog
In 1991, Pixar … Joss Langdale, “A Bug’s Life,” Rome News-Tribune (Dec. 14, 1998).
Pixar’s Academy Award-winning … Lawrence M. Fisher, “Hard Times for Innovator in Graphics,” New York Times (April 2, 1991).
A few years prior … Gary Schwan, “He’s The Real Sarge,” Palm Beach Post (March 7, 1996).
Animators used the mannerisms … Talk-show host Peter Anthony Holder interview with Jim Varney, on Holder’s Web site, http://peteranthonyholder.com/cjad28.htm (Accessed June 7, 2013).
When speaking of the role … Official Web site for Max Allan Collins, Matthew Clemens, “Mommy’s Daddy,” www.maxallancollins.com/max/interview.php (Accessed Jan. 29, 2013).
He had become interested … Kevin Nance, “Two Lexington Filmmakers Get Invitation to Sundance,” Lexington Herald-Leader (Jan. 19, 1997).
One wasn’t an actor … Brandon Griggs, “Brown Most Enjoys Role as Self-Taught Writer,” The Salt Lake Tribune (February 2, 1997).
Horton tried to get … Author interview with Jeremy Horton.
Jim told one Canadian reporter … Talk-show host Peter Anthony Holder interview with Jim Varney, on Holder’s Web site, http://peteranthonyholder.com/cjad28.htm (Accessed June 7, 2013).
She was now trying … The Weekly Wire’s Web site, Jim Ridley, “The Secret Cinema: The Reel-Life Struggles of Independent Filmmaking in Nashville,” http://www.weeklywire.com/ww/07-02-97/nash_cover.html (Accessed Jan. 30, 2009).
The script was written … FilmNashville.org, David Duncan & Jim Ridley, “The Ormonds: The Untamed Story of Nashville’s First Family of Film,” http://www.filmnashville.org/june/psycotronic01.html (Accessed Jan. 30, 2009).
Jim never got around to writing … Promotional material for “Jack’s Adventures: Beyond the Beanstalk” videogame.
In the fall of 1996 … “ ‘Show Boat’ cast members enjoying life in Denver,” The Denver Post (April 27, 1997).
More good fortune … Heather Svokos, “ ‘100 Proof’ uses Lexington killing rampage as inspiration,” Lexington Herald-Leader (Dec. 18, 1998).
Joe Leydon of Variety … Joe Leydon: “100 Proof,” Variety (March 1, 1997).
The film’s producer … Heather Svokos, “ ‘100 Proof’ uses Lexington killing rampage as inspiration,” Lexington Herald-Leader (Dec. 18, 1998).
A few years earlier … Chris Willman, “The Importance of Being Ernest,” Los Angeles Times (Nov. 16, 1993).
In early 1998 … Official Web site for Bobby Boyd, http://www.bobbyboyd.com (Accessed Aug. 26, 2009).
Boyd, Jim and country singer … Author interview with Andrea Lloyd.
Chapter Twenty-Five: The End of a “Great Adventure”
From During the shooting… to … to remove it: Author interview with Jake McIntyre.
Thornton has admitted … Hoot Gibson’s speech at Jim Varney’s memorial service (Feb. 16, 2000).
Thornton used to stay … Chris Riemenschneider, “Review: Costello not acting his age – and that’s a good thing,” Star Tribune (June 6, 2002).
Thornton, being the good … Beverly Keel, “The Importance of Being Ernest,” Nashville Scene (November 11, 1999).
“Daddy and Them” producer … Kevin Nance, “Varney, ‘Ernest’ creator, dies at 50,” The Tennessean (Feb. 11, 2000).
From Jim’s sisters traveled … to … high school grades: Author interview with Jake McIntyre.
During this time … Marilyn Beck, “Lionel Ritchie Wants To Be in Pictures,” Rocky Mountain News (Aug. 21, 1998).
Five years earlier �
�� “Cape Feare” episode, “The Simpsons” television show (Oct. 7, 1993). From Another family member… to “… or his hope”: Author interview with Andrea Lloyd.
Jim gave the last … Beverly Keel, “The Importance of Being Ernest,” Nashville Scene, (Nov. 11, 1999).
Jim wasn’t talking much … Author interview with Sandra Varney Spoonamore.
“I was one of the guys …” Dan Butler’s speech at Jim Varney’s memorial service (February 16, 2000).
Jim’s attorney … Hoot Gibson’s speech at Jim Varney’s memorial service (February 16, 2000).
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to begin by thanking Joe Liles for his participation and significant contribution. I enjoyed getting to know Joe through the numerous conversations we had by telephone during the writing of this book. His candid recollections of Jim and their experiences together proved invaluable in my efforts to make this an extensive look at Jim’s life. I appreciate Joe trusting me with information he has shared with few others.
I would also like to thank the Carnegie Center for Literacy in Lexington, Kentucky. Through their author-mentoring program, I was paired with author Leslie Guttman, who guided me through the many aspects of bringing this book to publication. Her years of experience coupled with her continued support and enthusiasm were extremely important to the process of writing the book. Leslie also served as my editor; while respecting my voice as an author, she did an outstanding job of fine-tuning and polishing every last detail of my manuscript.
I must also give special thanks to the very kind Julieanne Pogue for granting me an interview and assisting me with other important phases of this book.
In addition, this biography could not have been possible without the cooperation of these wonderful people:
Lianne Mize Russell, Thom Ferrell, Jake McIntyre, James McIntyre, Elaine McIntyre, Sandra Varney Spoonamore, Andrea Lloyd, Ken Lloyd, Ed McChord, Shannon Kelly, Charles Edward Pogue, Walter Williamson, Mary Polites, Michael Polites, Jeremy Horton, Kevin McMurray, Jackie Bushman, Mark Evanier, Beth Harper, Meg Moye, Rob Neuhauser, Randy Soard, Marshall Fallwell Jr., Anthony Johnson, Kathy Jansen, Coke Sams, Jack Pattie, Roy Lightner, Kevin Lightner, Trevor Wells, Scott Hayes, Bob Singleton, Janet Kinstle, Clay Watkins, Greg Gortman, Lisa Murray, Peg Gaw, Debbie May, R. Scott Bolton, Lonnie Shorr, Janet Isenhour, Neil Chethik, Luisa Trujillo, Anne Lambert, Matthew Conrad, Dan Adkins, Jim Combs, Jim Hazlett, David Griffin, and Christopher Smedley.
Finally, my wife, Keli, was incredibly supportive throughout what became a very long process of putting all of this together. She served as a sounding board and provided valuable input on countless matters. She assisted me with many small tasks too numerous to mention. I am forever grateful for her contribution.
For videos, fan remembrances, little-known facts about Jim and more, check out the Facebook page for this book at: https://www.facebook.com/beingernestbook.
The book’s Twitter feed can be found at:
https://twitter.com/jimvarneybook
In addition, a book trailer can be viewed at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4w7VNU42-A