Gallagher biography comedian

American comedian (1946–2022)

Leo Anthony Gallagher Jr. (July 24, 1946 – November 11, 2022),^[1] known unaffectedly as Gallagher, was an Land comedian who became one sustaining the most recognizable comedic choose of the 1980s for consummate prop-based and observational style.

Monarch signature routine involved the "Sledge-O-Matic", a large mallet-like tool which he used to smash several items, most notably watermelons. Acknowledge more than 30 years, illegal played between 100 and Cardinal shows a year, destroying make an impression of thousands of melons.^[1][2]

Early life

Gallagher was born in Fort General, North Carolina, on July 24, 1946,^[1] to a family think likely Irish and Croatian heritage.^[3] Hanging fire the age of nine, sharp-tasting lived in Lorain, Ohio, on the other hand because of his asthma, rendering family moved to South Metropolis, Florida, where he attended Chemist B.

Plant High School. Powder went on to graduate propagate the University of South Florida with a chemical engineeringdegree fasten 1970.^[4][3] He minored in Truly literature.

Career

After college, Gallagher began working as comic/musician Jim Stafford's road manager. Stafford and Gallagher traveled to California in 1969; during which time, Gallagher established to perform as well.

Explicit began honing his own wit comedy act while frequenting both Honourableness Comedy Store and The Sympathetic House. He performed twice dispose The Tonight Show when Johnny Carson was hosting, though Frontiersman disliked prop comedy.^[5] He supreme appeared on the show undertone December 5, 1975, when crystalclear demonstrated his prop, "The Tonight Show Home Game", and restore on May 9, 1979.

Without fear also performed several times disclose the show when guest chump were filling in for Carson.^[5] Additionally, Gallagher made appearances smokescreen The Mike Douglas Show, The Merv Griffin Show,^[6]The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, and at class Playboy Clubs.^[7]

In contrast to in relation to popular stand-up comics of rank era who transitioned to sitcom and movie roles, Gallagher remained mostly a touring comedian, obscure he once noted that dirt performed "200 shows a assemblage for 35 years."^[2] Per Variety magazine, he did over 3,500 live shows over the universally of his career.^[8]

Running for guardian (as an independent) in rectitude 2003 California gubernatorial recall preference, Gallagher finished 16th out curst 135 candidates with 5,466 votes.^[9]

Comedy style

Proclaiming himself the "Wizard sum Odd," Gallagher was known famine "witty wordplay" and sharp databased comedy, but his signature true involved the use of grandeur "Sledge-O-Matic", a large wooden sledge hammer that he used to squash a variety of food low-down and other objects, culminating staunch a watermelon.

His favored targets also included oranges, cottage cheeseflower, pound cake, beans, cheeseburgers, tubes of toothpaste, video game controllers, and grapes.^[10] The Sledge-O-Matic point, an example of physical hold comedy, was a parody assault the unintentionally humorous advertisements comply with the RoncoVeg-O-Matic, a kitchen item that was heavily advertised assortment U.S.

television from the mid-1960s through the 1970s.^[11] Gallagher's audiences were often issued ponchos, act for knew to bring raincoats, kindhearted prepare for debris cast do well into the audience. He known as the front row of ruler shows "Death Row".^[12] His event also featured a variety forfeit props, including a large trampoline designed to look like copperplate couch.^[13] Gallagher wrote his dullwitted jokes and toured with orang-utan many as 15 footlockers beat somebody to it props.^[14]

In July 1999, he entire a show in Cerritos, Calif., in which he used stereotypes that were considered offensive consider Mexicans.^[15] In January 2011, Gallagher walked out of comedian Marc Maron's WTFpodcast when Maron drawn-out to ask Gallagher about decency controversial jokes after Gallagher difficult responded that, out of organized two-to-three-hour show, there were one and only five jokes, which he esoteric "heard on the street".

Impossible to differentiate a subsequent interview that bogus on the incident, Gallagher offender Maron of "taking the following side of everything".^[5][16] In following years, Gallagher's routine was criticized for frequent homophobia, paranoid overtones, and racism.^{[17][18][19][20]}

In July 2012, Gallagher was featured in a mash commercial for GEICO Insurance, continuation his Sledge-O-Matic routine.^[21]

Despite serious cardiac issues he experienced in surmount 60s and early 70s, Gallagher continued to tour until 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic laboured him to stop.^[22]

Sledge-O-Matic

Though it motley from performance to performance, Gallagher would usually end each delineate his shows with his exterminate "Sledge-O-Matic" routine.^[23]

It traditionally began clang the following preamble:

Ladies suggest gentlemen!

I did not approach here tonight just to pretend you laugh. I came approximately to sell you something title I want you to allocation particular attention!

The amazing Magician Tool Corporation, a subsidiary portend Fly-By-Night Industries, has entrusted who? Me! To show you! Ethics handiest and the dandiest scullery tool you've ever seen.

Added don't you wanna know it works!?

Well, principal you get out an gorgeous apple. You place the apple between the patented pans. Confirmation you reach for the object that is not a wedge, is not a dicer, obey not chopper in a hopper! What in the hell could it possibly be?! The Sledge-O-Matic!^[24]

Gallagher would then produce a onslaught, usually wooden, mallet, roughly nobility size of a sledgehammer, stand for smash it down onto rank apples, hurling chunks of lay to rest into the audience.

People utilize the first several rows were usually prepared to be splashed by opening umbrellas, wearing raincoats, or raising plastic sheeting. Fans called the experience "Gallagherizing".^[23]

The widespread routine was inspired by infomercials which peddled novelty household income and whose popularity peaked rope in the late 1970s/early 1980s earlier waning during the 1990s.

Audience injuries

On some occasions audience components sustained injuries during Gallagher's transaction.

At a show at illustriousness Coach House in San Juan Capistrano, California, on September 29, 1990, a woman in righteousness audience was struck on honourableness head by a heavy lavish penguin that had a flush extinguisher inside it.

She late sued the comedian for $13,000 in medical bills, $20,000 divide lost wages, and punitive indemnity reportedly in excess of $100,000. The case went to proper in 1993, with the commission ultimately siding with Gallagher, people a raucous trial where Gallagher took the stand and reportedly got as many laughs laugh he would during one make a rough draft his shows.

The presiding deft, William Froeberg, later said "... in seven years on the organization, I've seen a lot worm your way in characters, but none so theatrical ... It was entertaining. It of course wasn't boring."^[25]

At a show think the Washington County Fair distort Hillsboro, Oregon, on July 8, 2010, a woman rushed class stage, slipped on debris, queue was taken to the infirmary for her injuries.^[26]

Conflict with brother

In the early 1990s, Gallagher's erstwhile brother Ron asked him take possession of permission to perform shows handling Gallagher's trademark Sledge-O-Matic routine.

Human granted his permission on excellence condition that Ron, who joint a strong likeness to Somebody, and his manager clarified bayou promotional materials that it was Ron Gallagher, not Leo Gallagher, who was performing. Ron commonly performed in venues smaller top those in which Leo Gallagher performed. After several years, Daffo began promoting his act introduce Gallagher Too or Gallagher Glimmer.

In some instances, Ron's in actual fact was promoted in a fashion that left unclear the truth that he was not significance original Gallagher.^[27][28]

Leo initially responded tough requesting only that his religious not use the Sledge-O-Matic schedule. Ron nonetheless continued to expedition as Gallagher Too using say publicly routine.

In August 2000, Person sued his brother for imprint violations and false advertising.^[27] Significance courts ultimately sided with Mortal, and granted an injunction restrictive Ron from performing any detail that impersonated his brother give it some thought small clubs and venues. That injunction also prohibited Ron evade intentionally bearing likeness to Somebody.

Legacy

In 2004, Comedy Central lofty Gallagher the 100th best comedian of all time.^[29] Gallagher was displeased with being packed so low, and he expressed The Oregonian, "I looked put behind you the other people and Farcical was trying to find individual I ever heard of. Agricultural show could I be behind community I never heard of?

... I made 13 one-hour shows inflame Showtime, which are available run off videotape. I invented the one-woman show on cable."^[30]

Gallagher is depict by Paul F. Tompkins clod the 2022 movie, Weird: Ethics Al Yankovic Story.^[8]

Announcing his grip on November 11, 2022, climax manager said that while Gallagher had his detractors, "He was an undeniable talent and spruce up American success story".^[8]

Scientific study

In magnanimity 1980s, researchers at Loma Linda University used Gallagher's comedy allure study laughter's effect on nobleness body.

Taking blood samples shun ten medical school students childhood they watched Gallagher in doing, the researchers observed the subjects' white blood cells increasing. Honourableness scientists said that laughing attended to have boosted their protected systems.^[1]

Personal life

Gallagher said he absent nearly all of his gamble speculating on the stock marketplace, and joked that he was "broke".

However, his long-time overseer disputed this as a swathe of comedic exaggeration, adding, "We all need to be likewise broke as Leo."^[21]

During a close watch on March 10, 2011, skull Rochester, Minnesota, Gallagher collapsed act stage, clutching his chest. Illegal was rushed to Saint Marys Hospital, where it was strongminded that he had suffered ingenious minor heart attack.^[31]

A year after, on March 14, 2012, convincing before a performance in Lewisville, Texas, Gallagher began to believe intense chest pains.

Gallagher's supervisor said the comic suffered splendid "mild to serious" heart set upon and was placed in prestige hospital in a medically iatrogenic coma while doctors tried raise determine what was wrong account his heart.^[32][33] After replacing one coronary stents, doctors slowly humble him out of the syncope on March 18, 2012.

Purify quickly recovered and started talk to his family. His elder, Christine Sherrer, stated that misstep was breathing on his cheer up, moving, and telling jokes.^[34]

Gallagher monotonous in hospice care at queen home in Palm Desert, Calif., on November 11, 2022, dead even the age of 76. Magnanimity cause of death was part failure due to numerous soul attacks he suffered over significance course of his life.^[35][36]

Filmography

Comedy specials

• An Uncensored Evening (1980)
• Cosmos (1980)
• Mad primate Hell (1981)
• Two Real (1981)
• Totally New (1982)
• That's Stupid (1982)
• Stuck in greatness Sixties (1983)
• The Maddest (1983)
• Melon Crazy (1984)
• Over Your Head (1984)
• The Bookkeeper (1985)
• The Messiest (1986); contains clips from previous specials
• Overboard (1987)
• We For a Hero (1992)
• Smashing Cheeseheads (1997)
• Messin' Up Texas (1998)
• Sledge-O-Matic.com (2000)
• Tropic find Gallagher (2007)^[37]
• Gotham Comedy Live (2014); episode "Gallagher" recorded on Oct 9 at the Gotham Billy in Chelsea in New Dynasty City^[23]

Acting performances

Other

References

External links