Junior Samples, the beloved Hee Haw comedian known for his used car salesman skits and the famous BR549 phone number, died of a massive heart attack at his home in Georgia on November 13, 1983. He was 57 years old. The man who became one of America’s most recognizable television faces over 14 seasons never trained as an actor. He couldn’t read cue cards and often stumbled over his lines, yet audiences embraced his genuine, unpolished charm every Saturday night.
Born Alvin Samples Jr. on April 10, 1926, in Cumming, Georgia, he grew up in a working-class family during the Great Depression. He dropped out of school in the sixth grade and spent his first 40 years far from the spotlight, working as a carpenter, sawmill worker, and part-time stock car racer. He married Grace Carrie Bolton, and together they raised six children in Forsyth County.
Junior was known among his neighbors as a natural storyteller, a gift that changed his life in 1966. He told an absurdly funny tale on a local radio station about catching a world-record bass in Lake Lanier. The story was so entertaining it was released as a novelty record called “The World’s Biggest Whopper. ”
The recording reached Nashville producers searching for authentic talent.
When Hee Haw premiered in 1969, Junior was cast as himself—a lovable, slow-talking country man—and quickly became the show’s breakout star. His most iconic role placed him in front of a beat-up car holding a hand-painted sign that read “BR549. ” He often forgot his lines or stared at the camera in confusion before breaking into an infectious laugh. Producers realized he was funnier when he failed than when he succeeded.
Despite his fame, Junior stayed a country boy at heart. He used his earnings to build a modest home in his hometown, finishing much of the work with his own carpentry skills and even writing “Hee Haw” into the concrete of the carport. His health declined over the years as his weight periodically approached 400 pounds. Friends noted he often seemed tired between tapings, and the pressure of maintaining a public persona while dealing with failing health weighed on him.
Those who knew him described Junior as a super sweet gentleman behind his massive frame and boisterous laugh. After his death, he was buried at Sawnee View Gardens Mausoleum in his hometown, wearing his favorite pair of overalls. His headstone features a carved scene of a bass boat on a lake, a tribute to the whopper that started it all.
Fans still visit his grave today, leaving tokens and remembering the man who proved that you don’t have to be perfect to be loved.