Actor Catherine O’Hara, best-known for roles in “Schitt’s Creek,” “Home Alone,” “SCTV” and other TV and film productions, has died at age 71, according to her representative.
O’Hara died at her home in Los Angeles “following a brief illness,” according to a statement from her agency, CAA, the Associated Press reported. More details were not immediately available.
The Canadian actor, writer and comedian rose to fame as one of the original cast members on the legendary sketch show SCTV. She starred in several Tim Burton-directed films, Beetlejuice (1988), The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) and Frankenweenie (2012).
O’Hara also delivered laughs in mockumentaries like “Best in Show” (2000) and “A Mighty Wind” (2003).
More recently, she earned two Canadian Screen Awards for Best Lead Actress for her work on “Schitt’s Creek.” O’Hara also portrayed a psychotherapist in the second season of HBO’s “The Last of Us” and a producer in “The Studio” alongside Seth Rogen.
O’Hara grew up in the Toronto area and took a job at the improvisational comedy club Second City Theatre. She became a member of the company in the mid-1970s when the group launched what would become the hit comedy TV show “SCTV.” The show was picked up for late-night viewing in 1981 in the United States.
The series featured a who’s-who list of comedic stars, including O’Hara, John Candy, Eugene Levy, Martin Short, Rick Moranis and more.
She was named an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2017.
O’Hara is survived by her husband, Bo Welch, and sons Matthew and Luke.
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