There are two men responsible for the creation of beloved character Ernest P. Worrell, of course including the late actor Jim Varney who memorably played Ernest on screen. But it was John R. Cherry III who created the Ernest character that Varney ended up making famous, and we’ve learned the sad news this week that Cherry has passed away at the age of 73.
The official Ernest P. Worrell Facebook page wrote over the weekend, “Unfortunately, I have some devastating news to share with you all. Our beloved John Cherry passed away this morning after a long and well-fought battle with Parkinson’s disease.”
The tribute post continues, “Buster, as his friends lovingly knew him by, was probably the most brilliant man I’ve ever met. Even as Parkinson’s began to rob him of some things, that creative mind of his was always going full-force to the best of its ability. He was kind, amazingly funny, generous and had a heart of gold. In addition to being a brilliant writer, he was also an amazing artist, a skilled fisherman, and an all-around amazing human being.”
John Cherry directed Jim Varney in Ernest movies including Ernest Goes to Camp, Ernest Saves Christmas, Ernest Goes to Jail, Ernest Rides Again, Slam Dunk Ernest, Ernest Goes to Africa, and Ernest in the Army. It was Cherry who also directed Ernest Scared Stupid, which made Ernest P. Worrell the star of his own spooky horror-comedy involving villainous trolls.
Back in 2013, John Cherry wrote Keeper of the Clown: My Life with Ernest, a book that dove deep into the creation and enduring legacy of the character he and Varney brought to life.
All of us here on BD send our deepest condolences to John Cherry’s family and friends.
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