Buddy Ebsen
The lanky dancer who lost the role of the Tin Man to makeup poisoning but found TV immortality as the homespun patriarch Jed Clampett.
1908–2003 (age 95)·American actor and dancer·Birthday: April 2·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Buddy Ebsen's career was a lesson in Hollywood resilience. He started in the 1930s as a song-and-dance man, part of a vaudeville act with his sister, and brought that loose-limbed grace to musicals alongside stars like Shirley Temple and Judy Garland. His big break seemed to come when he was cast as the Tin Man in 'The Wizard of Oz', but the aluminum powder makeup sent him to the hospital, forcing a recast and nearly ending his life. He soldiered on, taking character roles until television gave him a second act. As Jed Clampett on 'The Beverly Hillbillies', his dry, sincere delivery amid the chaos was the show's steady heart, making him a beloved figure in American living rooms for nearly a decade. He then defied expectations again, successfully starring as the elderly detective 'Barnaby Jones' well into his seventies. Ebsen's path proved that in show business, a unique presence and professional grit could outlast any setback.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Buddy was born in 1908, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Buddy Was Born
The biggest hits of 1908
Buddy's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1908Born
Ford Model T goes into production
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1913Started school
The Federal Reserve is established
President: Woodrow Wilson
1921Became a teenager
First commercial radio broadcasts
President: Warren G. Harding"My Man" — Fanny Brice
1924Could drive
First Winter Olympics held in Chamonix, France
President: Calvin Coolidge"It Had to Be You" — Isham Jones
1926Could vote
Robert Goddard launches the first liquid-fueled rocket
President: Calvin Coolidge"Baby Face" — Jan Garber
1929Turned 21
Wall Street crashes, triggering the Great Depression
Gas: $0.21/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Singin' in the Rain" — Cliff EdwardsBest Picture: The Broadway Melody
1938Turned 30
Kristallnacht and the escalation toward WWII
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $2,850Min wage: $0.25/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Begin the Beguine" — Artie ShawBest Picture: You Can't Take It with You
1948Turned 40
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1958Turned 50
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1968Turned 60
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1978Turned 70
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1988Turned 80
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
2003Died at 95
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Key Achievements
- Starred as Jed Clampett in the hugely popular CBS sitcom 'The Beverly Hillbillies', which topped ratings in the 1960s.
- Successfully transitioned to a dramatic lead role as the title character in the detective series 'Barnaby Jones', which ran for eight seasons.
- Originated the role of the sidekick 'Georgie' in the Broadway production of 'The Ziegfeld Follies of 1934'.
- His film career included notable roles in 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' as Doc Golightly and 'Captain January' with Shirley Temple.
Did You Know?
He was originally cast as the Tin Man in 'The Wizard of Oz' but suffered a severe allergic reaction to the aluminum dust in the makeup, requiring Jack Haley to replace him.
Ebsen was a licensed sea captain and an accomplished sailor.
He wrote and recorded a novelty song called "The Beverly Hillbillies" that charted on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1963.
Before acting, he studied at the University of Florida and later at Rollins College with the initial aim of becoming a doctor.
““I've been lucky. I stumbled into television. I stumbled into movies. I stumbled into Broadway. I've been stumbling all my life.””
