Catherine O’Hara: 1954-2026

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 Catherine O’Hara; actress, comedian, and screenwriter…has passed away at 71. 

 

Born in Toronto, Catherine Anne O’Hara had her start at The Second City comedy club in her hometown. She would later be an understudy to Gilda Radner on Saturday Night Live. She would later earn an Emmy for writing for her work on SCTV Network 90, while appearing on TV on Tales from the Crypt, The Larry Sanders Show, and Dream On. 

 

She would have her cinematic debut in 1980, appearing with her SCTV co-stars John Candy and Eugene Levy in DOUBLE NEGATIVE. She would have many supporting roles, including in Martin Scorsese’s AFTER HOURS. In 1988 she would have one of her most famous roles, that of Lydia Deetz in Tim Burton’s BEETLEJUICE. She would reprise the role in the legacy sequel in 2024. She would have perhaps her most famous role as Kevin McCallister’s mom in HOME ALONE (1990), and it’s 1992 sequel. 

 

Other notable film roles include DICK TRACY (1990), THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS (1993), THE PAPER (1994), WYATT EARP (1994), AWAY WE GO (2009), FRANKENWEENIE (2012), and Pixar’s ELEMENTAL (2023). 

 

She would have a successful return to TV in the CBC sitcom Schitt’s Creek, earning several awards. She would provide the narration for the Canadian movie attraction for World Showcase at Epcot at Disneyworld. 

 

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Catherine O’Hara’s film (and TV), career is a masterclass in comic brilliance and versatility. From her iconic roles in BEETLEJUICE and HOME ALONE to her knee-slapping lines in Schitt’s Creek, she brought intelligence, warmth, and fearless comedy to every role. She had that gift for making the most eccentric characters human; even the flake that was Lydia Deetz could be understood. Her expressions are unforgettable, and her emotional range quietly powerful. She elevated everything she was involved with, and now she has gone home.