The creation of Ernest P. Worrell, played by actor/comedian Jim Varney, was novel for an advertising-saturated age. The idea was that the character's creators -- John R. Cherry III, his business partner Jerry Carden, and Varney -- would farm out their pre-made mascot to whatever product or service that might want him, and Ernest would hawk their wares. He wasn't invented for any one particular business. He was invented to be a pitchman-for-hire, and the Ernest ads all followed a similar format, making the commercial spots low-budget and instantly universal. Ernest was hired by the Coca-Cola Company to sell Sprite, but would also appear in ads for local businesses like the Cerrito Auto Square. Ernest was very, very popular.
Eventually, the Ernest ads became so huge and ubiquitous that the character began to bleed over into feature films and TV shows. Ernest was a media personality writ large, living...
Eventually, the Ernest ads became so huge and ubiquitous that the character began to bleed over into feature films and TV shows. Ernest was a media personality writ large, living...
- 12/17/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Just when you thought that everything from the '80s and '90s had already been rebooted and rehashed a few hundred times over by now, along comes someone to remind us that there's still at least one more property that has yet to be tapped. Believe it or not, former TV commercial personality turned movie star Ernest P. Worrell is headed back to the big screen... knowhutImean, Vern? Original creator John Cherry is bringing back the classic character that he created in the mid-'80s and then essentially ran into the ground until the death of star Jim Varney in 2000. The new movie is called Son of Ernest and will obviously star a different actor donning the denim vest. Hey, what could possibly go wrong? According to Variety, production company Ruckusfilm is bringing back Ernest with the help of screenwriter Dan Ewen, who recently wrote a potential upcoming Farrelly Brothers movie called Dear Satan.
- 10/16/2012
- by Sean
- FilmJunk
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