Fact Check: Did Gallagher have a twin? All about his sibling as famed comedian dies aged 76

Leo Anthony Gallagher Jr., best known by his stage name Gallagher, recently passed away. The comic was best known for his inventive prop comedy, with his watermelon sketch amassing roaring laughter. One might confuse him with fellow comedian Ron Gallagher, however the two are simply related and are not twins.

The Sledge-O-Matic creator had been in hospice care in California after suffering from multiple heart attacks in recent years. He died at the age of 76. Craig Marquardo, the comic's manager, released a statement following his demise. It read:

“After a short health battle Gallagher, born Leo Gallagher, succumbed to his ailments and passed away surrounded by his family in Palm Springs, California.”

He rose to fame in 1989 with his stand-up special An Uncensored Evening gaining soaring traction on cable television. Over the next 27 years, he continued to perform and was ranked “#1 comedian in America for 15 years.” This comes after he did 12 more stand-up specials with Showtime.

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Gallagher did not have a twin brother

Although the comic has had a successful professional life, things seem to be going sour behind the stage. Ron, who was six years younger than his brother Leo, took to reproducing his brother’s sketches after the latter’s popularity began to decline.

Not only were the skits incredibly similar, Ron also wore the same clothes including the signature black beret, black pants and striped pullover shirt. He also donned the same shoulder length hair and black mustache. Many were able to identify the same jokes as well. For example, the “Why do kamikaze pilots wear helmets” skit and the unique hatred for fruits and vegetables.

Ron ended his performances with Leo's sketches (Image via Getty Images)

Ron predicted that his brother’s older routines could be successfully franchised. However, this turned into a bitter rivalry between the two brothers.

As time progressed, Ron went on to perform in smaller venues with his stage name including his birthname and “Too” to ensure that the audience was aware that Ron was not Leo. Eventually, Ron dropped the “Too” title, leading to people thinking that Ron was the original Gallagher.

Mental Floss also reported that Ron once told a venue manager that he was Leo, which led to Leo filing a lawsuit against his brother.

Leo took to suing his brother and won the case. This led to his younger brother being unemployed and broke after paying his elder brother in damages. The Tampa Bay Times reported that the brothers had not spoken to each other in 20 years following the lawsuit. It remains unclear whether the two mended fences before Leo's death.

Not much is known about the rest of Leo's family. The comic was divorced twice and has one child.

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Everything to know about Leo's stint in politics

In 2003, the North-Carolina native ran for governor of California after Gray Davis was recalled from the position. He advocated that the state should dispatch helicopters to lift vehicles after an accident. He ran with the slogan:

“Finally, a governor you can get drunk with.”

According to the New York Times, the comedian finished 16th in the race.