Actor Bill Byrge dies at age 92

If you watched any television or movies during the 1980s and/or 1990s, there's a good chance you've seen at least one instance of Jim Varney portraying Ernest P. Worrell.

While Varney passed away back in 2000, fans of the films are mourning the loss of another actor 25 years later.

Bill Byrge, who portrayed Bobby in several Ernest films, has passed away at the age of 92.

Byrge's first role opposite Varney was in 1985's Dr. Otto and the Riddle of the Gloom Beam, when he played a gas station attendant.

The chemistry worked well, and Byrge would appear as the character "Bobby" in five more Ernest projects.

Ernest Saves Christmas and Hey Vern, It's Ernest! both came out in 1988. Ernest Goes to Jail followed in 1990, Ernest Scared Stupid came in 1991, and 1994's Ernest Goes to School would be Byrge's final film role.

News of Byrge's death was verified by his cousin Sarah Chapman on Facebook.

"My cousin, Bill Byrge, passed away," she posted.

"He was a beautiful soul who made people laugh without even trying. He was the ‘Bobby’ character in several Ernest movies with Jim Varney. I always teased him of being a ‘star’ in our family. He deserved it as raised poor, but his momma taught him love, respect, and faith which he showed to everyone," she wrote.

"Billy was what some people would call an odd character. He was raised and taught about faith in God. He was taught to be respectful to women," Chapman said.

"If you met him, you liked him. He was just that type of person. He was friends with a lot of celebrities," she continued.

Chapman says that Byrge was a librarian at the time he was first connected with a producer from the Ernest movies when the producer saw Byrge "walking down the street one day."

"If you saw Billy in person, I mean, he was a little character. He was a jokester at times. Anyways, Billy just had this way about him and you obviously noticed him automatically, no matter where he was at," Chapman said. "That's how he got started in movies. And he was reluctant. He didn't want to leave his day job. He said the only way is if he could keep his day job, he would do it."

"The other thing was he didn't want to talk in the movies. He just didn't. And the producer says, with his looks and his little quirkiness and everything, he didn't have to speak," Chapman added. "That's what was funny about it. He had this way of making faces."

Fans of the Ernest movies are surely mourning the death of Bill Byrge. Rest in peace, sir!