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Gailard Sartain, the very funny character actor who spent some 20 years on Hee Haw, appeared in three Ernest films with Jim Varney and displayed a flair for the dramatic in The Buddy Holly Story and Mississippi Burning, has died. He was 81.

Sartain died Thursday of natural causes at his home in his native Tulsa, Oklahoma, his wife of 36 years, Mary Jo Sartain, told The Hollywood Reporter. “Actually, he died of silliness,” she said.

Sartain showed up in nine features directed by Alan Rudolph: Roadie (1980), Endangered Species (1982), Choose Me (1984), Songwriter (1984), Trouble in Mind (1985), Made in Heaven (1987), The Moderns (1988), Love at Large (1990) and Equinox (1992).

He appeared for Carl Reiner in The Jerk (1979) and All of Me (1984), for Francis Ford Coppola in The Outsiders (1983), for Stephen Frears in The Grifters (1990), for Jon Avnet in Fried Green Tomatoes (1991) and for Michael Mann in Ali (2001).

In 1972, Sartain joined the cast of the syndicated country variety show Hee Haw,...

Lulu Roman, who found fame as a comedic actress and singer on the TV series “Hee Haw” over a run that lasted from 1969 till 1993, died Wednesday at age 78. No cause of death was immediately given, apart from it being revealed that Roman passed away unexpectedly.

Beyond her long and successful run on television, which also included guest spots on “The Love Boat” and “Touched by an Angel,” Roman recorded a long series of albums in the Southern gospel vein, winning a Dove Award in 1985 and being inducted into the Country Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1999.

The rural-themed sketch-comedy and country music show was looking for a plus-sized actress with comedic skills to become a member of the ensemble cast when “Hee Haw” went on the air in 1969. Roman fit the bill perfectly, instantly becoming practically a member of the family in many American homes that had a taste for...

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Lulu Roman — the comedian and musician who became famous for her appearances on the sketch show Hee Haw — has passed away.

She was 78 years old.

Roman appeared on the very first episode of Hee Haw in June 1969 and on the last one, in June 1993.

Lulu Roman sings at Center Stage at The Opry celebrating Minnie Pearl’s 100th at The Grand Ole Opry on October 22, 2012 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Beth Gwinn/Getty Images)

In between, Roman developed a massive following and built a second career for herself as a gospel singer.

Over the course of her career, Lulu performed with some of the biggest stars of the era, including Dolly Parton.

News of Lulu’s passing comes courtesy of her son, Damon Roman, who confirmed her death to The Hollywood Reporter. No cause of death has been determined.

From humble beginnings to global fame

Born Bertha...

Lulu Roman, the brash Hee Haw comedian and gospel singer who delighted fans of the long-running country music variety show while turning her life around in the process, has died. She was 78.

Roman died Wednesday in Bellingham, Washington, her son, Damon Roman, told The Hollywood Reporter. She had moved there to be with him seven months ago. No cause of death has been determined.

Roman appeared on the first episode of CBS’ Hee Haw in June 1969 and on the last one, with the show in syndication, in June 1993. During its impressive run, she reinvented herself as a gospel singer, and she would release more than a dozen albums, perform in concert and record with the likes of Dolly Parton. (Watch and hear her sing “Crazy” here).

Born Bertha Louise Hable in a home for unwed mothers on May 6, 1946, Roman was dropped off at a Baptist facility for orphans in Dallas.

Time Life has released the retro TV comedy series "Hee Haw" as a 14-dvd boxed set. Here is the official press release:

Program Description

Pickin’ and grinnin’, singin’ and spinnin’ tall tales and corny jokes, the citizens of Kornfield Kounty landed on television in 1969 with the arrival of Hee Haw as a summer replacement series for The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. With a cast of down-to-earth characters including Minnie Pearl, Grandpa Jones and Archie Campbell, knee-slapping comedic zingers, and jaw-dropping musical performances, the comedy-variety show, co-hosted by Buck Owens and Roy Clark, captivated the country. In 1971, after two successful years, CBS dropped the show in an effort to “de-countrify” the network’s programming; however, it was quickly picked up and aired for the next 21 years, making Hee Haw the longest-running weekly syndicated original series in television history.

In a new-to-retail set, Hee Haw: The Collector’S Edition offers 14 Hee-larious...