Comedian Gallagher Passes Away At Age 76

Comedian Leo Anthony Gallagher Jr., known mononymously as Gallagher, has died at age 76.

The star, who was known for smashing watermelons as part of his act, passed away while under hospice care in the Palm Springs area Friday morning, TMZ reported.

His longtime manager told the publication that Gallagher died of massive organ failure and hadn’t been well for a while.

TMZ stated Gallagher, who shot to fame on Johnny Carson’s “Tonight Show” back in 1975, had suffered multiple heart attacks over the years.

His rep told the site, “Gallagher stayed on the road touring America for decades. He was pretty sure he held a record for the most stand-up dates, by attrition alone.

“While Gallagher had his detractors, he was an undeniable talent and an American success story.”

Gallagher has been parodied a lot over the years, with Paul F. Tompkins recently playing the late comedian in “Weird: The Al Yankovic Story”.

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Gallagher, who was retired when he passed away, is survived by his daughter, Aimee, and his son, Barnaby.