When Allan Kayser won the role of Bubba Higgins in Mama's Family, the young actor had no idea the level of stardom the role would help him achieve. Of course, by the time Kayser had joined that cast, Mama's Family had already been on the air for a few years. Moreover, Kayser was an enormous fan of Vicki Lawrence, the star of the series. To Kayser, even auditioning with Lawrence was an honor.

"I was a fan of The Carol Burnett Show," said Kayser during an interview with The Times. "I had seen Mama's Family when it was an NBC series. I thought Vicki Lawrence was so talented. When I got to audition for the role, I was ecstatic. On the day, I auditioned with her, I couldn't believe it. I don't know how I got through it. It was the best audition I ever did."

While Bubba became a hit with younger fans, the character went through a few different iterations before they settled upon the Bubba viewers know and love.

See More

Vicki Lawrence's lost residuals from Mama's Family

"We differ most in dress," said Kayser on the differences between himself and his character. "I wear normal-looking jeans and T-shirts. At first, Bubba wore suspenders and bell bottoms. Vicki said I looked like a rodeo clown. They've kind of toned that down since."

The two men didn't just differ in appearance alone. "The character I am playing is kind of far out, not the way I am," said Kayser. "I guess 'dork' is a pretty appropriate description. Bubba's high-strung with a lot of energy. At least I have that."

Watch Mama's Family on MeTV!

Sundays at 4 & 4:30 PM

*available in most MeTV markets

 Add to Favorites  Remind Me