Trivia

After seeing Ebsen in Diamants sur canapé (1961), the creator of The Beverly Hillbillies (1962) wanted him to play family patriarch Jed Clampett. At the time, Ebsen was thinking of retiring, but the producers sent him a copy of the script, and he changed his mind.

Ebsen had a unique Disney connection. It was Disney that hired him in 1955 for the Davy Crockett series that ended an almost 20 year absence from leading movie roles after he rejected MGM's 1938 contract offer. Disney, however, appears to have always been a "good luck" charm for Ebsen. In his first film, Broadway Melody of 1936, in his first scene he is wearing a Mickey Mouse sweater. Ebsen appeared just a few years later in the followup film, Broadway Melody of 1938. In the second scene in which he appears, he is wearing a Donald Duck sweater/shirt.

Originally cast as the Tin Man in Le Magicien d'Oz (1939), Buddy had a severe allergic reaction and was hospitalized as a result of inhaling aluminum powder used as part of his make-up. One chorus of "We're Off to See the Wizard" in the movie and soundtrack album retain Ebsen's original vocals as the Tin Man, recorded before he was forced to leave the production. Because of the prolonged hospitalization, he was replaced by Jack Haley (whose reformulated make-up used pre-mixed aluminium dust), and Ebsen's scenes were re-shot using Haley. Footage of Ebsen as the Tin Man still exists, and was included as an extra with the U.S. 50th anniversary video release of Le Magicien d'Oz (1939).

Initially wanted to become a doctor. He took premed courses at Rollins College ( Winter Park, Florida) and the University of Florida, but his mother persuaded him into show business.

Director Norman Foster first recommended Ebsen to Walt Disney to play Davy Crockett, and Disney was "half sold" on the idea. Then Disney saw Fess Parker in the sci-fi film Des monstres attaquent la ville (1954) and cast the strapping actor as the famed frontiersman. Ebsen was crestfallen because he knew how big the picture would be. The next day the studio signed Ebsen on as Crockett's weatherbeaten sidekick, George "Georgie" Russell. The part helped to turn his career around and arguably played a part in Ebsen's getting the role of the equally grizzled and popular Jed Clampett.

An outspoken Republican, he helped defeat Nancy Kulp, his co-star in The Beverly Hillbillies (1962), in her 1984 Democratic congressional bid in Pennsylvania. Ebsen made radio ads for her opponent accusing Kulp of being "too liberal" and not good for the district. The two did not speak for years after the incident, but eventually settled their differences.

In 1938, MGM offered him a seven-year contract, starting at $2,000 a week but requiring him to give the studio absolute control over his career. He rejected it. MGM blackballed him and his film career went into eclipse for nearly 20 years, until Walt Disney hired him to play George "Georgie" Russell, Davy Crockett's sidekick, in Davy Crockett roi des trappeurs (1955).

Became a bestselling author at age 93. (2001)

He served in the Coast Guard during World War II as the executive officer on the Pocatello, a submarine chaser in the North Pacific.

Was initiated into DeMolay at the John M. Cheney Chapter in Orlando, Florida, in 1926. DeMolay is a Masonic youth organization for young men between 12 and 21.

Owned a 36-acre ranch in the Santa Monica Mountains.

Has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1765 Vine Street in Hollywood, California.

Wrote a half dozen plays, five of which were produced, including a farce called Honest John in 1948 and Champagne General in 1973, a Civil War story. Also a part-time songwriter, he became a newly-published author of a romantic novel at the age of 93, titled Kelly's Quest.

In the 1930s, Disney animators filmed him dancing in front of a grid to "choreograph" Mickey Mouse's dance steps for the Silly Symphony cartoons.

Ebsen began writing while still in high school; he also composed songs. He wrote several other books including "Polynesian Concept" (about sailing), "The Other Side of Oz" (an autobiography) and "Sizzling Cold Case" (a mystery based on his Barnaby Jones character). His most successful work was "Kelly's Quest", a romance, which was published in 2001 when the actor was in his 90s.".

An avid sailor, he won a multitude of races on this continent and abroad including the prestigious 1968 Honolulu Trans Pacific yacht race in his 35 ft catamaran, "Polynesian Concept".

Attended Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida shortly before starting his film career.

In 1951, Walt Disney filmed Buddy Ebsen dancing in front of a grid. This footage was used as a reference to create a mechanical figure known as the Dancing Man. The figure would serve as the basis for Disney's Audio Animatronics, which are still being used at their theme parks to this day.

Father of: Elizabeth, Susannah, Cathy, Alix Ebsen, Bonnie Ebsen, Kiersten Kiki Ebsen, and Dustin Ebsen).

Before he was a successful actor, he used to work at a soda fountain shop.

His family had a private funeral service for him at Green Hills Memorial Park in Rancho Palos Verdes, but he was cremated at Pacific Crest Cemetery in Rendondo Beach. His ashes were sprinkled into the Pacific Ocean afterwards.