Ernest Goes to Splash Mountain (1989)

Everyone's favorite redneck, Ernest P Worrell, started out as a character used in local TV commercials in Nashville, Tennessee in 1980. Played masterfully by comedian Jim Varney, Ernest was a throwback to the sorts of characters that were seen in theatrical comedy shorts in films in the 1930's though the 1960's such as the Three Stooges, Abbott & Costello, and Ma & Pa Kettle. The character caught on and became so popular that he started appearing in national TV commercials. Soon Varney was making appearances as Ernest on talk shows and TV specials and, by 1983, the Ernest character was appearing in direct to video films that built his audience in the fledgling VHS rental market.

By 1985, Ernest was appearing in theatrical films and the Walt Disney Company signed Varney as Ernest to make a film. That first film, Ernest Goes to Camp (1987) was a Touchstone Pictures release and a surprise hit. Varney was signed to a 7 picture deal with Disney, although only three more films were ever made. Ernest Saves Christmas (1988) was the top grossing film of the series, having been adapted into an Ernest film from another project. It was also the first film to be show at the Disney/MGM Studios in Orlando, Florida. That same year Ernest also got his own two-time Emmy award-winning Saturday morning TV show, Hey, Vern, It's Ernest!, on CBS. Several similar characters of the time had Saturday morning TV shows as well like PeeWee Herman, Ed Grimley, and ALF.

Ernest Goes to Jail (1990) and Ernest Scared Stupid (1991) proved to be less than popular and the Disney deal ended before Ernest & the Voodoo Curse and a space parody with the character were filmed. Ernest made one final theatrical film, Ernest Rides Again (1993.) When it too bombed there were no more Ernest theatrical films and Ernest returned to the home video market for a string of annual releases. He still remained popular to a loyal base of fans who'd been with him since his pre-Disney days.

All Ernest productions were primarily filmed in the Nashville area and included the same team from the days of the commercials until the very end. John Cherry and Coke Sams often co-write and directed the Ernest films with the same cast of character actors often appearing in many of the films. Varney took everyone up with him on his ride of success. The Ernest format usually featured Varney portraying multiple characters, many of whom were from the Worrell clan. Another feature was Ernest's best "friend," Vern, who was in the POV of the camera. Ernest was always trying to help Vern out in completing a project with disastrous results. Ernest's catchphrase was "Knowhutimean?"

In the golden age of Disney's Ernest deal, they often featured the character in their parade broadcasts and TV specials and that's where this TV special comes in. When Disneyland opened Splash Mountain in 1989, they brought in Varney to play his Ernest character as the first person to take the first test pilot plunge as a "Splashtronaut", on Disneyland's new thrill ride. Given that Ernest was a southerner and Splash Mountain is based on a property centered around southern stories it made sense to Disney synergy to marry the two.

The special aired on the Disney Channel and then on the Magical World of Disney before returning for a short run on the Disney Channel. In it, you'll see a few real life Imagineers who worked on the ride in cameos such as Bruce Gordon. The intent of this special was to get people interested in the ride and go to Disneyland. It's likely never to be seen again given all things Splash Mountain have been purged from Disney. It's great to see the ride when it first opened.

Jim Varney was a great dramatic actor who was much more than the Ernest character that made him famous but he never gave up on him. He also returned to Disney to voice two animated characters. He was Slinky Dog in the Pixar films Toy Story and Toy Story 2 and Cookie in Atlantis: the Lost Empire. Jim Varney died of lung cancer on February 10, 2000. He was only 50 years old and by all account, he was just a good decent man. He would love that people are still enjoying his work decades after he's been gone. Knowhutimean, Vern? Knowhutimean?

Original airdate July 7, 1989

Incidentally, please consider nominating Song of the South to the National Film Directory at the following link. Perhaps Ernest Goes to Splash Mountain would one day be a bonus feature on an official release. It's the only Ernest project to not have an official release.

https://www.research.net/r/national-fim-registry-nomination-form

For more information on Song of the South go here:

https://rumble.com/v4q7fjc-walt-disneys-uncle-remus-foreword-1945.html

Posted for historical purposes. This channel is not affiliated with the Walt Disney Company.