Ernest actor Bill Byrge dead at 92: ‘Heaven gained a sweet soul’

An iconic Hollywood actor, who starred in the popular Ernest film franchise, has died aged 92.

Bill Byrge, who was best known for appearing in the series of Ernest movies, has died at 92.

His cousin, Sharon Chapman, announced the news on her Facebook page on Thursday.

“My cousin, Bill Byrge, passed away in the Nashville area today at 12pm. He was a beautiful soul who made people laugh without even trying,” she wrote.

“He was the ‘Bobby’ character in several Ernest movies with Jim Varney. I always teased him of being a ‘star’ in our family,” she continued.

Bill Byrge, best known for playing Bobby in the Ernest films. has died aged 92.

“He deserved it as raised poor, but his momma taught him love, respect, and faith which he showed to everyone,” she concluded. “Heaven gained a sweet soul today. Love you, Billy. See you soon!”

Chapman didn’t state the cause of death.

Byrge is best known for starring on the 1980s children’s Ernest franchise, which included a show and eight spin-off movies, including Ernest Goes to Jail, Ernest Goes to School and Ernest Saves Christmas.

Byrge (centre) with Ernest titular co-star Jim Varney (right).

Chapman told TMZ that Byrge was discovered walking down the sidewalk, before he got cast in 1985’s Dr. Otto and the Riddle of the Gloom Beam.

That eventually led to the Ernest franchise, which starred Jim Varney as Ernest, a happy-go-lucky handyman who frequently made mistakes but had a heart of gold. He was surrounded by recurring characters such as Bobby.

Byrge’s cousin shared the sad news on Facebook but did not reveal his cause of death. Picture: Facebook

Byrge was also in Varney’s Saturday morning show Hey Vern, It’s Ernest in the ’80s.

Born and raised in Tennessee, Byrge was a librarian at the Metro Nashville Public Library in Nashville, before he focused on acting full time in the 1990s.

During a 2021 interview on the Appalachian Channel with John Ward, he showed off his collection of hundreds of books about movie stars.

Ward described Byrge as “a little man from nowhere who has lived a big life.”

After Varney died in 2000 of lung cancer at 50, Byrge returned to work at a library, his cousin told TMZ.

Chapman described him as a religious man who treated everyone with respect.

This article originally appeared in New York Post and was reproduced with permission

Originally published as Ernest actor Bill Byrge dead at 92: ‘Heaven gained a sweet soul’