Joe Flaherty obit

Joe Flaherty, ‘SCTV’ and ‘Freaks and Geeks’ Star, Dies at 82

 

He was not on the list.

Veteran actor Joe Flaherty, best known for starring in the popular Canadian sketch comedy series SCTV and as Harold Weir on Paul Feig’s Freaks and Geeks, has died. He was 82.

The passing was first announced late Monday, April 1, on X (formerly Twitter) by Mad Men actor Joel Murray, who wrote, “We’ve lost another of my idols. RIP Joe Flaherty 1941-2024.” Murray starred alongside Flaherty in the 1986 movie One Crazy Summer.

Actress Jennifer Tilly also shared her tribute, writing, “Joe Flaherty played my dad in “The Wrong Guy.” I was so thrilled to be able to work with him. His performance was pitch perfect. A great comedian. Gone too soon.”

Born on June 21, 1941, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Flaherty served in the United States Air Force for four years before getting involved in dramatic theater. After his stint in the Air Force, he moved to Chicago, kicking off his comedy career with the Second City Theater.

We’ve lost another of my idols. RIP Joe Flaherty

1941-2024 pic.twitter.com/bcVtfaAiPG

— Joel Murray (@JoelMurray9of9) April 2, 2024

No one could have played the role of Donald like Joe Flaherty did. His comedic delivery was perfect and his role alone made Happy Gilmore the classic it is today. He will be missed. Rest easy Joe pic.twitter.com/npdVOjQFpp

— Shooter McGavin (@ShooterMcGavin_) April 2, 2024

From 1973 to 1974, he appeared on the National Lampoon Radio Hour with several other Second City performers. He later moved to Toronto to help establish the Toronto Second City theater troupe, which led to him joining SCTV as one of the original writer/performers. Flaherty spent eight years on the hit sketch show, performing characters like Big Jim McBob, Guy Cabellero, Vic Arpeggio, and Count Floyd/Floyd Robertson.

Joe Flaherty played my dad in “The Wrong Guy.” I was so thrilled to be able to work with him. His performance was pitch perfect. A great comedian. Gone too soon. https://t.co/7qFnjGAoM1

— Jennifer Tilly (@JenniferTilly) April 2, 2024

After SCTV ended in 1984, Flaherty reprised his character Count Floyd for a short film that the band Rush played at their Grace Under Pressure concerts before the song “The Weapon.”

Flaherty appeared in various TV shows throughout the 1990s, including a regular role on the sitcom Maniac Mansion. He also starred in the short-lived Police Academy television adaptation from 1997 to 1998, playing Cmdt. Stuart Hefilfinger.

Perhaps his most memorable role came in 1999 when he was cast in the NBC comedy-drama Freaks and Geeks. Flaherty played the irritable but ultimately loving Harold Weir, father of Lindsay (Linda Cardellini) and Sam Weir (John Francis Daly). While the show only lasted one season, it became a highly-regarded cult favorite.

“Joe Flaherty made me crack up so hard it ruined takes. My favorite days on set were the ones where we had scenes together. What a lovely guy,” Daly wrote on X.

Outside of TV, Flaherty also had notable parts in several cult classic movies. This included the crazed “Jackass!”-yelling fan who secretly works for antagonist Shooter McGavin in Happy Gilmore and the postal worker who delivers Doc Brown’s 70-year-old letter to Marty McFly in Back to the Future Part II. The actor later satirized these roles in episodes of Family Guy and The Big Bang Theory.

His later credits included The King of Queens, Clone High, Robson Arms, The Life & Times of Tim, and the Canadian series Call Me Fitz.

Since 2004, he served as a member of the faculty at Humber College in Toronto, Canada, where he taught a comedy-writing course. He was also on the program’s advisory committee.

Flaherty was married to Judith Dagley for 22 years until their divorce. Together, they had two children, Gudrun, who is also an actor and writer, and Gabriel.

 

Filmography

Film

Year     Title            Role            Notes

1976    Tunnel Vision   Carl Michaelevich   

1979    1941            Sal Stewart, Raoul Lipschitz          

1980    Nothing Personal            Patrol Car Policeman #2       

1980    Used Cars     Sam Slaton  

1981    By Design  Veteran Father 

1981    Stripes            Border Guard  

1981    Heavy Metal            Lawyer, General (voice)  

1983    Going Berserk            Chick Leff     

1984    Johnny Dangerously            Death Row inmate            Uncredited

1985    Sesame Street Presents: Follow That Bird      Sid Sleaze 

1986    Club Paradise            Pilot    

1986    One Crazy Summer            General Raymond         

1987            Innerspace       Waiting Room Patient   

1987    Blue Monkey            George Baker  

1988    Kid Safe: The Video   Count Floyd   Video

1989    Who's Harry Crumb?            Doorman        

1989    Speed Zone    Vic DeRubis            AKA Cannonball Fever

1989    Back to the Future Part II            Western Union Man   

1994    A Pig's Tale      Milt            Video

1995    Stuart Saves His Family  Cousin Ray - Funeral  

1996    Happy Gilmore            Donald the Jeering Fan

1997            Snowboard Academy            Mr. Barry    Video

1997    The Wrong Guy            Fred Holden

1999    Detroit Rock City            Father McNulty          

2001    Freddy Got Fingered            William            Uncredited

2002            Slackers           Mr. Leonard          

2003            National Security            Owen Fergus 

2004    Home on the Range            Jeb the Goat (voice)            

2004            Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy            Texas TV Station Manager            Deleted scene

2004    Phil the Alien    The Beaver (voice) 

Television

Year     Title            Role            Notes

1976    The Sunshine Hour            Various            Regular

1976    The David Steinberg Show            Kirk Dirkwood / various 10 episodes

1976–1984            SCTV            Various            131 episodes

1978    King of Kensington            Fast Frankie            Episode: "The Hustler"

1985    George Burns Comedy Week   Jerry Toffler            Episode: "Home for Dinner"

1986    The Hitchhiker            The Chemist            Episode: "O.D. Feelin'"

1988    CBS Summer Playhouse            Regis Rogan            Episode: "Limited Partners"

1988    The Completely Mental Misadventures of Ed Grimley            Count Floyd (voice)            13 episodes

1989            Looking for Miracles            Chief Berman            TV movie

1989    I, Martin Short, Goes Hollywood            Gene Siskel   TV movie

1989            Married... with Children            Dr. Plierson            Episode: "Tooth or Consequences"

1990            Monsters            Sherwin            Episode: "Murray's Monster"

1990–1993            Maniac Mansion            Dr. Fred Edison            65 episodes

1991    Morton & Hayes            Thug            Episode: "The Vase Shop"

1991    Little Dracula            Big Dracula (voice)            4 episodes[9]

1993–1994            Dinosaurs        Chief Elder (voice)            2 episodes

1994    Nurses            Mr. Fortin            Episode: "The Big Jack Attack"

1994            Phenom         Father O'Malley            Episode: "Strictly Lunchroom"

1994    Rebel Highway            Mr. Nicholson            Episode: "Runaway Daughters"

1994            Hardball           Butt Winnick            Episode: "The Butt Winnick Story"

1995    Family Reunion: A Relative Nightmare            Kevin Dooley TV movie

1996    Dream On       Stoo            Episode: "Second Time Aground"

1996    The Louie Show            Mr. Wells            Episode: "Take Two Donuts and Call Me in the Morning"

1996    Ellen            Perry            Episode: "Kiss My Bum"

1997            Cartoon Planet            Count Floyd            Episode: "The Big Mouths"

1997    The Don's Analyst            Dr. Lowell Royce            TV movie

1997–1998            Police Academy: The Series   Cmdt. Stuart Hefilfinger            26 episodes

1999    Traders            McGraff            Episode: "This World... Then the Fireworks"

1999    The Wonderful World of Disney              Episode: "Dogmatic"

1999–2000            Freaks and Geeks            Harold Weir     18 episodes

2000            Mentors           James Naismith            Episode: "Nothing But Net"

2001    Even Stevens            Mr. Rupert            Episode: "Almost Perfect"

2001    The Industry            Don Douglas            Episode: "Goodbye"

2001    That '70s Show            Bryan (Mountie)            Episode: "Canadian Road Trip"

2001    Go Fish            Dr. Frank Troutner            5 episodes

2001            Primetime Glick            Clay Glick            Episode: "Molly Shannon/Nathan Lane"

2001    The Legend of Tarzan  Hooft (voice)  7 episodes

2001    The Santa Claus Brothers            Snorkel (voice)  TV movie[9]

2001–2003            The King of Queens            Father McAndrew            5 episodes

2002    Maybe It's Me Chaz            Episode: "The Romeo & Juliet Episode"

2002    Royal Canadian Air Farce               Episode #9.11

2002    Frasier            Herm Evans            Episode: "Frasier Has Spokane"

2002    A Nero Wolfe Mystery            Dr. Vollmer            2 episodes

2002–2004            Teamo Supremo            Cloaked Skull (voice)            4 episodes

2002    The True Meaning of Christmas Specials            Bing Crosby TV movie

2002–2003            Clone High     Abe's Foster Dad (voice)  2 episodes

2004            Puppets Who Kill            Joe            Episode: "Bill's Got the Blues"

2005    Tilt            Casino Player from Aliquippa            Episode: "Risk Tolerance"

2005    Chilly Beach   Antoine DelVecchio            Episode: "Driving Mr. Biggs"

2007    The Business            Mr. Dawson            Episode: "Field Trip to Hollywood: Part 1"

2007–2008            Robson Arms    Ramon Garcia  2 episodes

2008–2010            Caution: May Contain Nuts     Count Floyd   2 episodes

2008–2011            Family Guy      Various voices   3 episodes

2009            American Dad!            Car Door Owner (voice)            Episode: "Delorean Story-An"

2011    The Life & Times of Tim      Frank / Security Guard (voice)  2 episodes

2012    I, Martin Short, Goes Home            Atticus Finch    TV movie

2012    Call Me Fitz            Mayor Andrews            Episode: "Teetotal Recall"