"The nicest guy you could know": Joe Flaherty's ‘Happy Gilmore’ character explored as Adam Sandler pays tribute to co-star 

On April 1, actor, comedian, and writer Joe Flaherty, famous for his roles in Detroit Rock City, Second City Television, and Freaks & Greeks, passed away from “health challenges” at the age of 82, as per his daughter Gudrun’s statement to Variety, shared via the Comedic Artists Alliance.

“After a brief illness, he left us yesterday, and since then, I’ve been struggling to come to terms with this immense loss. Dad was an extraordinary man, known for his boundless heart and an unwavering passion for movies from the ’40s and ’50s,” the statement read.

In the wake of Flaherty's death, actor-comedian Adam Sandler took to his social media to pay tribute to his Happy Gilmore co-star. On April 2, he shared three photos of Joe Flaherty and wrote in the caption:

“The nicest guy you could know. Genius of a comedian. And a true sweetheart. Perfect combo. Much love to his kids and thanks to Joe for all the greatness he gave us all.”

Adam Sandler also mentioned a few of his favorite roles played by Flaherty over his four-decades-long career, including border guard in Stripes and Count Floyd and Guy Caballero in SCTV.

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Exploring Joe Flaherty’s character in Happy Gilmore amidst his demise

Happy Gilmore is a sports comedy directed by Dennis Dugan and produced by Robert Simonds. The 1996 movie was co-written by Adam Sandler and Tim Herlihy and starred Sandler in the titular role as an aspiring hockey player.

The film also had Christopher McDonald, Julie Bowen, and Carl Weathers in notable roles. Joe Flaherty had a guest appearance in the film as Donald, a jeering fan hired by Happy Gilmore’s antagonist and pro golfer, Shooter McGavin, (played by McDonald) to heckle the former.

Donald successfully does his job of tormenting Happy and nearly costs him a golf tournament, eventually leading to a fistfight with his celebrity partner Bob Barker, as per IMDb.

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What else did Adam Sandler write in his tribute to Joe Flaherty?

On Tuesday, a day after Flaherty’s demise, Adam Sandler paid his respects to him via Instagram and X.

“Oh man. Worshipped Joe growing up. Always had me and my brother laughing. Count Floyd, Guy Caballero. Any movie he made. He crushed as border guard in Stripes. Couldn’t be more fun to have him heckle me on the golf course,” the 57-year-old wrote.

The Just Go With It star fondly remembered Flaherty as the “nicest guy,” “genius of a comedian” and a “true sweetheart,” and extended his heartfelt condolences to the late actor’s family. He also thanked Joe for his “greatness.”

Meanwhile, Joe Flaherty’s elder child and only daughter, Gudrun, wrote in her statement:

“His insights into the golden age of cinema didn’t just shape his professional life; they were also a source of endless fascination for me. In these last few months, as he faced his health challenges, we had the precious opportunity to watch many of those classic movies together — moments I will forever hold dear.”

In February, another Happy Gilmore cast member Carl Weathers, who played the role of Derick “Chubbs” Peterson, the retired pro golfer and coach/ mentor to Sandler’s character, also passed away at the age of 76.

Back then, Adam Sandler also paid his respects to the actor, calling him a “true great man” and a great father, actor, and athlete.