Gailard Sartain, the character actor and comedian whose breakthrough role on Hee Haw launched a career of playing Southern good-ol’-boy that included his memorable performance as The Big Bopper in 1978’s The Buddy Holly Story, died Tuesday, June 17, following a long illness. He was 78.
His death was announced on Facebook by The Church Studio, a recording studio in Tulsa, Oklahoma where Sartain’s wife Mary Jo volunteers.
Born in Tulsa on September 18, 1946, Sartain began his show business career there, working as a cameraman at a local TV station before creating a late-night movie host in 1970 he called Dr. Mazeppa Pompazoidi. Dressed in wizard garb, Sartain introduced B-movies and performed comedy skits under the show name The Uncanny Film Festival and Camp Meeting.
Another Tulsa native who appeared on the late-night movie show was Gary Busey. Sartain and Busey would reunite near the end of the decade when Busey played the title role in The Buddy Holly Story and Sartain was cast as fellow rock and roll pioneer The Big Bopper.
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The late-night local show also led to Sartain’s national breakthrough: A talent scout recruited him in 1972 to appear as a regular on the Laugh-in-style country music show Hee Haw. Sartain remained on the syndicated series for 20 seasons.
Hee Haw was pure cornpone – but with a self-knowing attitude. The show developed a big audience with its combination of hokey comedy and first-rate country music: Roy Clark and Buck Owens hosted the show, with regulars besides Sartain including Louis “Grandpa” Jones, Minnie Pearl, Roy Acuff and others, and, as guest stars, many of the eras country stars.
His profile on Hee Haw led to appearances on many of the ’70s TV variety shows including Cher and Shields and Yarnell. He had other TV guest appearances through the years, including Walker, Texas Ranger, Chicago Hope and The Simpsons, among others.
He was even more prolific in film, from an uncredited role in Robert Altman’s 1975 classic Nashville and then in 1978 The Buddy Holly Story. Other film credits include 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” comedy franchise, among many other credits.
Sartain is survived by wife Mary Jo. Complete survivor information is not available.