Actor Gailard Sartain Dead At 78

Actor and comedian Gailard Sartain, best known for roles on Hee Haw and playing The Big Bopper in The Buddy Holly Story, has died at the age of 78 following a battle with a long illness, according to a Facebook post shared by The Church Studio, a recording studio in his hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma, where his wife, Mary Jo, volunteers.

"We are saddened by the loss of Gailard Sartain, an extraordinary actor, artist, and comedian. His late night visits in the 1970s to the studio after filming Mazeppa are fondly remembered. Gailard's artwork is showcased on the cover of Leon Russell's 1975 album “Will O’ the Wisp”. Our condolences are with Mary Jo, Gailard's wife and a committed volunteer at The Church Studio," the post states.

Sartain began his show business career working as a cameraman at a local Tulsa TV station before creating the character Dr. Mazeppa Pompazoidi, a late-night movie host he played in 1970, introducing B-movies and performing comedy skits for the show The Uncanny Film Festival and Camp Meeting. The show led to Sartain landing his breakthrough role on the Laugh-in-style country music show Hee Haw in 1972, having remained on the syndicated series for 20 seasons.

Sartain also appeared on several other 1970s variety shows including Cher and Shield and Yarnell, while also making later television guest appearances on Walker, Texas Ranger, Chicago Hope and The Simpsons. The Tulsa native also landed several prolific film roles including Nashville, The Buddy Holly Story, Mississippi Burning, The Outsiders, The Hollywood Knights, Fried Green Tomatoes, The Big Easy, The Grifters, Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot and various appearances in the Ernest film series, among others.