Remembering Catherine O'Hara: A Comedy Icon's Legacy

Actress and screenwriter Catherine O'Hara, known for her iconic roles in "Schitt's Creek," "Home Alone," and "SCTV," has died at the age of 71. Her passing, which occurred at a hospital in Santa Monica, California, on January 30, was caused by a pulmonary embolism, with rectal cancer identified as the underlying factor. O'Hara, a Canadian-born performer, had a career spanning over five decades in film and television comedy, leaving an indelible mark on audiences worldwide.

Passing and Cause of Death

Catherine O'Hara passed away on January 30 at a hospital in Santa Monica, California, at the age of 71. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office released information on Monday, confirming the cause of death.

The cause of death was a pulmonary embolism, with rectal cancer listed as the underlying factor.

Her death certificate, issued by Los Angeles County, stated these details and indicated she had been treated by an oncologist since March, with her last visit on January 27. O'Hara's passing had initially been attributed to a brief illness. Following her death, O'Hara was cremated, and her remains were given to her husband, Robert "Bo" Welch.

Early Life and Career Beginnings

Born and raised in Toronto, Canada, O'Hara began her career in the 1970s at The Second City in Toronto, an improvisation and sketch comedy theatre group. She initially worked as a waitress before becoming an understudy and then a stage performer. During her time at The Second City, she collaborated with fellow comedians including Eugene Levy, John Candy, Martin Short, and Dave Thomas.

Second City Television (SCTV) and Signature Characters

O'Hara was an original cast member of the Canadian sketch comedy series Second City Television (SCTV), which she co-founded. She received her first Emmy Award in 1982 for her writing on the show. SCTV featured O'Hara's complex character portrayals, which often satirized the superficiality of commercial television.

Among her notable SCTV characters were:

• Dusty Towne: A parody of 1960s American comediennes, characterized by exaggerated features and off-color humor, frequently repeating the phrase "Isn't that cute? Isn't that true?"
• Lola Heatherton: Depicted as a damaged performer, drawing inspiration from figures like Judy Garland and Joey Heatherton. Lola's segments often included on-stage mishaps and dramatic emotional shifts. The character of Lola Heatherton is recognized as a precursor to O'Hara's later role as Moira Rose in Schitt's Creek.

In a 2019 interview, O'Hara described her characters as possessing "insecure delusional" traits and a lack of awareness regarding the impression they made on others.

Extensive Film and Television Career

O'Hara's career spanned over five decades, predominantly in comedic roles, and included frequent collaborations with director Christopher Guest and actor Eugene Levy.

Key Film Roles

• Portraying Kate McCallister, the mother of Kevin (Macaulay Culkin), in the first two Home Alone films.
• Starring in Tim Burton's 1988 film Beetlejuice and reprising her role in the 2024 sequel Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.
• Collaborating with Christopher Guest in his mockumentaries, often playing a spouse with unfulfilled show-business ambitions, including Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show, A Mighty Wind (as folk singer Mitch and Mickey with Eugene Levy), and For Your Consideration.

Key Television Roles

• Her Emmy and Golden Globe-winning portrayal of Moira Rose, the matriarch of a formerly wealthy family, in the sitcom Schitt's Creek. This role also earned her two Actor Awards (SAG).
• An Emmy nomination for her dramatic performance in HBO's The Last of Us.
• An Emmy nomination for her role as a Hollywood producer in the Apple TV+ sitcom The Studio, which was preparing for its second season.

Comedic Style and Philosophy

O'Hara was known for her improvisational style and physical comedy. Her approach often involved creating characters who would maintain a calm demeanor before undergoing an emotional escalation. A notable example of her physical comedy is Kate McCallister's delayed reaction to realizing her son Kevin is missing in Home Alone.

In a 2019 interview with The New Yorker, O'Hara discussed her improvisational technique:

"My crutch was, in improvs, when in doubt, play insane. Because you didn't have to excuse anything that came out of your mouth. It didn't have to make sense."

Regarding role selection, she told People Magazine:

"I read scripts and get a gut feeling about whether I want to be a part of them. Do I want my parents to see this? I'd just rather stay home than do something I know is bad…"

Personal Life

Catherine O'Hara is survived by her husband of 33 years, production designer Bo Welch, whom she reportedly met on the set of the 1988 film Beetlejuice. She is also survived by their two sons, Matthew, 31, and Luke, 29. Her family plans to hold a private celebration of life.