Joe Flaherty, comedian known for work on SCTV and Freaks and Geeks, dead at 82
SCTV legend 'was the one who anchored the whole show,' says Martin Short
Joe Flaherty, the comedian and writer known for his roles on shows like Freaks and Geeks and SCTV, has died. He was 82.
"After a brief illness, he left us yesterday, and since then, I've been struggling to come to terms with this immense loss," his daughter Gudrun Flaherty told CBC News on Tuesday, via SCTV producer and close family friend Andrew Alexander.
"I take solace in the memories we shared and the incredible impact he had on those around him. His spirit, humour and love will be a part of me forever."
An improvisation expert with an iconic voice and gift for the guest spot, Flaherty's credits run the gamut from movie blockbusters such as Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy to TV staples such as Frasier, Freaks and Geeks and Family Guy.
But he was perhaps best known for a small role as a heckler in the Adam Sandler film Happy Gilmore, and as a writer and performer in the Canadian comedy series SCTV.
One of the show's original members, Flaherty stayed on for the show's entire six-season as he worked alongside comic legends such as John Candy, Catherine O'Hara, Eugene Levy and Martin Short. And at least in Short's opinion, his presence shepherded SCTV to the iconic status it eventually enjoyed.
"When I was on SCTV, we used to call him the anchor,"