TORONTO, APRIL 3, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) – Joe Flaherty, the man who had a hand in the creation of the famous Canadian comedy show SCTV, has passed on.He was 82.
Her daughter, Gudrun, confirmed his death on Tuesday, regarding his short lag with a sickness.
In his creative works, Flaherty draws upon his Pittsburgh roots; he spent seven years at Second City in Chicago before moving back up to Toronto where he helped found the local outpost of that theater.
He was on the list of the people who put “SCTV” together with John Candy and Catherine O’Hara playing a range of characters in their show, which was set at a reception known as Second City Television.
Some of his immortal roles were the one of Count Floyd (a vampiric TV host character), Guy Caballero (a lounge singer killer), and Bob (a beer-drinking bandi, dressed in a plaid suit).
Carlo left an impression on me through his writing, as did the other cast members: Martin Short, Eugene Levy, Dave Thomas, and Andrea Martin.
He was awarded Emmys for writing on SCTV in 1982 and 1983, and had worked on TV and film after that in the course of some decades.
With the film “Happy Gilmore,” in 1996 that featured his character a heckling fan, and the TV comedy about old-fashioned father in “Freaks and Geeks,” which had its run from 1999 to 2000, he was an unforgettable face for young people.
“Oh, wow. Joe was my God. I always worshiped him when I was a kid. He has been the greatest influence in my life,” comedian Adam Sandler explained on Twitter.
He smashed at the authoritative rule-guard in Stripes. It was sheer madness doing the job. He couldn’t help strongly disagreeing with interfering. The nicest person in the room who is always half an hour late for classes.A comedy genius.And a true mensch.Perfect combo. The death of his kids had shattered him really deeper. And for everything big that he did, there it is, a pen full of insidious words, thank you.
Through his artistic residency at Humber College, he was able to keep close connection with the city he loved the most-Toronto.
“Herself was an extraordinary person,”— wrote his daughter on the statement of Tuesday referring to her father’s big heart and never-ending passion for the films of the 40s and 50s.
“Cinema was not the sole thing he did during his precious time here, but certainly, it made a great contribution to what he did best–SCTV and the crew. This is where he spent his most precious moments and him, being an appreciative person, always looked back on that amazing cast with utter gratitude.”
Not only words of tribute but many other heartfelt sentiments as well bring an outpouring of emotions for the late Joe Flaherty.
Tributes pour in for Joe Flaherty
Flaherty’s tragic demise in turn sparked tributes beginning with his lifelong friends, long time fans and fellow entertainers.
“Joe Flaherty, the comedy legend, was a true inspiration and I am going to miss his contribution so much,” Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau added. “He filled millions of hearts with unforgettable entertainment throughout his career on ‘SCTV’ and more. My sincerest condolences to his family and friends.”
SCTV co-star of Martin Short had said that he was brokehearted after Flaherty’s demise.
“Joe was the best comedian we ever had and hands down the most decent human being anyone could ever know,” Short said in his statement. “A man was lost forever.”
“Little did we know that the last show we attended would be the last throughout this quarantine,” comedian Steve Martin tweeted.”RIP Joe Flaherty.”
Flaherty’s legacy
The portrayal of “SCTV” by Flaherty is one of the main reasons for the emergence of the present shape of the Canadian comedy which is recognized globally. The show was a critical and a commercial hit, and its actors not only won the peoples’ hearts, but also went on to pursue a whole other life in the entertainment industry.
The characters that Flaherty came up with were legendary and his impeccable sense of humor helped to liven the show even more. He wasn’t just an expert at the timing of slapstick, but also the profoundly-nuanced expressions on his face could reveal an entire story by itself.
Not only was Flaherty an accomplished actor, he was an exceptional writer too, and he was involved in many of the show’s now forever-popular sketches. This is a fact: he had original taste, and his work will probably live on indefinitely becoming a precious legacy.
