Gailard Sartain, Beloved Actor and Comedian, Dies at 81
TULSA, Okla. – Gailard Sartain, the vivacious actor and comedian who was best known for his colorful roles on Hee Haw and in movies like Fried Green Tomatoes and Mississippi Burning, died at the age of 81. He passed away from natural causes in Tulsa, his place of birth, on Thursday, June 19th, surrounded by the memories of entertainment and laughter he had created over the years.
His wife, Mary Jo Sartain, gave the announcement a sweet and funny touch when she said that he had passed away because of “silliness” – a phrase that very appropriately reflects the life of a man whose primary aim was to make people happy.
Sartain, who was born in 1943 in Tulsa, was focused on the technical side of TV production. Initially, he was a personal videotape operator at the local channel before he moved in front of the cameras. His big break was in a local midnight television performance of The Uncanny Film Festival and Camp Meeting, in which he played the character of the bizarre wizard Dr. Mazeppa Pompazoidi with the then-unknown Gary Busey.
After being recognized by a talent scout for his wit and hilarious individuality, Sartain was soon a household name in the United States as a regular member of staff at Hee Haw, a rustic multi-genre TV show that was broadcasted for almost two decades. This position led to him being invited to appear on a multitude of other weekly shows such as The Sonny & Cher Show and Shields and Yarnell.
Not just a small-screen comedian, Sartain also became a substantial character in the film industry with a wide range of roles from The Big Bopper in The Buddy Holly Story to The Grifters, Getting Even with Dad (opposite Macaulay Culkin), and Ali. He also became part of the Ernest P. Worrell universe by co-starring in three movies with Jim Varney and providing his acting skills in the kid-friendly series Hey Vern, It’s Ernest!
He was last seen on screen in 2005’s Elizabethtown, and that was the moment Sartain decided not to return to the movie industry anymore. In his 2017 interview with the Tulsa World, he looked back on his career with much love, stating: “I came away with such wonderful memories of working with really special people, I was always a fan first.”
On top of being an actor, Sartain was an excellent visual artist. He used to work in New York as a collaborator with the famous illustrator Paul Davis and received his painting and drawing work as time passed by.
It’s unfortunate that Sartain died before any of his family members, his wife Mary Jo for 36 years, his three children – Sarah, Esther, and Ben, and also his granddaughter Chloe and great-grandson Teddy. While life for him is no more, Gailard Sartain will be remembered for his amazing legacy full of positives, for his laughter, creativity, and joy that he shared with all generations.
