‘Happy Gilmore’ and ‘Freaks and Geeks’ star Joe Flaherty dead at 82
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Joe Flaherty, the actor, writer and comedian known for his roles on the Canadian sketch comedy series “Second City Television” and “Freaks and Geeks,” has died.
He was 82.
Flaherty’s daughter, Gudrun, confirmed the news to Variety in a statement through the Comedic Artists Alliance, claiming her father died Monday after a brief illness.
The Alliance had previously raised funds for Flaherty to receive a 24-hour care provider.
“After a brief illness, he left us yesterday, and since then, I’ve been struggling to come to terms with this immense loss,” Gudrun said.
“Dad was an extraordinary man, known for his boundless heart and an unwavering passion for movies from the ’40s and ’50s,” she continued.
“His insights into the golden age of cinema didn’t just shape his professional life; they were also a source of endless fascination for me. In these last few months, as he faced his health challenges, we had the precious opportunity to watch many of those classic movies together — moments I will forever hold dear.”
The Post has contacted reps for Flaherty for comment.
Flaherty won Emmys in 1982 and 1983 for his writing on “SCTV.”
In 1996, he portrayed Donald, a heckler, in “Happy Gilmore” alongside Adam Sandler.
He went on to portray Harold Weir, the no-nonsense father of two awkward teenagers, in the TV comedy “Freaks and Geeks” from 1999 to 2000.
Flaherty was ill before his death and opted to spend the remainder of his life at home instead of in a care facility.
His “SCTV” collaborators, including Martin Short, helped raise funds for this care through the Comedic Artists Alliance by posting on social media.
“We are writing to our friends because we believe ‘SCTV’ meant something to you, and that would not be the case if it were not for Joe Flaherty,” Short wrote at the time. “He was a mentor, a director, and an inspiring improvisor who gave us many of the tools we are still using in the careers he helped us kickstart. And he made us all laugh!”
