Actor Jim Varney has died of lung cancer at his home in White House, Tennessee at the age of 50.

Varney portrayed the rubbernecked rube "Ernest" in a series of movies and hundreds of TV commercials.

In the commercials, he got his fingers slammed in a house window, fell off a ladder and got electrically shocked fooling with a broken TV set. He plugged a variety of sponsors, including dairy products, car dealerships, pizza and radio stations.

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He said in 1984, "Ernest is a neighbor or relative that we've all had at one time. He's abrasive, but he doesn't mean to be. He gets excited and ends up standing on your toes. I try to make him clownish and I don't want him too low key; and he's physically funny."

"It's been my biggest sounding board. I've grown to know him well."

He laughed when asked if he's anything like Ernest.

"Am I a bozo? I'm not abrasive. But yes, I guess I am a bozo."

Varney, born and raised in Lexington, Ky., first gained attention as a standup comic, performing at The Comedy Store in Los Angeles.

Varney told reporters he suffered from depression much of his adult life.

A memorial service will be scheduled in Nashville and Varney will be buried in his hometown of Lexington.

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