Bill Berg, who appeared as the quiet but feisty Bobby on a children’s TV show and in four of the goofy Ernest comedies starring Jim Varney, has died. He was 86 years old.
Berg died Thursday in the Nashville area, according to Share Facebook From his friend John Ward, host of The Appalachian Channel web series.
The rubber-faced Varney first appeared as Ernest P. Worrell, a dim-witted Southerner with an unseen neighbor named Vern, in local commercials for a Nashville advertising agency beginning in 1980.
Berg appeared as a gas station attendant when Varney portrayed Ernest and other characters in a horror parody. Dr. Otto and the Mystery of the Gloom Ray (1985) and on the CBS Saturday morning children’s program in 1988 Hey, Vern, I’m Ernest!Bobby was alongside Gaillard Sartain as Chuck in the film Brother.
Berg returned with Sartain as workers at the airport Ernest Saves Christmas (1988) and as clueless bank security guards in Ernest goes to prison (1990); He played Bobby with John Cadenhead as his brother Tom Ernest is scared stupid (1991); He was a brain scientist Ernest goes to school (1994). These films were financed by Disney.
“People can connect [these films] Cliched, but good family entertainment that you can take your kids and grandchildren to. “They can enjoy it and not be embarrassed by what they see on the screen.” Interview 2015 With Ward.
Varney went on to produce three more direct-to-video films for Ernst without Berg.
Berg was born in Campbell County, Tennessee, in September 1938, and was working at the city’s public library when he and Sartin starred in commercials produced by Carden and Cherry, the advertising company that produced Ernst’s ads. The two played twin brothers who don’t look alike. Chuck was talkative and Bobby never spoke.
Berg also appeared in music videos for Ray Stevens songs such as the 90s “Sitting with the dead” And he played Bobby again Billy and Bobby, the crazy duo, are on vacation (2010).
While acting, Berg kept his day job at the downtown Nashville library branch, retiring from that in 1995 after 27 years. He was very popular at conferences, autograph shows and visits by schoolchildren in his later years.
