Buddy Ebsen began as a dancer in the late 1920s in a Broadway chorus. He later formed a vaudeville act with his sister Vilma Ebsen, which also appeared on Broadway. In 1935 he and his sister came to Hollywood, where they were signed for the first of MGM's Eleanor Powell movies, Broadway Melody of 1936. Vilma retired from stage and screen shortly after this, while Buddy starred in two further MGM movies with Powell. His dancing partners were 'Frances Langford' in Born to Dance and Judy Garland in Broadway Melody of 1938 -- they were a little bit taller than Shirley Temple, with whom he danced in Captain January. MGM head Louis B. Mayer offered him an exclusive contract in 1938, but Ebsen turned it down. In spite of Mayer's warning that he would never get a job in Hollywood again, he was offered the role of the scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz. Ebsen agreed to change roles with Ray Bolger, who was cast as the Tin Man. Ebsen became ill from the silver make-up, however, and was replaced in the role by Jack Haley. Ebsen returned to stage, making only a few pictures before he got a role in the Disney production of Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier. After this, he became a straight actor, and later won more fame in his own hit series, The Beverly Hillbillies and Barnaby Jones.
First wife, Ruth, was Walter Winchell's original Girl Friday. Father of Bonnie Ebsen, Kiki Ebsen and Alix Ebsen. One chorus of "We're Off to See the Wizard" in The Wizard of Oz and its soundtrack album retain Ebsen's original vocals as the Tin Man, recorded before he was forced to leave the production due to health problems. In the 1930s, Disney animators filmed him dancing in front of a grid to "choreograph" Mickey Mouse's dance steps in the "Silly Symphony" cartoons. Attended Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida shortly before starting his film career. Had surgery on June 10, 1998 to repair an aortic valve in his heart. Has become a best-selling author at the age of 93. [2001] Originally cast as the Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz, Buddy was hospitalized as a result of inhaling aluminium powder used as part of his make-up. Because of the prolonged hospitalization, he was replaced by Jack Haley (whose make-up used pre-mixed aluminium dust), and his 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 The Wizard of Oz. An outspoken Republican, he helped defeat Nancy Kulp, his co-star in The Beverly Hillbillies, in her congressional bid, in which she ran as a Democrat. Ebsen made a radio ad that accused Kulp of being too "liberal" and not good for the district. The two did not speak for years after the incident. After seeing Ebsen in Breakfast at Tiffany's, the creator of The Beverly Hillbillies 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. 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 Georgie Russel, Davy Crockett's sidekick, in Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier. Wanted to become a doctor, he took premedical courses at Rollins College and the University of Florida, but his mother pushed him into showbusiness. Director Norman Foster first recommended Ebsen to Walt Disney to play Davy Crockett, and Disney was "half sold" on the idea. Then he saw Fess Parker in the sci-fi film Them! 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, Georgie Russel. The part helped to turn his career around and was instrumental in Ebsen's getting the part of the equally equally grizzled and popular Jed Clampett character. His father owned a dance studio, and when Ebsen was a young boy insisted that he take dance lessons. One of his last roles was a gag cameo in The Beverly Hillbillies in which Jim Varney played Jed. Ebsen showed up as Barnaby Jones. 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, entitled "Kelly's Quest ." 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. Was inducted into the DeMolay Hall of Fame on June 21st, 1996. Is the last survivor of 'The Wizard of Oz' Brother of Vilma Ebsen Appeared in three musical film extravaganzas starring tap great Eleanor Powell. Taught Judy Garland the shim-sham shimmy while he was at MGM. In the last two years of his life, he recorded his first CD in which he sang some of his own songs. Set up the Ebsen School of Dance in Pacific Palisades, California. When Buddy was young, his father, a physical fitness advocate, taught dance in West Palm Beach, Floria. This is where Buddy and younger sister Vilma learned their craft and appeared in local and school productions. Had four sisters - Helga, Norma, Vilma and Leslie. He was the middle child. He and sister Vilma Ebsen performed in vaudeville doing variations on the same theme -- with Vilma playing a dancing instructor who teaches the seemingly uncoordinated country doofas Buddy how to dance. A vaudeville showstopper in such shows as "Whoopee!," "Flying Colors" and "The Ziegfeld Follies of 1934," they were known for a time as "The Baby Astaires." His film career was ruined by Louis B. Mayer when Ebsen refused to sign an MGM contract that would "own" him to the studio.