Catherine O'Hara, 'Schitt's Creek' and 'Home Alone' Star, Dies at 71

Two-time Emmy-winning actress Catherine O'Hara has passed away at age 71 following a brief illness. Her manager and agency confirmed she died at her Los Angeles home. O'Hara's celebrated career included iconic roles in "Home Alone" and a career-reviving performance as Moira Rose in "Schitt's Creek." She is survived by her husband Bo Welch and their two sons.

Key Points: Catherine O'Hara Dies at 71 After Brief Illness

  • Died at 71 after brief illness
  • Career spanned five decades
  • Won two Emmy Awards
  • Starred in 'Schitt's Creek' & 'Home Alone'
  • Frequent Christopher Guest collaborator
2 min read

'Schitt's Creek' star Catherine O'Hara passes away after 'brief illness'

Emmy-winning actress Catherine O'Hara, known for 'Schitt's Creek' and 'Home Alone,' has passed away at 71 following a brief illness in Los Angeles.

"O'Hara died at her home in Los Angeles following a brief illness. - CAA Agency"

Los Angeles, Jan 31

Two-time Emmy-winning actor Catherine O'Hara, who starred in "Home Alone" and "Schitt's Creek," passed away aged 71 following a brief illness.

O'Hara's manager confirmed to variety.com. According to her agency CAA, O'Hara died at her home in Los Angeles following a brief illness.

Her career in Hollywood spanned five decades, beginning with the Canadian sketch comedy series "Second City Television," which she created with Eugene Levy, and for which she earned her first Emmy and earned four nominations. O'Hara went on to star in films such as "After Hours," "Beetlejuice" and the first two "Home Alone" movies, in which she played the mother of Macaulay Culkin's character, Kevin.

She maintained a close friendship with Culkin and honored him at his Walk of Fame ceremony in 2023.

She was a frequent collaborator of Christopher Guest's, appearing in his mockumentary films "Best in Show," "For Your Consideration," "Waiting for Guffman" and "A Mighty Wind." She had also voiced roles in animated features such as"The Nightmare Before Christmas" and "Chicken Little."

O'Hara's recent roles also included the legacy sequel "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice," in which she reprised her role as Delia Deetz, and the Apple action film "Argylle."

The actress experienced a career renaissance in her 1960s, starting with her role as riches-to-rags housewife Moira Rose in the CBC sitcom "Schitt's Creek," in which she starred opposite Eugene and Dan Levy and Annie Murphy, reports variety.com.

She won her second Emmy for "Schitt's Creek," which helped her into other major TV roles in "The Last of Us" and "The Studio."

Born in Toronto, O'Hara became a beloved figure in Los Angeles. She is survived by her husband, production designer Bo Welch, and sons Matthew and Luke, along with siblings Michael O'Hara, Mary Margaret O'Hara, Maureen Jolley, Marcus O'Hara, Tom O'Hara and Patricia Wallice.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Wait, this is shocking news. I just saw her in the new Beetlejuice trailer! She was iconic as Kevin's mom in Home Alone. Those movies are a Christmas tradition in our house. A brilliant career spanning so many classics. Condolences to her family.
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Aman W
A true master of her craft. From SCTV to Schitt's Creek, she never failed to make us laugh. It's inspiring to see someone have such a successful career renaissance later in life. Shows talent is ageless. A great loss to comedy.
S
Sarah B
While her work was undoubtedly brilliant, I do wish the article had spent a bit more time on her early Canadian sketch work with Eugene Levy. That's where her unique comic voice was really forged. Still, a devastating loss for the entertainment world.
K
Karthik V
Her voice work in 'The Nightmare Before Christmas' is unforgettable! Sally is such an iconic character. It's amazing how she could be so versatile - from live-action comedy to animation. An era of comedy has truly ended. Om Shanti.
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Nidhi U
Schitt's Creek is one of the few Western sitcoms that really resonated with our Indian family. The warmth, the humour, the family dynamics - it all felt universal. Moira Rose was a character like no other. Catherine O'Hara made her so hilariously human. Will be dearly missed.

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