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‘Ernest Scared Stupid’ Director John Cherry Has Passed Away
There are two men responsible for the creation of beloved character Ernest P. Worrell, of course including the late actor Jim Varney who memorably played Ernest on screen. But it was John R. Cherry III who created the Ernest character that Varney ended up making famous, and we’ve learned the sad news this week that Cherry has passed away at the age of 73.
The official Ernest P. Worrell Facebook page wrote over the weekend, “Unfortunately, I have some devastating news to share with you all. Our beloved John Cherry passed away this morning after a long and well-fought battle with Parkinson’s disease.”
The tribute post continues, “Buster, as his friends lovingly knew him by, was probably the most brilliant man I’ve ever met. Even as Parkinson’s began to rob him of some things, that creative mind of his was always going full-force to the best of its ability. He was kind, amazingly funny, generous and had a heart of gold. In addition to being a brilliant writer, he was also an amazing artist, a skilled fisherman, and an all-around amazing human being.”
John Cherry directed Jim Varney in Ernest movies including Ernest Goes to Camp, Ernest Saves Christmas, Ernest Goes to Jail, Ernest Rides Again, Slam Dunk Ernest, Ernest Goes to Africa, and Ernest in the Army. It was Cherry who also directed Ernest Scared Stupid, which made Ernest P. Worrell the star of his own spooky horror-comedy involving villainous trolls.
Back in 2013, John Cherry wrote Keeper of the Clown: My Life with Ernest, a book that dove deep into the creation and enduring legacy of the character he and Varney brought to life.
All of us here on BD send our deepest condolences to John Cherry’s family and friends.
We have the Jason Universe to thank for the recent return of Jason Voorhees, with the short film Sweet Revenge and Jason’s arrival in Dead by Daylight helping to bring the hockey mask-wearing horror icon back into our lives. What else is planned, you ask?
In a chat with Variety this week, Jason Universe’s Robbie Barsamian teases that everything we’ve seen up to this point is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Jason’s return.
“We’ve been busy behind the scenes laying the foundation that everyone is finally starting to see come to life, but this is just the tip of the iceberg,” Barsamian teases.
“We have a thrilling lineup of new projects that we can’t wait to share more details on soon.”
Barsamian also notes during the chat with Variety, “We want to give fans fresh takes on what they love most about Jason and continue to expand his world in authentic ways that resonate with horror fans today.” One of those expansions will take the form of the upcoming Peacock and A24 series “Crystal Lake,” which stars Linda Cardellini as Pamela Voorhees.
“The Crystal Lake TV series will take fans back in time to tell the story of how Pamela Voorhees came to be the mother of all slashers,” Barsamian tells Variety this week.
“Crystal Lake” premieres October 15 on Peacock.
Callum Vinson (“Chucky”) is playing young Jason in “Crystal Lake,” which will tell the origin story of the masked slasher who has stalked the grounds of Crystal Lake for decades.
Last year, the Jason Universe team had teased that a new movie and a new video game are top priorities for the near future. But at this time we have no updates on either front.
Stay tuned for more from the Jason Universe.
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