Gailard Sartain's wife of 36 years encourages fans to 'keep telling his stories' after actor's death 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.
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"Hee Haw" actor Gailard Sartain has died. He was 81. (Getty Images/Everett Collection)
Sartain joined the "Hee Haw" cast in 1972. He appeared on the show for 20 years as a variety of different characters, including Orville the cook and clerk Maynard.
He also portrayed Willie Billy Honey on the spin-off, "Hee Haw Honeys," from 1978-1979. Lulu Roman, Kathie Lee Gifford and Misty Rowe also starred in the spin-off.
"Everyone has a Gailard story that they tell with a smile. Keep telling his stories."
— Mary Jo Sartain
Along with "Hee Haw," Sartain appeared in nine feature films that were directed by Alan Rudolph: "Roadie," "Equinox," "The Moderns," "Love at Large," "Songwriter," "Endangered Species," "Choose Me," "Trouble in Mind" and "Made in Heaven."
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During an interview with Tulsa World newspaper in 2017, Sartain told the outlet that he enjoyed working with Rudolph because he "would just turn me loose. So I would come up with character accents and stuff, and he would go for it."
Meat Loaf, Art Carney, Gailard Sartain and Kaki Hunter on the set of "Roadie" in 1980. (Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
A career high for Sartain was his role as a racist sheriff in "Mississippi Burning," which was released in 1988.
During his Tulsa World interview, Sartain admitted it was difficult being cast in the same role.
"Nobody likes to be typecast as a barefooted hillbilly, so when I had the opportunity to do other roles, I happily did it. I was cast in that, and that kind of turned things around. I wasn’t just typecast as a funny guy. That was a little bit pivotal," he said at the time.
Gailard Sartain appeared in a sketch on the ABC TV series, "Keep On Truckin'." (Photo by American Broadcasting Companies via Getty Images)
Sartain was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1943. The actor is survived by his wife, their children, Sarah, Esther and Ben, his granddaughter, Chloe, and his great-grandson, Teddy.
Janelle Ash is an entertainment writer for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to
