Comedy Legend Joe Flaherty Dead at 82: SCTV & Freaks and Geeks Star Remembered.
Joe Flaherty, a comedian, writer, and actor best known for his work on the Canadian sketch comedy shows Freaks and Geeks and Second City Television, passed away on Monday. He was eighty-two. In a statement provided to Variety by the Comedic Artists Alliance—which had previously donated money to help Flaherty hire a 24-hour caregiver—Gudrun, Flaherty’s daughter, confirmed the news.
Gudrun stated, “He left us yesterday after a brief illness, and since then, I’ve been struggling to come to terms with this immense loss.” Dad was a remarkable individual, well-known for his persistent love of films from the 1940s and 1950s and his limitless heart. His observations on the heyday of film not only influenced his career path, but they also never ceased to fascinate me. We got the rare chance to watch a lot of those old films together over the past few months while he dealt with his health issues; those are memories I will always treasure.
Flaherty costarred with John Candy, Catherine O’Hara, and Martin Short in the television series “SCTV,” where he wrote and performed. The Canadian programme, which ran from 1976 to 1984, consisted of a variety of sketches that were shown on the network or TV station of the made-up town of Melonville. Flaherty gained notoriety for his impressions of famous people on “SCTV,” such as Gregory Peck, Kirk Douglas, Richard Nixon, Art Garfunkel, and Alan Alda.
In addition, he made numerous original character appearances on the programme, such as Big Jim McBob, Count Floyd, and SCTV president Guy Caballero. Two of the nine Primetime Emmy Awards for best writing in a variety or music programme that “SCTV” was nominated for were won. “In over 50 years of our friendship, there were very few people as wise or hilarious when it came to comedy, teaching improvisation and the art of character work as Joe,” Short said in a statement to Variety honouring Flaherty.
We referred to him as the anchor on “SCTV.” He was just the funniest man in the room when he was alive. I simply loved him. On June 21, 1941, Flaherty was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He began by writing and acting in several Mainstage revues at The Second City in Chicago. Alongside Brian Doyle-Murray and Harold Ramis, he starred in three films: “The Next Generation,” “Justice is Done or Oh, Cal Coolidge,” and “Cooler Near the Lake.” In the films “Cum Grano Salis,” “No, No, Wilmette,” and “43rd Parallel or Mr.
McCabre and Ms. Miller,” he co-starred with John Belushi. After that, Flaherty made appearances with Belushi, Bill Murray, Gilda Radner, Chevy Chase, Doyle-Murray, and Ramis on “National Lampoon Radio Hour.” Following a seven-year stay in Chicago, Flaherty moved to Toronto, where he worked on “SCTV” and assisted in founding Second City Toronto. Throughout his career, Flaherty starred in a number of additional TV series and motion pictures.
A few of these include “Back to the Future II,” “Happy Gilmore,” “Freaks and Geeks,” “One Crazy Summer,” “National Security,” “Detroit Rock City,” “Family Guy,” and “The King of Queens.” In “Freaks and Geeks,” he played the father Harold Weir; in “Happy Gilmore,” he played a heckler named Donald; and in “Back to the Future II,” he played the Western Union messenger. Despite being sick before he passed away, Flaherty choose to live out his last years at home rather than in a care facility.
His “SCTV” partners used social media to assist in Flaherty’s fund-raising efforts via the Comedic Artists Alliance. “Cinema wasn’t merely a hobby for him; it profoundly influenced his career, particularly his unforgettable time with ‘SCTV,'” Gudrun said in her statement. He loved every second he spent working on the program and was extremely pleased of the cast’s accomplishments. “All of us “SCTV” castmates owe him a huge debt of gratitude; he was the creative anchor that kept us honest and inspired,” the cast said in a recent reunion.
It’s evidence of the lasting impact he had on everyone he worked with. He was a caring parent beyond all else. He was always there to make me laugh or give advice when I needed it, no matter what the situation. I feel like there is an unfillable hole in my life right now because of his absence. I find comfort in our memories together and in the amazing influence he had on everyone around him as I work through this grief process.
His love, humor, and energy will always be a part of me. All those who knew my father and those who cherished his work were blessed by his gentle, compassionate spirit. He was grateful to all those who took care of him; he took great pleasure in making people laugh. Although we shall sincerely miss him, we will always be thankful that he is in our life.