Jim Varney role (6)
I believe the answer is:
ernest
'jim varney role' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
This is all the clue.
(Other definitions for ernest that I've seen before include "First name of . . . . . . Hemingway, American novelist" , "Author Hemmingway, and Oscar Wilde's hero" , "Name (of dramatic importance!)" , "chap" , "- Hemingway, US author" .)