Joe Flaherty, Freaks and Geeks and SCTV star, dies at 82
Kaitlyn Huamani April 2, 2024 Joe Flaherty
, the two-time Emmy
Award –
winning actor
best
known for his work in comedies including Canadian sketch comedy show SCTV, died on Monday
after a brief illness.at He was
82.
Flahertys daughter,
Gudrun
, confirmed his death
after a bout with a brief illness
on Tuesday
, per to
the Associated Press.
The comedian, actor and writer was
also
known for his role as
Lindsay and Sam’s beloved dad
,
Harold Weir
,
a beloved sitcom dad,
on Freaks and Geeks. He also played a heckler to Adam Sandlers titular character in Happy Gilmore. Flahertys most lasting contribution to comedy, though, was through his work with
t
he Second City.
Flaherty began his comedy career at
the
Second Citys Chicago location, where he wrote and performed in multiple revues over seven years. In those performances, he starred alongside
Brian Doyle-Murray, Harold Ramis and John Belushi
. Flaherty later moved to Toronto to help develop
the a
new Second City location
in Toronto
.
While he was in Canada, Flaherty also starred in and wrote for SCTV, working with comedic legends
John Candy, Catherine OHara and Martin Short
. He was nominated for nine Primetime Emmy Awards for his writing on the show, winning twice in
1982 and 1983
. His work on the
show series
is regarded highly
by the comedy community
to this day, from his impressions of Richard Nixon and Gregory Peck
,
to his original characters
including
Big Jim McBob, Guy Caballero
,
and Count Floyd.
Flaherty continued work in film and television long after his time on SCTV, appearing in Back to the Future II, One Crazy Summer, National Security, Family Guy, The King of Queens and more.
Dad was an extraordinary man, known for his boundless heart and an unwavering passion for movies from the 40s and 50s, his daughter wrote in Tuesdays statement
, according to AP
. Cinema wasnt merely a hobby for him; it profoundly influenced his career, particularly his unforgettable time with SCTV. He cherished every moment spent on the show, so proud of its success and so proud to be part of an amazing cast.
