Adam Sandler pays tribute to 'genius' Happy Gilmore co-star Joe Flaherty (2024)

Joe Flaherty died at the age of 82 on Monday after a short illness, with his daughter, Gudrun, confirming the news in a statement.

The comedian was best known for his roles in SCTV and Freaks and Geeks as well as 1996’s Happy Gilmore alongside Adam Sandler.

Paying tribute to his co-star on Instagram, the Uncut Gems actor posted pictures of Flaherty and shared: ‘Oh man. Worshipped Joe growing up.

‘Always had me and my brother laughing. Count Floyd, Guy Caballero. Any move he made. He crushed as border guard in Stripes.

‘Couldn’t be more fun to have him heckle me on the golf course. The nicest guy you could know.

‘Genius of a comedian. And a true sweetheart. Perfect combo. Much love to his kids and thanks to Joe for all the greatness he gave us all.’

Announcing his death through the Comedic Artists Alliance, Gudrun wrote: ‘After a brief illness, he left us yesterday, and since then, I’ve been struggling to come to terms with this immense loss.

‘Dad was an extraordinary man, known for his boundless heart and an unwavering passion for movies from the 40s and 50s. His insights into the golden age of cinema didn’t just shape his professional life; they were also a source of endless fascination for me.

‘In these last few months, as he faced his health challenges, we had the precious opportunity to watch many of those classic movies together — moments I will forever hold dear.’

The message, shared with Variety, added: ‘Above all, he was a loving father. No matter the occasion, he was always there to offer a laugh or wisdom when I needed it most. His absence has left a void in my life that feels insurmountable at the moment.

‘As I try to navigate through this grieving process, I take solace in the memories we shared and the incredible impact he had on those around him. His spirit, humor and love will be a part of me forever.

‘My dad was a kind, sweet soul who blessed all who knew him and those who loved his work. Thank you to everyone who cared for him; he loved that he was able to make people laugh. He will be so deeply missed, but we are eternally grateful to God for him being in our lives.’

His cause of death has not yet been confirmed.

Other tributes immediately came through on social media, with Flaherty’s former co-star, Joel Murray, leading the way.

Taking to Twitter, the actor – who starred opposite him in One Crazy Summer – penned: ‘We’ve lost another of my idols. RIP Joe Flaherty 1941-2024.

Quoting Murray’s tweet, Jennifer Tilly shared: ‘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.’

Martin Short, who starred with Flaherty on SCTV, added to Variety: ‘In over 50 years of our friendship, there were very few people as wise or hilarious when it came to comedy, teaching improvisation and the art of character work as Joe.

‘In SCTV we called him the anchor. In life, he was simply the funniest man in the room. I just adored him.’

In February, it was revealed that his health had taken a turn, when members of SCTV set up a fundraiser to help his loved ones with the costs.

Short shared details of the fundraiser with fans at the time, describing the late star as a ‘mentor’.

‘Our beloved SCTV cast member, Joe Flaherty, is very ill. Joe is aware of the gravity of his failing health and would like to spend whatever time he has left at home rather than in a facility,’ the message, via 800 Gorilla Media, read.

‘Joe’s daughter, Gudrun, is currently Joe’s sole caregiver. Unfortunately, neither Gudrun nor Joe has the financial means to hire the 24-hour care he will require at home. We understand the cost of such care will be about 20k a month.

‘Our hope is to raise the funds needed to honor Joe’s wishes.’

‘We are writing to our friends because we believeSCTVmeant something to you, and that would not be the case if it were not for Joe Flaherty,’ the message continued, without going into detail about Flaherty’s health issues.

‘He was a mentor, a director, and an inspiring improviser who gave us many of the tools we are still using in the careers he helped kickstart.

‘And he made us all laugh! We believe that you would want to know about Joe’s condition and, perhaps, even want to contribute towards his home care.’

Pittsburgh-born Flaherty served in the US Air Force for four years before turning his attention to the spotlight, starting his comedy career at Second City Theater in Chicago.

Through this, he performed on SCTV between 1976 and 1984, with huge names including Short, Eugene Levy, Catherine O’Hara and John Candy.

He then went on to work on One Crazy Summer with Murray in 1986, but one of Flaherty’s most notable roles came in TV comedy Freaks and Geeks, which launched the careers of James Franco, Seth Rogen and Jason Segel.

In the 1999 series, he portrayed Harold Weir, father of main characters Lindsay Weir (Linda Cardellini) and Sam Weir (John Francis Daley).

His other small screen credits include Frasier, the King of Queens, Even Stevens and That ‘70s Show.

Flaherty is survived by children Gudrun and Gabriel.

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