Joe Flaherty, the actor, author and comic identified for his roles on the Canadian sketch comedy collection “Second Metropolis Tv” and “Freaks and Geeks,” died on Monday. He was 82.
Flaherty’s daughter, Gudrun, confirmed the information to Selection in a press release by means of the Comedic Artists Alliance, which had beforehand raised funds for Flaherty to acquire a 24-hour care supplier.
“After a short sickness, he left us yesterday, and since then, I’ve been struggling to return to phrases with this immense loss,” Flaherty stated. “Dad was a rare man, identified for his boundless coronary heart and an unwavering ardour for films from the ’40s and ’50s. His insights into the golden age of cinema didn’t simply form his skilled life; they had been additionally a supply of infinite fascination for me. In these previous few months, as he confronted his well being challenges, we had the valuable alternative to observe lots of these basic films collectively — moments I’ll endlessly maintain expensive.”
Flaherty was a author and performer on “SCTV,” by which he starred with John Sweet, Catherine O’Hara and Martin Quick. The Canadian present, airing between 1976 and 1984, featured numerous sketches that had been introduced as programming on the TV station/community of the fictional city of Melonville.
Flaherty was identified for his superstar impressions on “SCTV,” together with Kirk Douglas, Richard Nixon, Artwork Garfunkel, Gregory Peck and Alan Alda. He additionally appeared on the present as a myriad of unique characters, together with SCTV president Man Caballero, Huge Jim McBob and Rely Floyd. “SCTV” was nominated for 9 Primetime Emmy Awards for excellent writing in a range or music program, and took house two.
Flaherty was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on June 21, 1941. He began out acting at The Second Metropolis in Chicago, writing and appearing in a number of Mainstage revues. He starred in “The Subsequent Technology,” “Justice is Accomplished or Oh, Cal Coolidge” and “Cooler Close to the Lake” with Brian Doyle-Murray and Harold Ramis.
He additionally acted alongside John Belushi in “Cum Grano Salis,” “No, No, Wilmette” and “forty third Parallel or Mr. McCabre and Ms. Miller.” Flaherty subsequently appeared on “Nationwide Lampoon Radio Hour” with Belushi, Invoice Murray, Gilda Radner, Chevy Chase, Doyle-Murray and Ramis. After spending seven years in Chicago, Flaherty relocated to Toronto, the place he helped set up the Second Metropolis Toronto and labored on “SCTV.”
Flaherty appeared in a number of different tv exhibits and movies all through his profession, with a few of these credit together with “Again to the Future II,” “Pleased Gilmore,” “Freaks and Geeks,” “One Loopy Summer season,” “Nationwide Safety,” “Detroit Rock Metropolis,” “Household Man” and “The King of Queens.” He portrayed patriarch Harold Weir in “Freaks and Geeks,” a heckler named Donald in “Pleased Gilmore” and the Western Union courier in “Again to the Future II.”
Flaherty was ailing previous to his dying and selected to spend the rest of his life at house as a substitute of a care facility. His “SCTV” collaborators took to social media to assist elevate funds for Flaherty by means of the Comedic Artists Alliance.
Martin Quick wrote of Flaherty on the time, “We’re writing to our mates as a result of we consider ‘SCTV’ meant one thing to you, and that might not be the case if it weren’t for Joe Flaherty. He was a mentor, a director, and an inspiring improvisor who gave us most of the instruments we’re nonetheless utilizing within the careers he helped us kickstart. And he made us all chuckle!”
Gudrun’s assertion continued, “Cinema wasn’t merely a pastime for him; it profoundly influenced his profession, significantly his unforgettable time with ‘SCTV.’ He cherished each second spent on the present, so happy with its success and so proud to be a part of an incredible forged. Not too long ago, the ‘SCTV’ forged reminisced, saying, ‘All of us “SCTV” castmates owe him an enormous debt of gratitude; he was the artistic anchor that stored us trustworthy and impressed.’ It’s a testomony to his indelible mark on everybody he labored with.”
“Above all, he was a loving father. Irrespective of the event, he was all the time there to supply fun or knowledge once I wanted it most. His absence has left a void in my life that feels insurmountable in the meanwhile. As I attempt to navigate by means of this grieving course of, I take solace within the recollections we shared and the unimaginable influence he had on these round him. His spirit, humor and love might be part of me endlessly.”