Buddy Ebsen was born in Belleville, Illinois, on April 2, 1908. His best known acting characterization was that of Jed Clampett in The Beverly Hillbillies, and the television sleuth, Barnaby Jones. His career included film work and theater, as well as that of a dancer and country folk artist. He was the original Tin Man in the movie, The Wizard of Oz, but later had to be replaced after becoming seriously ill from the make-up used to create the character. Buddy Edsen died at the age of 94, in July 2003.
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