Overview

• Tulsa’s Church Studio announced his mid-June passing due to natural causes after a prolonged illness, and colleagues and fans paid tribute to his comedic warmth and versatility.
• Sources vary on the exact date and his age at death, with reports citing June 17 or June 19 and ages of 78 or 81.
• He began his career as Dr. Mazeppa Pompazoidi on a local Tulsa television show in the early 1970s before joining Hee Haw in 1972 and remaining for nearly two decades.
• His filmography spans more than 60 screen roles, including The Buddy Holly Story, The Outsiders, Mississippi Burning and several Ernest films, concluding with Elizabethtown in 2005.
• Beyond acting, he was a noted illustrator who contributed to national magazines and designed the cover for Leon Russell’s 1975 album Will O’ the Wisp.