Buddy Ebsen Books

What a wonderful way to spend an evening. I say "AN EVENING" because I found I couldn't put this compelling "How Dun it" book down. I loved watching the old Barnaby Jones TV shows and was thrilled to find this novel. I love the fact that Barnaby was brought into the present. The characters were exactly as I remembered them. The fact that JR now uses a computer and a cell phone, while Barnaby resists, is wonderful, true to character. and placed me right into the captivating tale. I recently attended a fund raiser for the choir program at Los Alamitos High School, and had the privilege of hearing Darlene Quinn and another author speak. Darlene Quinn, who finished the manuscript that Buddy Ebsen left behind, made it clear that "Sizzling Cold Case" is no ghost written book. The core story of the mega-star Lori London, how she died, who was responsible for her death, how he escaped being caught, and many of the captivating scenes were directly from Buddy Ebsen's pen. Since the manuscript was unfinished, Mrs. Quinn told us she found it necessary to add characters (mostly those from the TV episodes) and sub-plots to turn Buddy's manuscript into a novel. "Who but Buddy Ebsen could bring this charismatic character back to life," Quinn stated. I'd highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in a compelling story as well as Barnaby Jones fans, who will find this novel a real treasure--Quinn kept true to the beloved PI's character and voice.

"Sizzling Cold Case" was a nostalgic trip for me to read. It is based on the "Barnaby Jones" TV series of the 70's. Although set in present day, throughout the book I was taken back in time to a show I watched and loved. It was thoroughly enjoyable to read - which I did in just a few days. What made the book especially fun for me was the use of character so familiar and real. "Sizzling Cold Case" is a fresh new "Barnaby Jones" mystery. I recommend it for all those who watched and loved the show and for anyone else that enjoys a good mystery.

What a pleasant surprise to find out that Buddy Ebsen had left an unfinished manuscript behind for his fans to enjoy years after his passing. Barnaby Jones steps out of the past and into our lives yet again. Sizzling Cold Case: The Legend of Lori London is about an unsolved murder investigation that Barnaby's son was working on at the time of his death. Years later, still nagging Barnaby he decides to hire himself to solve it. The murder took place during the time period of the T.V. show. It brings back that Hollywood glam period of big shoulder pads and even bigger hair. Lori London was a star from that era and had all the vices that go with coming into your own in the 1970's. All the old favorites are in the book: Betty, Jedediah and Lieutenant Biddle. Ms. Quinn filled in effortlessly as if channeling Barnaby Jones' spirit. There are some good twists here. The writing is tight, chapters end on a push into the next and before you know it late into the night you've helped Barnaby solve yet another crime. Let's hope the Estate of Buddy Ebsen lets Ms. Quinn tackle another Barnaby Jones case, we miss him. Maybe the release of this book will generate enough interest to bring back Jonestalgia, leading to reruns of the series, How about TV Land or KDOC? A good read for those who miss the old days when a milk-swilling senior citizen could catch the bad guy without gratuitous violence and morgue close-ups.

This nostalgic trip down memory lane will keep you entertained until the Barnaby Jones televsion show is finally released on DVD. Actually, it was kind of nice to revisit an old friend...lots of happy memories watching the TV show with my Grandmother who could pull Schlitz beer bottle caps off with her teeth and spit it out with accuracy into the Charles Chips tin she used as a trash can and kept next to her old black & white Zenith.

What a wonderful journey down memory lane! Barnaby sprang to life on each and every page. The reader is taken on a thrilling ride back to visit the warm and wonderful characters of the Barnaby Jones TV series--one that ran for eight full seasons. Too many, Buddy Ebsen and Barnaby are one and the same, so it is no surprise that the dialogue and action are true to character. However, Buddy and/or his co-author did a great deal of research on the compelling subplots as they are not only informative but one hundred percent actuate. The trip to Crescent City's notorious Pelican Bay Prison and the meeting with the man who murdered Barnaby's own son in cold blood was vivid. The TV series opened with the murder of Barnaby's son, so it is quite fitting that this man resurface. I also enjoyed the opposing slant on stem cell research, and the unique way that Lori London died. I checked it out and found the authors did not overlook a single detail (neither the auto mechanics or drug detail.) Pick up this whodunit today, but don't begin reading too late in the evening or you will surely miss your bedtime.

This Book is a nicely done Autobiography of Buddy Ebsen for whom most of us know him as Jed Clampett of the Beverly Hillbillies.Hopefully someday in the not so distant future, there should be a much waited video biography of his life and rich entertainment career,so spread the word!!Also,Where is the Max Baer(Jethro) Autobiography?It's been long overdue and we're all anxiously waiting!!

I feel that Buddy could have gone more indepth on several occasions. That is why I rate this book a "4" star. Overall, the book is very good in that Buddy shares a lot of the frustrations of the happenings behind the scenes. Tells of his start in show business with his sister, to his alergic reaction to the costume of the Tin Man in "The Wizard of Oz", to his role in the Beverly Hillbillies, and beyond. Very interesting reading.

I had to pick a book for school that was on an American autobiography. I decided to pick Buddie Ebsen. When I was younger I loved the wizard of oz. I never knew he was suppose to be the original tin man. His book made me laugh and really think about the real life of Hollywood. Buddie seems to be an awesome actor and man. My favorite movie he made was Davy Crocket. I would recommend his book to all ages young and old. I really enjoyed his book.

we all love buddy ebsen from the hillbillies and this book is just plain funny. first of all he didnt proff read it so i love the mistakes in the book. you will just laugh at how horribly this old man writes. hes a crazy old man and you will laugh guarenteed

When I started reading this book, I did so only because Buddy Ebsen is my most very favorite actor of all time. I was though very, very happy to learn that Mr. Ebsen is also a great writer! I'm not sure what book the other reviewers read, but I love, love, loved it!! Go Buddy!

To stage this romantic novel around a plain-Jane stagehand tomboy electrician is a clever concept, rather than revisiting the once-too-often treaded tale of a "movie star" and her numerous Hollywood love affairs, however some of the scenarios that develop in "Kelly's Quest" are just too cliche and unbelievable. The story is formulaic and lacks any unforseeable twists. Character development is very weak.
Above all, the grammar is atrocious and inexcusable. McCowley Cawlkin? (Did he mean Macaulay Culkin?). A thorough proof reading would have made this novel much easier to digest. One specific individual's name is mis-spelled twice within three pages.
Some of the feminine acts undertaken by Kelly, a rough-and-tumble electrician, are completely out of chronological and behavioral context with a millenial girl in the year 2000: Mr Ebsen might draw inspiration from a time gone by, but Kelly would never spot a handsome guy and immediately compare him to Robert taylor. I doubt she would even be able to picture Robert Taylor. Furthermore, she would not glue on a fresh set of eyelashes while preparing to go on a date. That might have been commonplace in the 1940's, but it's just not done anymore, Mr Ebsen. Unless she was hooking, perhaps.
Finally, when Kelly tosses her cookies after watching two guys kiss, as revolting as that might be to some narrow-minded people, the act is insensitive, and simply not believable; not in this day and age. That paragraph depicts Mr Ebsen as being intolerant and beset with some "issues" himself.
Mr Ebsen was a good actor and is presently a fine painter, however I hope this is his first and last venture into authoring romance novels.