Gailard Sartain, “Hee Haw” Star, Dies at 81

Gailard Sartain, known for his role on “Hee Haw,” has passed away at the age of 81. The actor died at home on Thursday due to natural causes.

His wife, Mary, who was married to him for 36 years, shared, “Everyone has a story of Gerard telling a smile. Keep telling his story.”

Sartain joined the cast of “Hee Haw” in 1972, performing various characters, including Orville The Cook and Clerk Maynard, over a two-decade span. Between 1978 and 1979, he also played Willie Billy Honey in a spin-off of the show that featured stars like Lulu Roman and Kathie Lee Gifford.

In addition to his time on “Hee Haw,” Sartain had roles in nine films directed by Alan Rudolph, such as “Songwriter” and “Crisis of Extinction.”

During a 2017 interview with a local outlet, he expressed gratitude for working with Rudolph: “I enjoyed working with Rudolph because it only let me loose.” Sartain’s most notable role might have been as a racist sheriff in the acclaimed film “Mississippi Burning,” released in 1988. He mentioned the challenges of being typecast in specific roles, stating, “No one likes being typecast as a barefoot hillbilly. When I had the opportunity to do other roles, I was happy to do it.”

Born in 1943 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Sartain is survived by his wife, children Sarah, Esther, and Ben, along with a granddaughter, Chloe, and a great-grandson, Teddy.