Long before he gained fame as Jed Clampett, Buddy Ebsen was a renowned dancer who was on the verge of great success in the role of a lifetime- the Tin Man in MGM's classic The Wizard of Oz. The role required grueling costume fittings and the application of silver paint every morning, but it would certainly be worth it.
Unfortunately for Buddy, the silver paint made him deathly ill. MGM originally thought that he was just being a difficult actor, but realized the severity of his illness when Louis B. Mayer visited him in the critical care wing at the hospital. Mr. Ebsen's illness was hidden from the rest of the cast and the world by the studio, who told his replacement Jack Haley that he had been fired. Luckily, a different, less toxic paint was sourced and used on Mr. Haley. The studio wouldn't reveal the real reason behind Buddy Ebsen's departure until many years later.
