Gailard Sartain died: TV series “Hey Vern, It’s Ernest!” and Ernest movies actor Gailard Sartain died on June 19, 2025, at the age of 78.
He worked in more than forty motion pictures, including The Buddy Holly Story, Mississippi Burning, The Outsiders, The Hollywood Knights, Fried Green Tomatoes, The Replacements (as Offensive Assistant Coach Leo Pilachowski), The Big Easy, The Grifters, Getting Even with Dad, The Patriot, and others.
His best performance was in the comedy film Wagons East, starring John Candy and Richard Lewis. He also worked as a painter and illustrator.
He was born on September 18, 1946, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S. He attended Cascia Hall Preparatory School, then graduated from Will Rogers High School in Tulsa with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and was a member of the Epsilon Mu chapter of the Kappa Sigma fraternity at the University of Tulsa.
In 1968, he moved to New York City and worked as an assistant to illustrator Paul Davis.
Initially, he worked as a cameraman at a local television station. In 1972, he was hired as a regular on the television program Hee Haw and remained a regular cast member of the popular show for nearly 20 seasons. He also appeared in Cher (1975–76) and Shields and Yarnell (1978).
He appeared in Mel McDaniel’s music video for “Stand Up” in 1985. In 2005, he appeared in the film Elizabethtown.
His popular films are The Outsiders (1983), Mississippi Burning (1988), Ernest Goes to Camp (1987), Ernest Saves Christmas (1988), Fried Green Tomatoes (1991), The Buddy Holly Story (1978), The Patriot (1986), and All of Me (1984).
He married with Mary Jo Regier in December 31, 1988.
