The Laughing Wolf

Buddy Ebsen

They fall fast, these days. While he was best known as Jed Clampett, Buddy Ebsen was an accomplished actor, artist, dancer, and vaudeville performer who delighted audiences on stage, in movies, and on television for decades.

My Dad related a story about him, from the vaudeville days. It seems that Buddy used a duck in the act for several years, but one spring came and the duck was no longer in the act. According to Dad, when asked about the duck Buddy replied “It was a long, hard winter.” The audience took it as a joke, but Dad suspected that he was just telling the truth. He walked away from MGM on principle, and had an allergic reaction that kept him from being the Tin Man in the Wizard of Oz.

He served is country, and met his second wife while in service. He was folksy, but had loads of integrity that showed in many way. Most of all, he entertained us, and made us laugh when we needed a laugh. He will be missed.

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