{"id":5770,"date":"2026-01-30T19:14:41","date_gmt":"2026-01-30T19:14:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/foreverinourhearts\/?p=5770"},"modified":"2026-01-30T19:14:41","modified_gmt":"2026-01-30T19:14:41","slug":"catherine-ohara-beloved-schitts-creek-and-home-alone-star-dies-at-71","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/foreverinourhearts\/2026\/01\/catherine-ohara-beloved-schitts-creek-and-home-alone-star-dies-at-71.html","title":{"rendered":"Catherine O\u2019Hara, Beloved \u2018Schitt\u2019s Creek\u2019 and \u2018Home Alone\u2019 Star, Dies at 71"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Kathy Hutchins \/ Shutterstock.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The world is saying goodbye to a woman who made millions laugh \u2014 often while reminding them of something deeply human underneath the comedy.<\/p>\n

Catherine O\u2019Hara, the beloved Canadian actress best known for her work in Beetlejuice, Home Alone, and Schitt\u2019s Creek, has died at the age of 71. Her manager confirmed the news to PEOPLE<\/em> on Friday, January 30. No cause of death was shared. TMZ<\/em> was the first outlet to report the news.<\/p>\n

Born in Toronto in 1954, O\u2019Hara grew up in a large family as the second youngest of seven children. Her father worked for the Canadian Pacific Railway, and her mother was a real estate agent. Long before she became a comedy icon, her very first acting role was portraying the Virgin Mary in a Nativity play \u2014 a small but fitting beginning for someone who would go on to bring warmth and heart to every role she touched.<\/p>\n

After high school, O\u2019Hara took a job as a waitress at Toronto\u2019s legendary Second City Theatre, where she quietly studied the greats. \u201cI was lucky enough to watch everybody,\u201d she told PEOPLE<\/em> in 2024, referencing performers like Dan Aykroyd, Joe Flaherty, and family friend Gilda Radner. When she first auditioned for the company, Flaherty famously dismissed her. \u201cHe said, \u2018Keep up the good work. Your day job, I mean: waitressing,\u2019\u201d she recalled. She didn\u2019t listen \u2014 and soon earned her place.<\/p>\n

In 1974, O\u2019Hara officially joined Second City, where she met one of her closest collaborators, Eugene Levy. Though she admitted early stage fright, she found her footing through fearlessness. \u201cMy crutch was, in improvs, when in doubt, play insane,\u201d she once said. \u201cBecause you didn\u2019t have to excuse anything that came out of your mouth.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her breakout came on Second City Television (SCTV)<\/em>, where she became known for sharp impressions and unforgettable original characters. Despite the show\u2019s success, the work was inconsistent. \u201cOur producer would get a deal with a network, and we\u2019d have a show for a season or two, and then that deal would go away,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

O\u2019Hara famously walked away from Saturday Night Live<\/em> when SCTV<\/em> was revived, a decision she later said was guided by instinct and values. \u201cDo I want my parents to see this?\u201d she once asked herself. \u201cI\u2019d just rather stay home than do something I know is bad and have to defend it later.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her film career flourished in the years that followed, including iconic roles as Delia Deetz in Beetlejuice<\/em> and the fiercely devoted mother in Home Alone<\/em>. \u201cIt\u2019s a perfect movie, isn\u2019t it?\u201d she reflected in 2024.<\/p>\n

In 2015, O\u2019Hara reunited with Levy for Schitt\u2019s Creek<\/em>, playing the unforgettable Moira Rose. What began as a small show became a cultural phenomenon. \u201cI\u2019ve never gotten this kind of attention in my life. It\u2019s crazy,\u201d she said. In 2020, she won an Emmy for the role, saying, \u201cI will forever be grateful\u2026 for the opportunity to play a woman of a certain age, my age, who gets to fully be herself.\u201d<\/p>\n

Off-screen, O\u2019Hara found joy in family life. She married production designer Bo Welch in 1992, and the couple shared two sons, Matthew and Luke. \u201cWe do a lot of [communication] with jokes,\u201d she said of their marriage. \u201cSarcasm helps!\u201d<\/p>\n

Catherine O\u2019Hara leaves behind a legacy of laughter, humility, and heart. She is survived by her husband and children \u2014 and by generations of fans who will always remember how she made them feel.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The world is saying goodbye to a woman who made millions laugh \u2014 often while reminding them of something deeply human underneath the comedy. Catherine O\u2019Hara, the beloved Canadian actress best known for her work in Beetlejuice, Home Alone, and Schitt\u2019s Creek, has died at the age of 71. Her manager confirmed the news to…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":462,"featured_media":5776,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fbia_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5770","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nCatherine O\u2019Hara, Beloved \u2018Schitt\u2019s Creek\u2019 and \u2018Home Alone\u2019 Star, Dies at 71<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Catherine O\u2019Hara, beloved for Schitt\u2019s Creek and Home Alone, has died at 71. 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