Jim Varney

An actor best known for his role as Ernest P. Worrell, a lovable knucklehead who appeared in several movies directed by John R. Cherry III. Varney was born in 1949 in Lexington, Kentucky and had an interest in acting since he was young. He began acting under his Ernest persona in 1980 and appeared in several hundred commercials in the 80's and 90's. Products pitched included Coca-Cola, Sprite, Mello Yello, as well as numerous small businesses such as Tyson's Toyota, and Purity Products. Ernest starred in his first feature film, "Ernest Goes to Camp", in 1987. Varney also did the voice for Slinky Dog in "Toy Story" and "Toy Story 2". In 1998, Varney learned he had contracted lung cancer after years of smoking. After being diagnosed, Varney threw away his cigarettes and began starting treatment in hopes of beating the disease. On February 10, 2000, Varney passed away after battling with the cancer for over a year. His last words were "Please leave the window open.". He was 50 years old. The movie "Atlantis: The Lost Empire" was dedicated in his memory.