A huge piece of my childhood premiered 56 years ago today.
Long before Elmo and all of the newer cast members, I sat in front of the TV watching Ernie and Bert, Kermit, Grover, the Count, and Big Bird.
In 1985, Big Bird and the rest of the cast starred in the theatrical movie “Follow That Bird.” Along with the cast, there were some big name cameos: Chevy Chase, Joe Flaherty, Dave Thomas, John Candy, Sandra Bernhard, Eddie Deezen, Sally Kellerman, and Waylon Jennings!
When my oldest son was about 4 or 5, he used to watch this movie all the time. One of his favorite parts was when Waylon Jennings shows up. Jennings is a farmer who gives Big Bird a lift in his truck. On the drive he sings Ain’t No Road Too Long. My boy used to sing along.
If you do a search on IMDB for Joe Flaherty, you will see some of his roles listed as: Jeering Fan, Chief Elder, Western Union Man, Doorman, Pilot, Death Row Inmate, Border Guard, and Patrol Car Policeman #2! Truly he was a great character actor, but he was so much more! He was one of the sketch/improv comedy legends! Perhaps it is fitting that he passed away on April Fool’s Day at age 82.
He is best known for his work on the Canadian sketch comedy show SCTV from 1976 to 1984 (on which he also served as a writer). On SCTV he worked with Dave Thomas, Rick Moranis, John Candy, Eugene Levy and many other greats. He also was known for his role as Harold Weir on Freaks and Geeks and had guest starring roles on many TV shows and made movie cameos.
He served four years in the US Air Force before getting involved in dramatic theater. In 1969 he then moved to Chicago where he joined Second City where he worked with John Belushi and Harold Ramis. After a few years, he moved to Toronto to help establish the Toronto Second City theatre troupe, which led to SCTV.
His list of celebrity impersonations on SCTV is a long one, but he created some very memorable original characters there as well. For example –
Count Floyd
Guy Caballero (the SCTV station manager)
and Big Jim McBob (of the Farm Film Report)
It was always fun to see where he would pop up. He was in some of my favorite films.
He was the border guard in Stripes
He appeared on stage in a great scene from 1941
He delivered Marty McFly a letter from the old west in Back to the Future II
and many younger folks know him from Happy Gilmore
One of my favorite cameos was when he appeared with his former SCTV costar Dave Thomas on That 70’s Show
You can also hear his voice on many Disney projects and other cartoons. In 2004, he actually joined the staff at Humber College in Toronto where he taught a comedy writing class.
He was a very funny guy, and the world is a lot less funny now.
Various Ramblings of a Nostalgic Italian 