JIM VARNEY (Slinky Dog‚Ñ¢) provides the down-home country drawl for a collapsible canine slinky toy.
He began entertaining at a young age because his remarkable ability to memorize poems and entire passages from books delighted his family. It was not surprise when just prior to graduating high school, Varney was offered an acting apprenticeship by the prestigious Barter Theater, a nationally acclaimed professional company whose former players included Helen Hayes, the Barrymores and Gregory Peck. He did later earn his G.E.D. though. At age 18 he left for New York City to seek fame and fortune, and spent time performing stand-up comedy at clubs and playing a variety of featured roles in dinner theater productions.
In the early 1970s, he auditioned for a local commercial and won the part of "Sgt. Glory," a character created by the Nashville-based Carden & Cherry Advertising Agency. The series of commercials that followed proved to be extraordinarily popular and ran for almost five years in Tennessee. Varney continued to pitch spots and work the comedy club circuit. Then in 1980 he got another call from Carden & Cherry Advertising. This time they wanted him for a new character -- Ernest P. (for Powertool) Worrell. The public's response to this characterization was immediate and positive. Before long, Ernest became a pitchman for everything from dairy products, soft drinks and car dealerships.
His major motion picture breakthrough came in 1987 when he starred in Touchstone Pictures' "Ernest Goes to Camp." He went on to star in the successful sequels, "Ernest Saves Christmas," "Ernest Goes to Jail," and "Ernest Scared Stupid."
Varney also has an Emmy Award for his television series "Hey Vern, It's Ernest!" In 1992 the Tennessee State Senate honored Varney for his outstanding contributions to the State, particularly to children's charities.
He divides his time between commercials, television and motion picture assignments. He lives on a large farm in Whitehouse, Tennessee.
