Jim Varney’s rubber-faced Ernest can be exhausting, though the optimism matters. We prefer him as Slinky Dog in the first two Toy Story films, where his Southern-accented voice makes loyalty sound ordinary and reassuring.
Fi1m perspective
Jim Varney’s Ernest P. Worrell speaks straight to the camera, as though familiarity were reason enough to keep talking. The rubber-faced mugging can wear us down, but the character’s optimism gives us a reason to stay with him. Ernest is bumbling and well intentioned, and Varney commits to the physical comedy without seeming embarrassed by its breadth. The effort is considerable; the trouble comes when another pulled face is all the joke has left.
Ernest came out of regional commercials from 1980, reaching features with Ernest Goes to Camp (1987). Varney’s collaborations with director, writer and producer John R. Cherry III ran to nine films, while Ernest Goes to Jail (1990) let him play both hero and villain. The Beverly Hillbillies (1993) gave him Jed Clampett, a leading role outside the Ernest persona. The more useful change came with voice work, which let him be funny without having to supply so much to look at.
In Toy Story (1995), his Southern-accented voice gives Slinky Dog a warmth that suits John Lasseter’s comedy. Tom Hanks and Tim Allen supply the quarrelling; Varney’s loyal dog is someone we are glad to have nearby. His contribution is modest, and it benefits from a tightly made film that makes awkward characters worth caring about. Randy Newman’s music sometimes presses the feeling too hard; Varney sounds reassuring without asking for much attention.
We were moved by Toy Story 2 (1999), because the toys’ fear of being forgotten makes their companionship feel necessary. Slinky’s loyalty matters in that setting, and Varney’s reassuring delivery helps without making the character solemn. A few action passages feel dutiful, though they do not diminish the pleasure of returning to this company. The contrast with Ernest is useful: we can hear the warmth without having to watch another face being pulled. Start with these two films, and approach Ernest only if broad physical comedy is already part of the attraction.
Biography
Jim Varney was an American actor and comedian. He voiced Slinky Dog in the animated films Toy Story (1995) and Toy Story 2 (1999).
Varney was best known for creating and playing the character Ernest P. Worrell in a series of television commercials and films, including Ernest Goes to Camp (1987), Ernest Saves Christmas (1988) and Ernest Scared Stupid (1991). He also appeared as Jed Clampett in the 1993 film adaptation of The Beverly Hillbillies.
Born in Lexington, Kentucky, Varney began performing in theatre as a teenager. He died in 2000.
