A Pittsburgh-born comedian and actor, who rose to fame on the sketch comedy TV show SCTV has died. He was 82.
Joe Flaherty was born in Pittsburgh on June 21, 1941 and grew up in the Homewood-Brushton area.
He started his career in Chicago at the famed “Second City” Theater, later moving to Toronto to help start a “Second City” there.
He later became one of the original writers and performers on “Second City TV” or SCTV, where he played characters like Guy Caballero, a man who travels around in a wheelchair to get sympathy.
He also played “Count Floyd” a TV station manager who hosted a horror movie show “Monster Chiller Horror Theater”, inspired by WIIC’s (later WPXI) Bill Cardille, better known as “Chilly Billy”, who hosted “Chiller Theater”.
Flaherty would occasionally mention his hometown, introducing a movie as “Count Floyd” called “Blood Sucking Monkeys from West Mifflin, PA”.
Flaherty made many appearances in television and movies throughout his career.
Some of his more well-known roles include Harold Weir on the show “Freaks and Geeks” and Donald in Adam Sandler’s “Happy Gilmore”.
Donald was hired by antagonist Shooter McGavin to annoy and distract Gilmore while he played golf, frequently yelling “jackass!”
Sandler wrote a touching tribute to Flaherty on Instagram.
It was reported toward the end of February that Flaherty had fallen "very ill" and funds were being raised to help is