Gailard Sartain, ‘Hee Haw’ Star, Dies At 81
- Gailard Sartain, an actor, comedian, and artist who was a Tulsa native born on September 18, 1943, passed away on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, at his home in Tulsa after a prolonged illness.
- He started his career as a cameraman at a Tulsa TV station and developed a late-night comedy program before being discovered in 1972 and cast as a regular on the country music variety show Hee Haw.
- Sartain appeared on Hee Haw for 20 seasons, portrayed Jerry 'The Big Bopper' Richardson in the 1978 film The Buddy Holly Story, and acted in films like Mississippi Burning and The Outsiders.
- In 2017, he explained that being repeatedly cast as a barefooted hillbilly was limiting, so he welcomed chances to take on different characters to showcase his versatility.
- Sartain’s passing represents the loss of a veteran actor and comedian known for his portrayals of Southern everyman roles, who made a lasting impact on both television and film throughout many years.
20 Articles
20 Articles
Gailard Sartain, Star of 'Hee Haw' and 'Ernest' Movies, Dies at 81
The Oklahoma native broke out in TV variety shows before starring in ‘Mississippi Burning,’ ‘Fried Green Tomatoes’ and moreAlamy Gailard Sartain in 1989NEED TO KNOWGailard Sartain, star of the big and small screens, has diedOutlets report he died of natural causes in his Tulsa, Okla., hometown at age 81His wife, Mary Jo Sartain, told The Hollywood Reporter that the actor “died of silliness”Gailard Sartain, a longtime star of stage and screen, di…
‘Hee Haw’ actor Gailard Sartain dead at 81
"Hee Haw" star Gailard Sartain has died. He was 81.The actor, who also appeared in "Mississippi Burning" and "The Buddy Holly Story," passed away from natural causes at his home on Thursday, his wife Mary Jo Sartain confirmed to Fox News Digital."Everyone has a Gailard story that they tell with a smile. Keep telling his stories," Mary, his wife of 36 years, said.LORETTA SWIT, STAR OF 'M*A*S*H,' DEAD AT 87Sartain joined the "Hee Haw" cast in 1972…
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