Junior Samples

Junior Samples, born Alvin Samples Jr. (April 10, 1926 – November 13, 1983) was an American comedian best known for his 14-year run as a cast member of the TV show Hee Haw.

Junior Samples
Samples in 1970
Background information
Birth nameAlvin Samples, Jr.
Born(1926-04-10)April 10, 1926
Cumming, Georgia
OriginCumming, Georgia, USA
DiedNovember 13, 1983(1983-11-13) (aged 57)
Cumming, Georgia
GenresCountry
Occupation(s)Comedian, Actor
InstrumentsHarmonica

Early years

A sixth grade dropout, Samples was a stock car racing driver and carpenter by trade who went on the radio at the age of 40 and told a story about catching the largest fish ever seen in his hometown. The story was a humorous tall tale, and the recording of this radio story became a best-selling novelty record, "You Shoulda Seen The One That Got Away".

Hee Haw

He was asked to become part of the 1969 cast of Hee Haw, and created a bumbling personality, often stumbling or slow-talking his way through delivery, messing up jokes, and forgetting lines. One sketch of the show he appeared in regularly was "The Culhanes of Cornfield County" in which Junior; Gordie Tapp; Grandpa Jones and Lulu Roman would sit on a sofa and engage in a comedic deadpan routine: for example on one episode each would talk about the new color TV set that had just been brought; but that they couldn't watch it-because they forgot they didn't have any electricity in the house!

His five children also appeared in episodes during the early years of the show, playing the children in the "Schoolhouse" sketches, and as themselves in quickies.

BR-549

Samples's most famous bit was as a used car salesman, inviting callers to call an older five-digit phone number, BR-549 (in the show's later years, the number was changed to BR-1Z1Z). When Hee Haw episodes were later sold to the public through a TV ad, the initial 800-number was a takeoff of Samples's comedy bit.[1] In 1993 BR5-49 was also taken as a name by an American country music band.[2]

Not many saw it on the show, but he used to have a motorcycle with training wheels. This was in the car lot sketch.

Politics

In 1974, Samples announced that he was "seriously considering" running for lieutenant governor of Georgia on a Republican Party ticket with then-Macon mayor Ronnie Thompson, who was seeking the party's gubernatorial nomination. The media at first presented Samples's announcement as a political story. However, Samples was pulling a practical joke for publicity purposes. Thompson remained in the race and was defeated in the general election by the Democrat George D. Busbee.[3]

Personal life and death

Samples was married to Grace Carrie Bolton (April 27, 1927 – July 9, 2015), and they had five children together. Grace occasionally used Bolden as her maiden name, and it was an official alias in legal documents. Junior, whose weight periodically neared four hundred pounds, was on Hee Haw for fourteen years, until he died of a heart attack at the age of 57 in 1983.[4] His funeral was officiated by close friend Rev. Douglas Collins.[5][6]

Discography

Throughout the years Samples recorded several comedy albums. Although he was known for his television appearances on Hee Haw, his recordings were often heard on radio. His first break came in 1966 with the recording of "The Whopper".[7] He was nominated for two Comedian of the Year Awards from the Country Music Awards in 1969 and 1970, and made a number of other comedy albums.[8][9][10]

  • The World of Junior Samples (1967)
  • Bull Session at Bull's Gap (1968)
  • That's a Hee Haw (1970)
  • Junior Samples and Archie Campbell (1977)

References
  1. "BR5-49; the REAL Story". Retrieved 2011-03-19.The real story of BR-549
  2. "A Prairie Home Companion from American Public Media". Retrieved 2011-03-19.BR549 The Group
  3. Moore, Buddy Kelly (1976). "Machine Gun" Ronnie Thompson: A Political Biography. Milledgeville: Georgia College and State University. pp. 89–90.
  4. "Junior Samples, TV comic, dies". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). wire services. November 14, 1983. p. 3.
  5. "Junior Samples (1926 - 1983) - Find A Grave Memorial". Retrieved 2011-03-19.Junior Samples
  6. "Junior Samples, 56, Is Dead - Regular on 'Hee Haw' Show - Obituary - NYTimes.com". The New York Times. 1983-11-14. Retrieved 2011-03-19.Obit
  7. "Junior Samples Discography at Discogs". Retrieved 2011-03-19.Discography of Junior Samples
  8. Billboard - Google Books. Retrieved 2011-03-19.Samples Nominated for Comedy Award
  9. "1969 Academy of Country Music Awards". Retrieved 2011-03-19.1969 Samples Nominated for Comedy Award
  10. "1970 Academy of Country Music Awards". Retrieved 2011-03-19.1970 Comedy nomination
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