High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! James Albert "Jim" Varney, Jr. (June 15, 1949 – February 10, 2000) was an American stand-up comedian, actor, musician, writer, voice artist, and comedian, best known for his role as Ernest P. Worrell, who was used in numerous television commercial campaigns and movies in the following years, giving Varney fame worldwide and playing Jed Clampett in the 1993 movie version of The Beverly Hillbillies.