‘Ernest’ and ‘Hee Haw’ Legend Dead at 78: RIP to Gailard Sartain

Actor Gailard Sartain, remembered for his comedic roles in films and shows such the Ernest movies and Hee Haw, has died.

Tulsa World reported Thursday that Sartain recently passed away at the age of 78. His cause of death was not disclosed.

Sartain appeared in more than 70 film and TV projects throughout his three-decade-long career and worked alongside Hollywood greats including Robert DeNiro, Steve Martin, John Goodman, Sylvester Stallone, Shelley Duvall, Ted Danson, Christopher Reeve, and Gene Hackman, among numerous others. Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma in September 1948, the actor developed his comedy chops when he was kicked out of private school and relied on humor as a defense mechanism at his new school. He later attended the University of Tulsa and landed a job at KOTV, Tulsa’s CBS affiliate.

After getting his acting start with an uncredited part in 1975’s Nashville and later landing his first real credit as Jerry “The Big Bopper” Richardson in 1978’s The Buddy Holly Story, Sartain rose to national prominence when he appeared in Hee Haw. Although Sartain initially joined the show in 1972 as a background character, he went on to portray recurring characters like general store employee Maynard and Lulu’s Truck Stop cook Orville. He starred on the show for nearly 20 seasons, and also appeared as Rowe’s brother, Willie Billie Honey, on the spinoff Hee Haw Honeys.

Throughout the ‘70s and ‘80s, Sartain appeared in series and films including The Sonny and Cher Show, The Banana Company, Smokey and the Good Time Outlaws, and The Jerk, and eventually the Jim Varney-starring Ernest films. He first starred in the film franchise as Jake in 1987’s Ernest Goes to Camp, and went on to appear as Chuck in 1988’s Ernest Saves Christmas and 1990’s Ernest Goes to Jail, as well as the TV series Hey Vern, It’s Ernest!.

Sartain’s other credits include The Outsiders, Fried Green Tomatoes, The Replacements, The Simpsons, and Mississippi Burning. He stepped away from acting following his starring role as Charles Dean in the 2005 Orlando Bloom and Kirsten Dunst-staring dark rom-com Elizabethtown.

“I retired after that picture because I knew it was not going to ever get any better than that,” he said. “I just had a wonderful experience, and … I just wanted the last one to be a good memory.”

News of his passing sparked a wave of tributes from fans online, with The Outsiders House Museum’s X account sharing, “We’re heartbroken to hear of the passing of Gailard Sartain—beloved actor, comedian, and artist….Gailard brought warmth and heart to every role he played.”