Bill Byrge, who played Bobby in the beloved Ernest franchise, has died at the age of 92 in his hometown of Nashville, Tennessee.
His cousin Sharon Chapman heartbrokenly announced the news on her Facebook page this Thursday. She did not specify a cause of death.
‘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 touchingly recalled.
‘He deserved it as raised poor, but his momma taught him love, respect, and faith which he showed to everyone,’ Chapman continued. ‘Heaven gained a sweet soul today. Love you, Billy. See you soon!’
Byrge featured on the beloved 1980s children’s TV show Hey Vern, It’s Ernest!, as well as several movies like Ernest Goes To Jail and Ernest Saves Christmas.
Bill Byrge, who played Bobby in the beloved Ernest franchise, has died at the age of 92 in his hometown of Nashville, Tennessee; pictured in Ernest Goes To Jail in 1990
Chapman revealed that Byrge died at his own home in Tennessee, which is located in his home state, where he grew up during the Great Depression.
Born in 1932, Byrge had a financially strapped upbringing as the United States grappled with the worst economic crisis in its history.
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