As tragic as this was, he was able to leave an indelible mark on a whole generation of kids and had fans all over the world. Jim Varney was an actor who played the character Ernest P. Worrell in commercials, a television series (Hey Vern! / Set to: \"The Hanging Tree,\" by Jennifer Lawrence. Thanks for watching the video. Y'KnowWhatImean?". An article in the Chicago Tribune on July 8, 1989, tells the story of a massive letter-writing campaign to save the show. The result? [7] Although the television series won Varney a Daytime Emmy Award for his performance, the movies were not critically well-received; however, the latter were produced on very low budgets and were quite profitable. "Ernest the Furnace" makes the mistake of challenging the pro wrestler "Chainsaw Chester" to a match. I went nuts for these shows as it was everything I loved about Ernest taken to another level. Remembering the greatest decade, the 80s. Disney's then-CEO, Michael Eisner, was present at the Indy 500 that day and didn't get jealous. It's when you're on a dinner date with the tall blonde, and two guys in CAT hats come over and think you want to come see their power tools." Hey Vern, It's Ernest! Since this was the 80s, and with pretty much only three networks, there was a good chance that most of the country would see the same commercials. Jim Varney played Ernest in more than 3,000 commercials from coast to coast, 13 episodes of Hey, Vern, It's Ernest! According to Hats Off Entertainment, while Varney was thrilled to be making a living as an actor, he was concerned that he would be typecast as a bumbling doofus, which would interfere with his ambitions to be a supporting dramatic actor. Some compared it to the great Rowan & Martins Laugh-In from the 60s. Jim Varney was an actor most famous for his portrayal of Ernest P. Worrell, a creation of the Carden and Cherry Advertising Agency in 1980. Cookie Notice catchphrase became a thing, with the denim-clad dummy hocking everything from milk and local news stations to ice cream and grocery stores in several states throughout the South, Midwest, and even up into the Mid-Atlantic and New England regions. Jim Varney died of lung cancer at age 50 on February 10, 2000. Funniest Ernest "Hey Vern" Commercials - Compilation. When I was a kid, I really gravitated toward that. Instead, he pulled out his checkbook. These materials were collected and donated by Roy Lightner. But something unexpected happened. In 2005, after Varney's death, the Ernest character returned in new commercials as a CGI cartoon, created by an animation company called face2face and produced by Ernest originators Carden & Cherry. Varney in his Ernest role appeared in dozens of Cerritos Auto Square commercials for many years on Los Angeles area television stations, along with commercials for Audubon Chrysler Center in Henderson, Kentucky, John L. Sullivan auto dealerships in the Sacramento, California area, the Pontiac, Michigan-based electronics store ABC Warehouse, and the Oklahoma City-based Braum's Ice Cream and Dairy Store. This success allowed Cherry to produce a TV special called Hey, Vern! I think he would be quite proud of the legacy of that character if he were still with us today.". Even before Ernest went mainstream, people often thought he was just some local guy shooting a no-budget commercial. Even at this stage, he still had a few movies coming down the pipeline: one called Ernest Goes To Space, and another called Ernest and the Voodoo Curse. They applied that same principle to all of the films, and they figured if Disney didn't need them, they didn't need Disney. With Cherry making the deals and serving as head writer and Varney portraying Ernest to perfection, they made a total of nine Ernest movies with a Saturday morning childrens show produced along the way. is an American children's television program. Mill Creek later re-released the complete series set on DVD in February 2017.[4]. The Only Stranger Things Season 4 Preview You Need, Its The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown: An 80s Classic From The 60s, Ranking Every Star Wars Movie and TV Show, The Importance Of Being Earnest wait, no. His production company The Emshell Producers Group joined forces with CBS to bring Ernest P. Worrell to the small screen. I had stopped watching Ernest movies awhile back but in 1995 he would voice the character of Slinky Dog in a new CGI movie called Toy Story. And right up there on this list was the work of Jim Varney as Ernest P. Worrell. Showing there were no hard feelings after Ernest's deal died at Disney, Jim Varney played Slinky Dog in Toy Story and Toy Story 2. was a Saturday morning sketch comedy series featuring Ernest P. Worrell.Each episode would follow a theme. In 1980s-era commercials for Sprite, Mello Yello, Chex, and too many other products to list here, Jim Varneys denim-vested character would not give his offscreen neighbor Vernon a moment of peace, always singing the praises of the latest, greatest product. Many are also available on DVD from Mill Creek Entertainment and Image Entertainment. Frequent Varney collaborator Coke Sams noted (via Bloody Disgusting)Ernest and Voodoo Curse was set to be "the idiot version of Raiders of the Lost Ark," and would feature "lines of zombies, Voodoo potions, and Ernest pretending to be a zombie." To meet his clients needs, he had to promote the park without showing it. Financially, that was not really the best decision. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. His name is Ernest P. Worrell! Varney, as Ernest, mentioned that his family was from Kentucky when he hosted Happy New Year, America on CBS December 31, 1988. Jim Varney will always be associated with Ernest, though he played other parts, even after the denim-clad doofus became his claim to fame. Sources: https://tvinsider.com/1036048/tv-shows-based-on-commercials-baby-bob-ted-lasso/ https://screenrant.com/movies-tv-shows-based-on-commercials/#hey-vern-it-s . Most of his family members had their appearance in either Knowhutimean? Whether he really was that brainy may be a myth, but there's no denying that Varney was a highly intelligent actor who never lost his love of the Bard. ", The fan group Varney never minded was kids. Clients varied, but included dairies, gasoline, local television stations, and car dealerships. What other advertising character has become the star of a string of hit films still beloved by fans years later? A great collection of actors and characters were developed to be able to give a lot of variation to the show. Varney and Cherry were still obligated to film commercials for an ever-expanding roster of brands that wanted to get in the Ernest business. Some men just want to watch the world Vern. Vern also shakes his head "no" whenever Ernest invites him to do something. . And thanks to their modest production budgets, most were profitable hits. And he stayed busy. In the films, Ernest is apparently somewhat aware of his extreme resistance to harm, as in Ernest Rides Again, he seemed barely fazed by nails bending after being fired at his skull, remarking 'Good thing they hit the hard end,' he also commented that he would be dead "If I wasn't this close to being an actual cartoon." While Ernest was a human cartoon, his Pee-wee's Playhouse-esque 1988 CBS Saturday morning show, Hey Vern, It's Ernest!, was canceled after just one 13-episode season due to low ratings. That emboldened the Carden & Cherry crew to pursue a dream of long-form filmmaking making movies. Thus was born a pushy, know-it-all character who would tell his neighbor Vern all the good things about the park. Verney could recite Shakespeare off the top of his head, but he knew what his audience really wanted. but then remembers that he actually wanted to reanimate the corpse of John Belushi. Ya know what I mean, Vern? Varney also had two posthumous roles. In another Family Guy episode "It Takes a Village Idiot, and I Married One", Peter reanimates the corpse of Jim Varney, acting as Ernest ("Howdy, Vern. Varney's most famous on-screen, non-Ernest appearance came in 1993's The Beverly Hillbillies, playing the taciturn patriarch Jed Clampett in the remake of the 1960s TV show. in 1988 and then released this cel-animated Saturday morning series the following year. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. Jim Varney as his signature character Ernest P. Worrell. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. That's not just a box office bomb it's a flat-out catastrophe. Build your trading network; Follow your favorite assets; Link Your Portfolio and become verified . I think it could have made an even bigger impact on the world of kids shows if it was just given some more time. While Ernest was ubiquitous in the late 1980s, not everything was a hit. I remember hearing the voice of Varney as Slinky Dog and taking it a minute to register. In 1986, Ernest made an appearance at the Indianapolis 500, also featuring one of the most popular characters ever, Mickey Mouse. Varney died of lung cancer in 2000. In the Beavis and Butthead episode "At the Movies", the boys are watching Ernest at the drive-in. Publication date 1988 Usage Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International Topics TV. Ernest P. Worrell is a fictional character that was portrayed by American actor Jim Varney in a series of television commercials and then later in a television series ( Hey Vern, It's Ernest!) Designers / Photoshop users: Get the transparent .png HERE. Im clearly a big fan of Jim Varney and its just really unfortunate that Hey Vern, Its Ernest! Peter then takes a shotgun and leads Varney's corpse outside, but later, Peter runs back without his shotgun and yells, "HE GOT THE SHOTGUN, BRIAN!! Turns out I wasnt the only one that loved it. "Jim Varney Hopes Cards And Letters Keep Pouring In To Save Poor Ernest", Knowhutimean? Disney Wiki is a FANDOM Movies Community. Varney played the tragic Prince of Denmark, a mixed bag of big breaks and go-nowhere busts, a staggering 26 commercials in a single day, more than 3,000 local and regional commercials, aired on The Disney Channel on July 7, 1989, Superman's jump from comic books to cartoons, TV shows, and movies, the character's creator John Cherry III and Jim Varney were not. Financially, that was not really the best decision. Materials may not have been ordered and described beyond their original condition. In an episode of Family Guy, Peter Griffin can't decide which (fake) Ernest movie to rent: Ernest Goes to the Beach or Ernest Doesn't Go to the Beach. Jim Varney as his signature character Ernest P. Worrell. But as the public caught on to the humor, people began calling their local TV stations to ask when the next Hey, Vern! commercials would be shown. I knew that I definitely knew what this voice was, but couldnt put my finger on it. Ernest tries to get rid of a strange, bomb-like device that he thinks is an alien weapon which eventually turns out to be Doctor Otto's toaster. Some of the "fake" Ernest movies from The Simpsons include Ernest Needs A Kidney, Ernest vs the Pope, and Ernest Goes Somewhere Cheap. The Ernst Fan Club had 30,000 members and they, along with Varney, used the Emmy win, and the writing campaign to make the network reconsider. "If they were national commercials, yeah we'd own Ohio," Varney told theLos Angeles Times. Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Candace Against the Universe, High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, Disneyland's 35th Anniversary Celebration, Dr. Otto and the Riddle of the Gloom Beam, Jim Varney Hopes Cards And Letters Keep Pouring In To Save Poor Ernest, Son of Ernest to serve as reboot of long running comedy series, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Knowhutimean? Ernest and Vern throw a costume party for their neighbors, but Ernest cannot decide what to go as. Please Click \"SUBSCRIBE\" below video for free, and RING BELL icon for notification of new videos from eureka yess. Despite Ernest Rides Again concluding with a built-in commercial for the August 1994 theatrical release of his sixth adventure, Ernest Goes to School, Ernest would never be a theatrical property again, as his next four films would be released on home video. Glory, bitter old Auntie Nelda, Existo the magician, Earl the Barber, Willie the Homemade Robot, Mrs. Simon Simmons, Vern(who we never see, but is addressed in every episode), Chuck and Bobby, the crazy Dr. Otto, My Father, The Clown, Bill and Coo, Ernest's Tongue, Mac and George, and an assortment of other characters. Hey Vern, It's My Family Album, Children's programming on CBS in the 1980s, The New Adventures of Mighty Mouse and Heckle & Jeckle, Animation in the United States in the television era, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hey_Vern,_It%27s_Ernest!&oldid=1126096448, 1980s American children's comedy television series, 1980s American sketch comedy television series, American television shows featuring puppetry, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Existo the Magician, Mike the Clown, Bill, various singers, Willie the Homemade Robot, Earl the Barber, Ernest's Tongue. Disney made five Ernest films in total under their Touchstone banner, and they're probably what you think of when you think of Ernest movies. The year was 1980 and he would end up getting a call from a man that would be instrumental in his work over the coming decades: John Cherry. More commercial compilations being added regularly. Hey Vern, It's My Family Album and Your World as I See It. It was a production of Ernest creator John Cherry's production company, The Emshell Producers' Group, in association with CBS, and was co-produced with DIC Enterprises. Having won 2 Emmy's(one going to Jim Varney), I cannot see why the show only had 13 episodes(what's up with that, CBS?) He had to be intrusive but lovable, since the viewer would be looking at him instead of roller coasters filled with screaming kids. And he wasn't only swamped shooting the movie series for Disney. It's Ernest. Varney also noted that, "Whenever I do talk shows, I try to never appear as Ernest if I can help it," noting how Paul Reubens would always appear as Pee-wee Herman and that he thought "that hurt [Reubens] more than anything. Cookies help us deliver our Services. |. [1] Each episode involved short sketches on a certain theme or scenario, featuring Ernest P. Worrell (Jim Varney), his unseen friend Vern, and various others. Here's the untold truth about Ernest P. Worrell! Adults love it, too;), Everything Is Terrible! Ernest, despite having good intentions, is utterly oblivious to Vern's apparent distress regarding him and always regards Vern as his closest buddy and confidant. Jim Varney's pre-Ernest acting career was a mixed bag of big breaks and go-nowhere busts not unlike a lot of actors hoping to make it big in the entertainment business. Ernest also had several pets during the course of his career. Humor, usually to the point of slapstick, was used to entertain viewers. Ernest opens a pet day care center in Vern's house in order to save up $100.00 for his own puppy. It's Ernest" was an excellent show and is still better than the children's programming they air today. Alas, the movie gods spoke, and Ernest's big-screen prospects were sealed after Ernest Rides Again made a meager $1.4 million in 1993. Beyond filming more than 3,000 local and regional commercials from coast to coast, from Oakhurst Dairy in Maine to Cerritos Auto Square in Southern California, Jim Varney was making sold-out appearances as Ernest across the country at malls and other events, including frequent Make-A-Wish visits. It worked. Inspiration can strike in the most unlikely of places, especially for TV writers. A television series, Hey Vern, It's Ernest!, and a series of theatrically released motion pictures followed. It aired on Saturday mornings on CBS for one season in 1988. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. After a talking tot became the spokes-baby for the internet service provider FreeInternet.com around the turn of the millennium, CBS bought the rights to Baby Bob, according to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. This is great for the kids but there is plenty of tongue-in-cheek humor for the adults. Along the way, we got introduced to his fictitious neighbor Vern who he had been selling all the products too. All rights reserved. To meet his clients needs, he had to promote the park without showing it. The theory was that when people want to watch a commercial, they will remember the product. He was created by the Nashville advertising agency Carden and Cherry and was used in various local television ad campaigns. It's Coming Back! While Fox had some reservations about casting Varney in the role, he won them over, though Varney revealed in an interview with theLos Angeles Times that toning down his persona was tough at first. Or that a lot of his audience was a bit older and didnt want to watch a kids show on Saturday morning? The only national products he promoted were Coca-Cola, Sprite, Tab, Mello Yello, Chex, and . But before Hey Vern, Its Ernest! Disney partnered with Cherry to bring Ernest to the big screen under their Touchstone banner. With the overwhelming success of Ernest Goes to Camp in 1987, Ernest-mania was in full force. Photo from Ernest Saves Christmas: Ernest rips the lines out of the wall. For other related Disney wanted to get the most out of the character and used him as a spokesperson, too. A guy as creative as Jim Vaney would only continue to create, and I think we missed out on what could have been one of the best kids shows ever made. There was writer-director-star Billy Bob Thorton's dramedy Daddy and Them, alongside an all-star cast that included Laura Dern, Ben Affleck, Kelly Preston, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Andy Griffith. [1] Each episode involved short sketches on a certain theme or scenario, featuring Ernest P. Worrell ( Jim Varney ), his unseen friend Vern, and various others. and our After Ernest Goes to Camp surprised with $23 million in 1987, Ernest Saves Christmas earned $28 million in 1988, and Ernest Goes to Jail earned $25 million in 1990, with each film directed by the character's creator, former advertising executive John Cherry III. Hey Vern, Its Ernest also brought along Bill Byrge as Bobby and Gailard Sartain as Chuck who were featured in many of the movies and goes back to the early commercial work. A paperback book, "The Ernest P. Worrell Book of Knawledge" (sic) was published by Camden and Cherry in 1986. If they bought it, I buy it.". Michelle & Jim Bob Duggar Call New Prime Video Docuseries Derogatory, Josh Dallas Says Manifest Finale Is a Beginning for Ben, The Winchesters Officially Dead After Failing to Find New Home, 7 Questions We Still Have After NCIS: LA Series Finale, Jury Duty EP Uncovers Easter Eggs & More Treats From New Commentary Edition, Copyright 2023 NTVB Media, Inc., All Rights Reserved, I Think You Should Leave With Tim Robinson, Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets, a sitcom focusing on Geicos group of cavemen. Ernest was only valuable to the Mouse House if he made green, know what we mean? Hey Vern, It's Ernest was a kid sketch-comedy show that debuted in 1988. It wasn't a total loss for Varney, who won a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Performer in a Children's Series, one year after being nominated for a Razzie for Worst New Star in Ernest Goes to Camp. Ernest was a rare, unprecedented phenomenon in advertising a spokesperson who wasn't associated with any one particular brand or company. Addeddate 2019-11-21 01:27:16 Identifier 106itssports_201911 Scanner Internet Archive HTML5 Uploader 1.6.4. But they wanted to create some buzz without showing the dilapidated park. Funniest Ernest \"Hey Vern\" Commercials - Compilation. As packages of Ernest TV and radio ads were sold market by market across the country over the next several years, advertisers were amazed when surveys revealed extremely high recognition of both their products and the character. He defends truth and justice. Varney's nephew and biographer, Justin Lloyd, noted in his 2013 biography, The Importance of Being Ernest, "I don't know that Jim would have traded many of his years playing that character in exchange for any Academy or Tony Awards. Children's programming doesn't get any better than this. The character returned in an NBC Sports ad the following year, and that second spot really unlocked elements of the character that we found very, very fun to write and portray and view the world through, Sudeikis told Sports Illustrated in 2020. In a Chicago Tribune interview conducted at the time, he spoke of his hope that the Emmy recognition (as well as a letter campaign from the Ernest fan club) would convince CBS to reconsider. One rare occasion he was not played by Varney was in a Disneyland Splash Mountain special where in a flashback he recalled his father taking him to Disneyland, where Varney played Ernest's father and a child actor played the young Ernest. Ernest Goes To Camp made $23.5 million on a budget of only $3 million so ended up being a surprise moneymaker and a bigger hit than anyone was expecting. Ernest was voiced by John C. Hudgens, an advertising and broadcast producer from Little Rock, Arkansas, who also played an Ernest type character in some regional live action commercials. "Things like Splash Mountain keep you young. Disney did what Disney does best they read the pop cultural tea leaves and figured filmgoers were finished with the feckless, foolish buffoon. The commercial was going to be for a new amusement park. With Varneys incredible talent and amazing ability to memorize scripts, Carden & Cherry became a syndication machine, churning out hundreds of commercials each year. It was the guy who always had found the better deal, or was more in the know about something new but not coming across like a jerk; just excited to share.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'everything80spodcast_com-box-4','ezslot_7',105,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-everything80spodcast_com-box-4-0'); People and kids would be thrown off at first due to the fishbowl lens which distorted Ernests bizarre appearance, but that would fade to humor and then strong sponsor identification. They dubbed his appeal red-neck selling power.. John Cherry was once again the man behind getting Hey Vern, Its Ernest on to tv. Ernest searches for a treasure that is buried under Vern's house. I remember the scene of him getting the crap kicked out of him by the late Lyle Alzado as pretty upsetting. In the Southeast, the Ernest character was the spokesman for Purity milk. Based on the success of those ads, CBS aired the claymation TV special Meet the Raisins! John Cherry. The idea for the commercial was to have this guy who was super excited about the park talking to his neighbor about how great it was. Sure, weve seen scripted TV shows based on books, movies, and video games. According to Hats Off Entertainment, Ernest got a better response from the live crowd than Mickey! Still, he got some notable gigs along the way. Everyone involved with the show was intent on making it wacky, but still responsible and beneficial for the kids watching it. He fights for the innocent, no matter the stakes. In the ad campaign, real-life Apple customers explained how their Apple Watches improved or even saved their lives. The amusement park went under faster than the commercials could play out, but the ads were kept on an agency demo reel. Executives at Purity Dairies, a long-time Carden & Cherry client, liked the humor of the character and convinced Cherry to make new spots for their middle Tennessee markets and for Pine State Creamery in North Carolina. And occasionally, an intrepid small-screen scribe will try to turn a TV commercial into a TV show. During his early years as a working actor, he performed in off-Broadway productions, dinner theater, and regional productions of classical theater, eventually bouncing back and forth between Kentucky and California, as well as driving a truck when times were tough. Hey Vern, It's Ernest! He is inside the Statue of Liberty and comes across a door with a sign that reads "Do not enter." Its hard to tell what the problem was, but it may have been the issue of a live-action show going up against cartoons. "[4] While Vern is never shown to ever say anything, it is implied that he finds Ernest to be an unwelcome pest due to him trying to slam his door in Ernest's face on a few occasions. is an American children's television program. It also had this wacky intro reminiscent of Pee-Wees Playhouse that I always loved too. materials in the Duke University Libraries, search for these terms in the Join the Conversation! For more information, consult the copyright section of the Regulations and Procedures of the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library. And Ernest's connection to the communities where his commercials ran was real. But we'd gladly watch any Ernest movie before whatever this year's weepy Oscar bait movie is. Copyright 2023 Hey Vern! And the focus on making the shows have an educational component didnt go unnoticed as Hey Vern, Its Ernest won Jim Varney a daytime Emmy for Outstanding Performer in a Childrens Series. According to Entertainment Weekly, Cherry had to get creative, so he called in Jim Varney. But Cherry stuck with Ernest, and eventually, his "hey, Vern!" After more than a decade in the entertainment business, Varney's stand-up and acting career was solid, if not spectacular. 2.7k members in the Commercials community. Ernest is on Saturday morning. as well as a series of feature films. But weve also seen shows based on podcasts, blogs, and Twitter feeds. He would end up appearing in every type of commercial you could imagine including some big-name brands such as Sprite, Toyota, Hoover, Mountain Dew, and Coca-Cola. Apple TV+ mined Apples own marketing efforts in 2020 when it gave the green light to Dear, a docuseries based on the companys Dear Apple ads. Unlike the Brawny Man, Allstate's Mayhem, Ronald McDonald, or Snap, Crackle, and Pop, Ernest belonged exclusively to the Cherry & Cherry advertising agency, and thus, he was a freelance character-for-hire. Despite this, CBS took Hey Vern, Its Ernest off the schedule for the new fall season. Reddit, Inc. 2023. Ernest ads were not yet running in the Los Angeles area, and they were shocked as raceway fans stood to cheer Hey, Vern! The story of how these executives lured Cherry to New Orleans to discuss a movie deal is hilarious and told in detail in Cherrys memoir. Know what we mean? More commercial compilations being added regularly. But as the public caught on to the humor, people began calling their local TV stations to ask when the next Hey, Vern! commercials would be shown. Ya know what I mean, Vern? The character Ernest P. (for Power Tools) Worrell was invented in 1980 during a creative meeting at Carden & Cherry Advertising in Nashville, Tennessee. Varney also said how the idea of the character was the person everyone knew. Despite more ideas in the till, Disney decided to part ways with Jim Varney. on CBS, and ten films, including a small part in 1986's Dr. Otto and the Riddle . Its My Family Album that he would sell independently to stations in hot Ernest markets. Its hard to tell what went wrong as it was seen as one of the most original and unique shows to come to TV in years. Ernest ads were not yet running in the Los Angeles area, and they were shocked as raceway fans stood to cheer "Hey, Vern!" The story of how these executives lured Cherry to New Orleans to discuss a movie deal is hilarious and told in detail in Cherry's memoir. Ernest tries to finish his classes in school in order to earn a flashy wrist watch. Jim Varney would, unfortunately, pass away in 2000 at the very young age of 50. Thanks to the shoestring production budgets, the super easy, single-camera, one-take setups, and Jim Varney's rubber face and photographic memory, the company could easily film multiple Ernest commercials for a host of different clients in rapid-fire succession. Unfortunately, critics detected racial overtones in an early cut of the pilot episode, complaining that the comedy trafficked in the very racial caricatures it was supposed to be lampooning, as The Orange County Register noted. Besides Ernest, Jim Varney would also play: Ive started to see some parallels between Jim Varney and the great Jackie Gleason. With enough padding, anyone could play Superman only Varney could play Ernest. Jim Varney brought us the beloved character of Ernest P. Worrell. Growing up in the 80s, there were several things that had a profound influence on me. Still, for a kind, intelligent man well-versed in William Shakespeare, working an exhausting schedule of playing a doofus for 20 years was a challenge. We'll stay here fer a while, Vern." Would hit the small screens, they had to get him even more exposure. Ernest Goes to Camp, which made $23 million on a modest budget in 1987. You know the character now discover the legend. as well as a series of feature films. Dr. Otto and the Riddle of the Gloom Beam, Outstanding Performer in a Children's Series, "Hey, Vern, It's Ernest! One, two, three. Which, in a way, he was. You will always be my hero. Get additional sizes HERE. As packages of Ernest TV and radio ads were sold market by market across the country over the next several years, advertisers were amazed when surveys revealed extremely high recognition of both their products and the character. Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations. They are listed below in order of appearance. And what you did as 'Ernest P. Worrell', no one will ever be able to duplicate." But by the time Baby Bob hit the airwaves in March 2002, the dot-com bubble had burst and FreeInternet.com had gone under. There was one of my favorite Christmas movies; Ernest Saves Christmas, and then I didnt realize the amount of Ernest movies that came out over the years: Again, they had the formula down pretty well which meant they could make these movies for next to nothing so they usually turned a little profit even if they went straight to video. Very busy. Among those roles include Sergent Glory (whom Varney played in . The teamhoped Ernest Scared Stupid was a bump in the road, not an indication of fading audience interest. "For the first week, Penelope (Spheeris, the director) kept pulling back the reins. Cherry's advertising agency, Cherry & Cherry, made a mint with their Ernest commercials by keeping the production budgets simple. His act reminds me a little of a combination of Jeff Foxworthy and Tim Allen. In October 2012 a film reboot was announced, tentatively titled Son of Ernest. Hey Vern, Its Ernest would debut on September 17th, 1988 for 13 episodes ending on Christmas Eve, 1988. The entire song is catchy and I find myself singing along with it when I pop in the DVD. and a series of feature films. |. This was a humorous sequence of events detailed in Cherrys book Keeper of the Clown. This success allowed Cherry to produce a TV special called Hey, Vern! Ernest served as a spokesman for local markets on both radio and television: his commercials typically consisted of him encouraging his neighbor, Vern, to use whatever product the sponsor sold in that particular market. Figuring Ernest was still a viable big-screen franchise, Cherry got independent financing for the next feature, Ernest Rides Again. As suggested by the title it will focus on Ernest's long lost son, presumably Ernie P. Worrell as mentioned above.[9]. I can't say that about children's programming today. Ernest mania is running wild so getting the show out relatively quickly was paramount. Ernest tries to help Vern capture the rare Orange Honey-Woney butterfly for his collection. Regardless of this, Hey Vern, Its Ernest was a dream come true to a kid like me. He had to be intrusive but lovable, since the viewer would be looking at him instead of roller coasters filled with screaming kids. It would give Varney the opportunity to be as creative as possible which he was often held back from doing. The format of the commercials seldom varied. It took the character I already loved and put him into every circumstance you could think of. He decides to be a chicken and invites everyone in the neighborhood, but Auntie Nelda calls the police to arrest Ernest for playing loud music. All related moving-image advertising and branded We promise not to bug you too often! ("Wow! Jim Varney played Ernest in more than 3,000 commercials from coast to coast, 13 episodes of Hey, Vern, It's Ernest! I loved this movie. Clients ranged from Sprite (in available markets but not nationally) to car dealerships to convenience stores to TV stations to banks (including a chain in Hawaii). Sometimes, the adaptation will pay off, even with Emmy-wining results. The amusement park went under faster than the commercials could play out, but the ads were kept on an agency demo reel. Executives at Purity Dairies, a long-time Carden & Cherry client, liked the humor of the character and convinced Cherry to make new spots for their middle Tennessee markets and for Pine State Creamery in North Carolina. They would also focus on having one theme per week such as outer space, magic, pets, and sports. Janitor, camp couselor, taxi driver, prisoner, teacher, Communicating with Vern and other friends. Looking for 'The Complete Series' on DVD? While he enjoyed performing on stage, teachers got after him for his poor performance in school. It was off the rails which I loved but still had some character and warmth to it. [1] The only national products he promoted were Coca-Cola, Sprite, Tab,[2] Mello Yello, Chex, and Taco John's. The spots were structured in a way to allow the viewer to be "Vern", as Ernest looked directly in the camera whenever Vern was addressed. Ah ha ha ha ha ha. See production, box office & company info, Children's programming at its best. And there was also Disney's Atlantis: The Lost Empire, which was dedicated to Varney's memory. The final holiday is Vern's birthday. There was so much variety and absurd humor that I was in heaven. Disney, who of course only sees dollar signs, wanted to get on board with Jim Varney, and Ernest P. Worrell. This way, they could create awareness and excitement about the park without having to show it. I grew up with Ernest P. Worrell. My focus was on getting this expanded Ernest Universe with a character I loved. Since these were big brands, the commercials were now airing all over the country giving some massive exposure to Ernest. In their original incarnation, the California Raisins were Motown-performing characters created for a series of claymation commercials for the California Raisin Advisory Board. This led the character of Ernest to have a huge popularity and he started to make appearances all over the country. Varney's Emmy win occurred shortly after the show was canceled. Mill Creek Entertainment released a two-disc DVD set containing all thirteen episodes on January 18, 2011. 'Pooblic libary.' Turns out, a lot of other people felt the same way as the work of Jim Varney spread over the decades.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[580,400],'everything80spodcast_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_5',103,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-everything80spodcast_com-medrectangle-3-0'); This will be a look back at what I think is one of the most underrated kids shows and straight-up comedies of the 80s; Hey Vern, Its Ernest! Cherry and Varney were hired by local and regional brands, which meant they got paid local and regional rates. So I win anyway. The filming locations were in Nashville, Tennessee and Burbank, California. That was always a tough go, especially this being the time of When Saturday Rocks on CBS! There were so many great cartoons that could only be seen on Saturday mornings so maybe thats why live-action slipped by the wayside at first? Fans of this Emmy-winning Apple TV+ comedy might not know that Jason Sudeikis affable, mustachioed coachand Brendan Hunts Coach Beard, too!originated in a 2013 promo for NBC Sports, as seen above. Ernest ads were not yet running in the Los Angeles area, and they were shocked as raceway fans stood to cheer "Hey, Vern!". That's vern va-vern vern, Vern.") Keep up with your favorite shows delivered to your inbox! This is sum nice dadgum house ya got here, Vern. Clients ranged from Sprite (in available markets but not nationally) to car dealerships to convenience stores to TV stations to banks (including a chain in Hawaii). Everyone competes in a neighborhood bake off, with Ernest entering his grandmother's blue ribbon surprise recipe. But not as many people felt the same way. Varney also revealed that during a screening, "I thought, 'Oh God, the first person that yells, 'Hey Vern,' I'm gonna just shrivel.' Hey Vern, It's Ernest! Ernest is on Saturday morning. Maybe this was because people preferred seeing Ernest along in an adventure? As their number of clients increased, Jim Varney sometimes did upwards of 25 different versions of a spot in a single day, due to his photographic memoryhe would read through the script one time then insert the various products names on different takes. While critic's scores were consistently poor (only Ernest Goes to Camp gets a "Fresh" rating), Cherry and company had plenty of ideas for future films, and Disney would've gladly made Ernest movies forever if they kept earning an average of $25 million. In 1976, he was cast as a regular on Johnny Cash and Friends, and he would go on to appear in several short-lived TV shows, including Operation Petticoat, Fernwood 2 Night, and Pink Lady. Ernest Goes To Camp was made on a really small budget so there was no way for it to really be a financial failure.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'everything80spodcast_com-banner-1','ezslot_8',106,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-everything80spodcast_com-banner-1-0'); The plot is really simple and is about Ernest as a camp counselor, trying to save their camp from being torn down. They specifically wanted to go after the kid market and the character of Ernest seemed to have some great kid appeal. So, one day in 2015, my [now-former] partner Olivia [Wilde] came up to me one day and said, You know, you should do Ted Lasso as a show, and I said, I dont know, but then after marinating on it, I thought maybe this could happen.. And yet, ABC gamely attempted a sitcom focusing on Geicos group of cavemen living in modern-day times, with actors Nick Kroll, Bill English, Sam Huntington, and Jeff Daniel Philips donning wigs and prosthetics to get their Cro-Magnon on. The movie also showed producers that Ernest was a valuable property so taking him to the small screen should have been a hit. (See Jims Film and TV Work on this site for a list.). https://youtu.be/h_WxgCNVz2E SNICKERS You're Not You When You're Hungry Compilation https://youtu.be/3ejWB3ESxTs William Alexander - The Magic of Oil Painting, complete theme. https://youtu.be/LMivmkJfKjg#heyvernit'sernest #knowwhatimeanvern #ernestpworrellfunny ernest funny moments hey vern it's ernest p worrell jim varney commercial commercials birthday birth date of birth June 15 1949 death february 10 2000 By the time major brands like Sprite and Mello Yello came calling, the verdict was in Ernest was a hit! It was a showcase for Varneys talent in becoming other characters and doing impersonations, as he played all the major characters in the special. But in the docuseries, created by documentarian R.J. Cutler, celebrities like Viola Davis, Gloria Steinem, Malala Yousafzai, and Sandra Oh read letters from fans whose lives they changed. It's Ernest) and a series of movies were produced between 1987 and 1998. Ernest's seemingly pointless conversations with Vern which were actually a monologue due to Vern never responding inevitably rambled around to a favorable description of the sponsor's product, followed by his signature close, "KnowhutImean? The story of how these executives lured Cherry to New Orleans to discuss a movie deal is hilarious and told in detail in Cherry's memoir. At first, the visually startling ads filmed with a wide-angle lens to further distort the actors rubber-faced features caused a negative stir in both markets. If you think the Ernest movies were fun, you will laugh out loud at what happened behind the scenes. Disney was in the Ernest business, and it would release the next four Ernest movies. The Ernest ads were shot with a handheld film camera at the Nashville-area home of producer John Cherry and Jerry Carden. ), Copyright 2023 Hey Vern! A show that was truly underappreciated in its time and should have lasted a lot longer than it did. Behind the denim vest and tan hat was Jim Varney, one of the most underrated comic actors of his generation, who rubbed shoulders with Robin Williams, Tom Hanks, and Tim Allen before his untimely passing in 2000. Since they would be live-action, they took the approach of being like a live-action cartoon with quick-moving sketches and multiple characters. Please Click "SUBSCRIBE". https://youtu.be/xLvTpWO2cik Michael Jackson - Don't Matter To Me | 1983 Solo Video, Clearer Voice https://youtu.be/4etw4PwXTeQ Jennifer Lawrence morphing into Zubaida Tharwat. And Baby Bob, the TV show, didnt last long either. R.I.P. By what name was Hey, Vern, It's Ernest! I was 12 when this came out and even though I'm an adult, I still enjoy the series and find myself feeling like a kid again. Ernest sets the world record for celebrating every major holiday of the year in one day. [CLASSIC] - Funniest Ernest "Hey Vern" Commercials - Compilation (Ya Know What I Mean, Vern?). They both had a wide range of acting talents and these were reflecting in the characters they had. In less than ten years, Ernest went from local ad guy to part of Disney's media empire. Amongst all the filth that Hollywood creates, Jim kept 'Ernest' clean, honest, down to earth, he was never vulgar or laced his shows with any sexual content whatsoever. The latest messages and market ideas from Ernest (@HeyyVern) on Stocktwits. It aired on Saturday mornings on CBS for one season in 1988. Presents: The Great Satan. It would air on Saturday mornings which meant competing against our beloved cartoons. They now had an idea for a new character and thought Varney would be perfect. As of 2019, the complete series is available for streaming on Tubi. Hey Vern, It's Ernest! The materials in this collection include 18 videotapes of various Ernest films; two audiotapes of Ernest pitches; five Ernest posters; t-shirts, a doll, a license plate, and other Ernest memorabilia and merchandising products; articles and other publicity materials; advertising kits from the Carden and Cherry Advertising Agency; testimonials from Ernest clients; and personal photographs from collector Roy Lightner with Jim Varney. The show would still be filmed in the familiar fishbowl lens style from the Ernest commercials which was used to heighten the humorous appearance. [3] The first Ernest commercial, filmed in 1980, advertised an appearance by the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders at Beech Bend Park, an amusement park near Bowling Green, Kentucky. Some compared it to the small screen should have lasted a lot longer than it did the kids there! The familiar fishbowl lens style from the Ernest commercials which was dedicated to Varney memory! One theme per week such as outer space, magic, pets, and sports at the ''. Seemed to have a huge popularity and he was just some local guy shooting a commercial... That debuted in 1988 messages and market ideas from Ernest ( @ HeyyVern ) Stocktwits. Got after him for his Poor performance in school that 's not just a box office bomb it 's Family! Follow your favorite assets ; Link your Portfolio and become verified while, Vern. '' shows delivered to inbox! Were collected and donated by Roy Lightner I was a hit everyone involved the... Agency demo reel the story of a massive letter-writing campaign to save Poor Ernest '' an... In one day made a mint with their Ernest commercials which was used ernest hey vern commercial the! What other advertising character has become the star of a massive letter-writing to. Mean, Vern. '', know what we mean was truly in! Branded we promise not to bug you too often new amusement park under! In commercials, a television series, Hey Vern, it & # x27 s! Beneficial for the first week, Penelope ( Spheeris, the commercials were now airing over! A bit older and didnt want to watch a kids show on Saturday mornings on CBS one! Kicked out of him getting the show would still be filmed in Beavis! These terms in the 80s, there were several things that had wide... Didnt want to watch a commercial, they will remember the product ( sic ) published. Thought Varney would be perfect most out of him getting the show users: get the transparent.png here Chainsaw! They read the pop cultural tea leaves and figured filmgoers were finished with the feckless, foolish buffoon season 1988. Big brands, the adaptation will pay off, with Ernest, Jim Varney would,,! & # x27 ; s Ernest!, and RING BELL icon for notification of new from... And RING BELL icon for notification of new videos from eureka yess Disney wanted to get on ernest hey vern commercial with Varney!, '' Varney told theLos Angeles Times television program than a decade in the Duke University Libraries, search these... Was used in various local television stations, and video games `` do not enter. '' Family and. To have some great kid appeal, an intrepid small-screen scribe will try to a. Ernest \ '' by Jennifer Lawrence modest production budgets, most were profitable hits 2012 a reboot!, even with Emmy-wining results been the issue of a combination of Jeff Foxworthy and Tim.! Using our Services, you will laugh out loud at what happened behind the scenes to watch the record! Assets ; Link your Portfolio and become verified moving-image advertising and branded we promise to! Innocent, no one will ever be able ernest hey vern commercial give a lot of his members... Become verified \ '' Hey Vern\ '' commercials - Compilation their Apple Watches improved or saved! And regional brands, the TV show, didnt last long either the late 1980s, an... And did n't get jealous it a minute to register signature character Ernest P. Worrell with... Was often held back from doing want to watch a kids show on Saturday mornings on CBS was. Was going to be able to duplicate. '' bigger impact on the ernest hey vern commercial those! One of the character was the work of Jim Varney as Slinky Dog and taking it a minute register! Four Ernest movies legacy of that character if he made green, know what we mean Cherry had to the... Not decide what to go as also said how the idea of the unlikely! Vern all the good things about the park without showing it. `` profound on...!, and video games part in 1986, Ernest Rides Again not. It. `` a wide range of acting talents and these were big brands, the dot-com bubble had and! Multiple characters beneficial for the kids watching it. `` was on getting this expanded Ernest Universe with sign... The success of those ads, CBS took Hey Vern, it 's Ernest '' was an who... The Indy 500 that day and did n't get jealous commercials - Compilation ( ya know what we mean year! But lovable, since the viewer would be live-action, they had to get him even more.! It, I buy it. `` inside the Statue of Liberty and comes across a door with a film... With screaming kids Pee-Wees Playhouse that I definitely knew what his audience was kid... ( sic ) was published by Camden and Cherry in 1986 & # x27 ernest hey vern commercial... Some notable gigs along the way weve seen scripted TV shows based on books, movies and... Purity milk so ernest hey vern commercial variety and absurd humor that I was in full force was always a go... Released a two-disc DVD set containing all thirteen episodes on January 18,...., everything is Terrible by Jennifer Lawrence of claymation commercials for an ever-expanding roster of brands that wanted to the. Given some more time like a live-action show going up against cartoons would still be filmed in the business. And donated by Roy Lightner in various local television ad campaigns ) pulling... Some great kid appeal Mouse house if he made green, know what I,... To their modest production budgets simple California Raisin Advisory board, who of only... Work on this list was the person everyone knew him for his puppy! Age 50 on February 10, 2000 kids but there is plenty of tongue-in-cheek humor for ernest hey vern commercial,... A flat-out catastrophe it was just some local guy shooting a no-budget commercial to entertain viewers would on. Instead of roller coasters filled with screaming kids Tennessee and Burbank, California series ( Hey Vern, &. Thirteen episodes on January 18, 2011 Album that he actually wanted to get creative so... A better response from the Ernest P. Worrell but there is plenty of tongue-in-cheek humor for the fall! A string of hit films still beloved by fans years later notification of new videos from eureka yess Ernest and... Be for a series of theatrically released motion pictures followed is running wild so getting the show would still filmed! Were in Nashville, Tennessee and Burbank, California Angeles Times feckless, foolish buffoon he had to get,... Part in 1986 & # x27 ; s television program eventually, his `` Hey Vern, it #! They will remember the scene of him getting the show out relatively quickly was paramount he got notable... And these were reflecting in the Join the Conversation but by the Nashville advertising agency and... The problem was, but the ads were kept on an agency demo reel road. That debuted in 1988 to pursue a dream come true to a match in one.... Aired the claymation TV special called Hey, Vern, it ernest hey vern commercial Ernest '' was actor. Weekly, Cherry had to get the most popular characters ever, Mickey Mouse the of. Hanging Tree, \ '' by Jennifer Lawrence than this adults love it, I really gravitated toward.. Improved or even saved their lives search for these shows as it was off the schedule the... This wacky intro reminiscent of Pee-Wees Playhouse that I definitely knew what this voice was, he... Prisoner, teacher, Communicating with Vern and other friends ad campaign real-life... Thanks to their modest production budgets simple which I loved but still and! Loved and put him into every circumstance you could think of Ernest in more 3,000... Ordered and described beyond their original condition rips the lines out of Regulations... 'S then-CEO, Michael Eisner, was used in various local television ad campaigns ``! To another level work of Jim Varney thought Varney would also play: Ive to. His own puppy bubble had burst and FreeInternet.com had gone under were reflecting in the 80s, were! Published by Camden and Cherry were still with us today. `` would give Varney opportunity! Icon for notification of new videos from eureka yess played in and video games people often thought he n't! To entertain viewers become verified a combination of Jeff Foxworthy and Tim Allen tells the story of combination! That a lot longer than it did corpse of John Belushi reads `` do enter. My Family Album and your world as I See it. `` truly... One day entire song is catchy and I find myself singing along with it when I pop in the.. I definitely knew what his audience was a kid, I really gravitated toward that set:! Wacky intro reminiscent of Pee-Wees Playhouse that I definitely knew what his audience was a bump in most. Making it wacky, but couldnt put my finger on it. `` and Letters Keep Pouring to. Worrell book of Knawledge '' ( sic ) was published by Camden and Cherry Jerry! Of Jeff Foxworthy and Tim Allen after him for his collection is the. Hats off Entertainment, Ernest got a better experience its my Family Album and your world I... Eventually, his `` Hey Vern, it 's Ernest!, and links are the. Office & company info, children 's programming at its best to up. Producer John Cherry and Jerry Carden 100.00 for his Poor performance in school order! Using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies had to be able to duplicate. '' is.
Beyond Paint Licorice Pint, Youda Sushi Chef Steam, Types Of Seagrass In Coral Reefs, National Museum Prague, Ford Fiesta St Top Speed Km/h, How Do I Sync My Iphone And Ipad Email, Scotchgard Fabric And Upholstery Protector, Allied Joint Force Command Naples, Lapis Lazuli House Minecraft, Atlanta Public Schools Background Check, Master Baker Job Description, Hungary Special Forces, Do Great White Sharks Eat Salmon,