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Joe Flaherty, SCTV and Freaks and Geeks Star, Dead at 82

Portrait of Zoe Guy

By Zoe Guy, a news writer who covers film, TV, music, and celebrities

Apr. 2, 2024

Joe Flaherty. Photo: Everett Collection

Joe Flaherty, the actor known for his roles on SCTV and Freaks and Geeks, died on April 1 after a brief illness. His daughter, Gudrun Flaherty, confirmed the news to Canadian media. “Dad was an extraordinary man, known for his boundless heart and an unwavering passion for movies from the ’40s and ’50s,” she wrote in a statement. “Cinema wasn’t merely a hobby for him; it profoundly influenced his career, particularly his unforgettable time with SCTV. He cherished every moment spent on the show, so proud of its success and so proud to be part of an amazing cast.”

Born in Pittsburgh in 1941, Flaherty began his comedy career at the Second City improv/comedy cabaret in Chicago before he co-launched a Second City outpost in Toronto. Together with an all-star troupe — which included Catherine O’Hara, Martin Short, Rick Moranis, Eugene Levy, and Andrea Martin — Flaherty starred in the influential Canadian sketch series SCTV from 1976 to 1984. The series conceit was that its sketches were programs on a broke TV station in Melonville, a fictional town, with Flaherty playing a number of memorable characters, including the unsavory president of the station and celebrity impersonations. The actor won two Emmys for his writing on SCTV in 1982 and 1983. Flaherty went on to star in the cult favorite TV show Freaks and Geeks as the dad to two moody teenagers (Linda Cardellini and John Francis Daley), premiering in 1999 and running for one season. He continued acting into the 2000s, appearing on Go Fish, The King of Queens, and Family Guy.

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Joe Flaherty, SCTV and Freaks and Geeks Star, Dead at 82

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