Celebrating Catherine O’Hara

The Second City is shocked and deeply saddened by the untimely passing of the great Catherine O’Hara, a comedienne and actress beloved by her fans, colleagues and anyone who got the privilege to glimpse her genius. Getting her start on The Second City stage in Toronto, Catherine was an original cast member of the seminal “SCTV” series, creating memorable original characters like Lola Heatherton and Dusty Towne, as well as her impersonations of Lucille Ball and Brooke Shields. Her success after “SCTV” is well documented from roles in “Home Alone” and “Beetlejuice,” to rejoining her “SCTV” family in “Schitt’s Creek” and her most recent turn in Apple TV’s “The Studio.”

“Of course she was a brilliant performer,” notes Second City CEO Ed Wells, “But she was also a wonderful human who gave back to the community. Catherine was one of the first alumni to serve on Second City’s Artistic Advisory Board, giving us and the next generation of comedians the gift of her time, talent, and mentorship. We celebrate her indelible legacy, which lives on through the countless people she has inspired.”

Longtime Second City creative executive Kelly Leonard adds: “Like so many of the fearless trailblazers before her, Catherine was a role model for generations of young woman who sought to heal the world through laughter. The world is less funny without her.”