Joe Flaherty

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For the Irish politician, see Joe Flaherty (politician).

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Joseph Flaherty (June 21, 1941 – April 1, 2024) was an American actor, writer, and comedian. He is best known for his work on the Canadian sketch comedy SCTV from 1976 to 1984 (on which he also served as a writer), and as Harold Weir on Freaks and Geeks, and for his role as Donald the heckler in Happy Gilmore (1996).

Life and career

Joseph O'Flaherty[1] was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the eldest of seven children. His father was a production clerk at Westinghouse Electric and of Irish heritage and his mother was of Italian descent.[2]

Flaherty served in the United States Air Force for four years. He then got involved in dramatic theatre.[2]

Flaherty moved to Chicago, where he started his comedy career in 1969 with the Second City Theater as Joe O'Flaherty, where he would work with future stars such as John Belushi and Harold Ramis, [3] He dropped the O as there was another Joseph O'Flaherty registered with Actors Equity.[2] Along with several other Second City performers, he began appearing on the National Lampoon Radio Hour from 1973 to 1974. After seven years in Chicago, he moved to Toronto to help establish the Toronto Second City theatre troupe.[4] During those years, he was one of the original writer/performers on SCTV, where he spent eight years on the show, playing such characters as Big Jim McBob (of Farm Film Report fame), Count Floyd/Floyd Robertson, and station owner/manager Guy Caballero, who goes around in a wheelchair only for respect and undeserved sympathy.[citation needed]

Other memorable Flaherty characterizations included emotional talk-show host Sammy Maudlin, seedy saxophonist-private eye Vic Arpeggio, aggressive elocution lecturer Norman Gorman, myopic public-television host Hugh Betcha, and "crazy as a snake" ex-convict Rocco.[citation needed]

SCTV ceased production in 1984. The same year, Flaherty played Count Floyd in a short film that was shown at concerts by the rock band Rush before the song "The Weapon", for their tour in support of Grace Under Pressure (and can be seen in the home video, Grace Under Pressure Tour).[citation needed]

Flaherty appeared in a number of cult-favorite films, for example, playing the part of the Western Union postal worker who delivers Doc Brown's 70-year-old letter to Marty McFly in Back to the Future Part II (1989), as well as the crazed fan yelling "jackass!" who secretly works for antagonist Shooter McGavin in Happy Gilmore. In season eight of Family Guy, Flaherty once again played the Western Union man in "Something, Something, Something, Dark Side". He likewise satirizes his Back to the Future Part II character in "The Big Bang Theory", this time playing a Vatican worker whose role is essentially identical to that of his Western Union character.[citation needed]

In 1989, Flaherty played a guest role in Married... with Children in the season-four episode "Tooth or Consequences", as a recently divorced dentist who must repair Al Bundy's teeth.[citation needed]

During 1997–1998, Flaherty starred in the television adaptation of Police Academy (Police Academy: The Series) as Cmdt. Stuart Hefilfinger. The series lasted for only one season.[citation needed]

In 1999, Flaherty joined the cast of Freaks and Geeks, an NBC hour-long dramedy set in the 1980–1981 academic year, in which he played Harold Weir, the irascible father of two teens. Despite a dedicated cult following, the show only lasted one season. In the third episode, "Tricks and Treats", he dons a cheap vampire costume reminiscent of his "Count Floyd" character of the depicted era.[citation needed]

Flaherty made appearances on the CBS sitcom The King of Queens as Father McAndrew, the priest at the Heffernans' church. He starred on the Bite TV original program, Uncle Joe's Cartoon Playhouse, and served as a judge on the CBC program The Second City's Next Comedy Legend.[5]

From 2001 to 2004, he had appeared in various Disney shows and films, including The Legend of Tarzan and Home on the Range.[6]

In 2018, Flaherty participated in a cast reunion at Toronto's Elgin Theatre filmed by Martin Scorsese for a yet to be released Netflix special.[7]

Beginning in 2004, Flaherty was a member of the faculty at Humber College, where he taught a comedy-writing course. He was also on the program's advisory committee.[citation needed]

Flaherty was married to Judith Dagley for 22 years until their divorce in 1996.[3] They had two children, Gudrun, who is also an actress and writer, and Gabriel. His brothers, Paul and Dave, are comedy writers.[2] He died on April 1, 2024, at the age of 82 after a short illness.[8][9]

Characterizations

Celebrities impersonated by Flaherty on SCTV include: Kirk Douglas, Charlton Heston, William F. Buckley, Jack Klugman, Robert Mitchum, Bing Crosby, Don Knotts, Yassir Arafat, Richard Nixon, Alistair Cooke, Slim Whitman, the corpse of Albert Schweitzer, Gregory Peck, Eddie Anderson (as 'Rochester'), Alan Alda, Elvis Presley, Hugh Beaumont, John Huston, Larry Fine, Pope Paul VI, Geraldo Rivera, Art Garfunkel, Broderick Crawford, Jacques Cousteau, Lowell Thomas, Henry Fonda, Marcello Mastroianni, Sylvester Stallone, Shoo Boxx, Paul Bradley, Aaron Copland, Dom DiMaggio, Dick Beddoes, Gavin MacLeod, Prince Philip, Tom Wolfe, Peter O'Toole, Salvador Dalí, Gene Siskel, Hugh Hefner, and musician Paul Revere.[citation needed]

Flaherty appeared in a cameo in the deleted scenes from Anchorman as the salacious News Director who first employs Rita Genkin after her graduation from Syracuse University. He encourages her to wear a swimsuit to due the weather.[citation needed]

Flaherty appeared as an immigration Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer in the "Canadian Road Trip" episode of That '70s Show alongside fellow SCTV member Dave Thomas.[citation needed]

In the third episode of Freaks and Geeks, "Tricks and Treats", he is dressed up as a vampire, a reference to his character Count Floyd.[citation needed]

Discography

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) [10]
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) [10]
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'"
1986 Really Weird Tales Your Host TV movie/pilot, also producer and writer
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[10]
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[10]
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[10]
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"

References

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External links

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  1. ↑ Joe Flaherty Biography (1941-)
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its opening and/or closing credits and/or other reliable sources of information.
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