Five memorable moments from the Hee Haw Show

Here are five classic memories of America's finest country, music-themed comedy extravaganza, the Hee Haw Show. Read this article to remember old favourites, or, perchance, discover fresh joys, amidst the trenchant dependability of repeated sketches, impeccable timing, lyrical ballads and lots of hay.

Gloom, Despair and Agony On Me

The recurring sketch Nothing epitomises this show more than this recurring sketch. Accompanied by a slumbering bloodhound, four middle-aged-to-elderly gentlemen - three of whom have spectacular minimalistic mustaches - sing and drink their way around a different collective depression each week. The misery of the men One week, it was the misery of being extremely tall. None of these men is noticeably large, and indeed they all seem to be of a reasonable average height. Yet, to deny the comic beauty of four super-size stallions lamenting the lack of tall women to share their lives, is unimaginable.

Stringbean - Little Liza Jane

The tragic demise of David Akeman David Akeman, aka "Stringbean" - named, unsurprisingly, after the humble string bean - suffered a genuinely tragic demise. He and his wife Estelle, were brutally murdered by intruders at their home in 1973. This fact could make it a little difficult to laugh at his comedy (at least, if one finds it unfunny, this is what one could say to oneself) - but, most thankfully, this is not the case. A sample of his masterpiece, "Little Liza Jane", performed most memorably with the incomparable Grandpa Jones, featuring Stringbean's mid-song dance break alongside a cartoon pig, wearing a yellow frock.

Roy Clark - Gimme That Old Time Religion

Roy Clark Performed by the indefatigably Heehaw-ish host Roy Clark, resplendent in a pair of sideburns in which he has unfortunately deemed as unsuitable, the unintentionally satirical epic, "Gimme That Old Time Religion" features backing vocals from the entire cast collective. One imagines that the humbling potential for self-doubt and reflections on the inadequacy of organised social religions was lost on most of the audience (never mind the performers), but such things are never certain.

"Hey Grandpa, What's for Supper?"

Grandpa Jones In most of the earlier shows, the aforementioned colossus Grandpa Jones was asked about the evening refreshments to be served, and he would reply in a lyrical fashion that something unsuitable, undesirable, or impossible would be consumed tonight, to the rapturous howls of the audience. Sometimes, comedy works best when it is simple and inexplicable. Sometimes, however, it does not. "Three kinds of pie, and three kinds of meat!"

Johnny Cash

The Hee Haw Show was fortunate enough to enjoy regular guest appearances from true giants of country music. Perhaps, the most memorable of these superstar visitations involved Johnny Cash. Laughing a beat slower than everybody else, and holding a pitchfork on more than one occasion, these cherished moments cannot be missed.