American actor and evangelist Tom Lester died from complications of Parkinson’s disease on Monday in Nashville, Tennessee, according to an obituary from Memory Chapel Funeral Homes. He was 81.
Lester, a Mississippi native, is best known for his role in the American television series “Green Acres,” in which where he played the smart-aleck farmhand Eb Dawson.
Lester was born on Sept. 23, 1938 in Mississippi. He spent his early days at his grandfather’s farm, dreaming of becoming a Hollywood actor. But many people in his community had doubts about his dreams, he told radio outlet Faith Forward.
“I told them I was going out to Hollywood to become an actor and they all said, ‘You’re crazy,'” Lester told the outlet. “‘You’ll never be able to do that. You’re too tall, too skinny, too ugly. You’ve got a Southern accent and you’ll never make it in the motion picture business. You don’t look like Rock Hudson.'”
Because so many in his community kept berating him, he decided to finish his studies at the University of Mississippi, later working for a few years before talking more with his parents about his dream of becoming an actor.
“I might not make it, but at least I’m going to try,” Lester said. “And I would’ve rather gone out there and tried and failed than to never have gone out there at all.”
Shortly after moving to Hollywood, Lester did not immediately land an acting role. The Christian actor—who later traveled the nation preaching a message of faith and obedience—first landed a few regular jobs at a church for an income.
After some time, he met actress Lurene Tuttle, who became his friend and mentor. He had a few small roles in theater before landing an audition for the role in the “Green Acres” series in 1965.
Because of his real life experience as a farmhand at his grandfather’s farm, he beat out 400 other competitors at the audition because he was the only actor who could actually milk a cow, Fox News reported.
Lester appeared in nearly every “Green Acres” episode between 1965 and 1971. The show was canceled in 1971 due to CBS’s “rural purge,” according to Wikipedia. During the time he starred in “Green Acres”, he also appeared in the two related series “Petticoat Junction” and “Beverly Hillbillies.”
After the “rural purge” and the end of “Green Acres,” Lester appeared in two animal movies, “Benji” in 1974 and “Gordy” in 1994. He also had a role in the popular TV series “Little House.”
Lester was the last surviving regular “Green Acres” cast member after Mary Grace Canfield, who portrayed Ralph Monroe, died on Feb. 15, 2014. Canfield appeared in some 40 “Green Acres” episodes.
In 1997, he was a recipient of the Mississippi’s “Wildlife Farmer of the Year” award at his own farm in the state.
Lester was remembered on social media by many of his fans.
“One of the funniest characters in television history has died tonight,” Jeff Hullinger wrote on Twitter, adding pictures from the actor.
“Sad to hear about the passing of Tom Lester,” a fan with the name WallyWingert wrote on Twitter. “Eb was always a favorite of mine in ‘Green Acres.'”
According to his obituary, there will be a graveside service attended by family and close friends in Mississippi on April 24 around noontime.
Lester is survived by his brother, two great-nieces, and one great-great niece.