Latest news with #HeeHawHoneys
Perth Now
21-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Actor Gailard Sartain dead aged 78
Gailard Sartain has died aged 78. The actor, comedian and artist, best known for his roles in The Outsiders, The Buddy Holly Story and Fried Green Tomatoes, has been remembered as a 'beloved' and 'one-of-a-kind' performer after his passing on 17 June came to light on Saturday. (21.06.25) Tributes have poured in for the actor, with one fan saying online: 'I owe much of my warped sense of humour to watching his Uncanny Film Festival and Camp Meeting in high school and college. 'His wacky comedy will always make me smile. What a legacy!' Gailard's death earlier this month was confirmed by his family and the Tulsa World, though no cause of death has been made public. His passing comes just months after that of his Ernest co-star Bill Byrge, who died in January aged 89. Among the other tributes to the star, one fan said on Facebook: 'Rest in peace, Gailard Sartain.' Another added: 'Heartbroken to hear of the passing of Gailard Sartain — beloved actor, comedian, and artist. Gailard brought warmth and heart to every role he played. A proud Okie and one-of-a-kind talent, he'll be dearly missed and always remembered. Stay gold, Gailard.' Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Gailard began his entertainment career on the comedy and country music variety show Hee Haw, appearing for nearly two decades from the early 1970s. His breakout on screen led to more than 70 film and TV credits, including Mississippi Burning, The Grifters, Elizabethtown and Ali. His first credited film role was in 1978's The Buddy Holly Story, in which he portrayed musician Jerry 'The Big Bopper' Richardson opposite Gary Busey. He later appeared in The Jerk with Steve Martin and in Francis Ford Coppola's The Outsiders, where he shared scenes with C. Thomas Howell, Rob Lowe and Tom Cruise. Gailard also featured in the Jim Varney-led Ernest film franchise, including appearances with Bill Byrge, whose character Chuck was paired with Byrge's Bobby. The Church Studio in Tulsa, where Gailard would visit after filming his late-night show Mazeppa, also issued a statement on his passing. It said: 'We are saddened by the loss of Gailard Sartain, an extraordinary actor, artist, and comedian. '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.' Misty Rowe, 75, who appeared alongside Gailard on Hee Haw Honeys, said: 'God bless you, Gailard Sartain. You were my brother on Hee Haw Honeys and my friend on Hee Haw for 19 years! I will never forget you.' After retiring from acting more than 20 years ago, Gailard was frequently asked about his long career. In a 2017 interview, he reflected: 'Not every single thing I did (made me happy.) 'But, for the most part, I'm happy about it.'
Fox News
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
‘Hee Haw' actor Gailard Sartain dead 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. 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." 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." 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." 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. 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.
USA Today
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Lulu Roman, gospel singer and longtime 'Hee Haw' castmember, dead at 78
Lulu Roman, gospel singer and longtime 'Hee Haw' castmember, dead at 78 Lulu Roman, a gospel singer and longtime star of country music variety show "Hee Haw," has died, a close friend confirmed to USA TODAY on April 24. She was 78. Roman died April 23, in Bellingham, Washington, where she had moved last year to be closer to him. The cause of death was not shared. Getting her start as a scrappy comedian and Go-Go dancer in the Texas nightclub scene, Roman's fame grew exponentially when she became a regular on "Hee Haw" − the long-running comedy sketch show that offered country music stars guest spots to perform. From 1969 well into the 1990s, Roman delighted "Hee Haw" audiences with wry humor and later a knack for gospel vocals. A bout with drug addiction sidelined her from the show briefly in the 1970s, after which she discovered Christianity and went on to record a dozen albums, including duets with Dolly Parton and George Jones. Roman performed at the inauguration of President Ronald Reagan in 1980 and was inducted into the Country Gospel Music Hall of Fame in the late 1990s. "Lulu Roman was a dear friend of 40 years and she will always be remembered as one who made people laugh and smile. What better tribute is there?" country music singer T. Graham Brown said of her death in a release. "I talked to her a few days ago. We shared one last laugh and I told her that I loved her. I will really miss her. May God bless her soul." Equal parts singer and actress, Roman appeared on "Hee Haw Honeys," a spin-off of the original show, as well as the movie "Corky" and an episode of "The Love Boat." Born Bertha Louise Hable in 1946, she was placed in an orphanage at two and a half years old, where she would live until she graduated high school. Battling a thyroid issue and struggling with her weight throughout her life, Roman later discussed how growing up overweight led to bullying and how a dramatic slim-down in later years helped her to understand how sugar had been a coping mechanism during a tough childhood. Roman is survived by her eldest son, Damon. Her youngest son, Justin, died in 2017.
