Veteran Character Actor Gailard Sartain Passes Away at 81

Gailard Sartain, a versatile character actor who excelled in comedy, music, and drama, passed away on Thursday at his home in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He was 81 years old.

His wife, Mary Jo (Regier) Sartain, confirmed his passing but did not disclose the cause of death.

Sartain was best known for his two-decade run on "Hee Haw," a country-themed variety show hosted by Buck Owens and Roy Clark that combined humor with musical performances. During his tenure, he portrayed memorable characters such as a clumsy store clerk, a truck stop chef, and Officer Bull Moose. Concurrently, he cultivated a film career that began with Robert Altman’s 1975 ensemble drama "Nashville," set in the country music scene.

In "Nashville," Sartain played a man at an airport lunch counter engaging in conversation with Keenan Wynn. Alan Rudolph, who served as assistant director on the film, recalled that the line was improvised, but he recognized Sartain’s unique talent. This led Rudolph to cast him in nine of his films over the next twenty years, including "Roadie" (1980) and "Endangered Species" (1982).

Rudolph reflected on Sartain’s distinctive charm, describing it as a "silly magic." He noted that many of his films blend comedy and seriousness, citing "Roadie," where Sartain starred opposite Meat Loaf as beer truck drivers — a pairing that brought an absurd humor to the screen.

Among Sartain’s most prominent dramatic roles was his portrayal of Ray Stuckey, a county sheriff, in Alan Parker’s 1988 film "Mississippi Burning." The movie chronicles the FBI’s investigation into the 1964 murders of civil rights workers James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner. Sartain’s character was implicated through his deputy’s involvement with the Ku Klux Klan members responsible for the killings.