About
Leo Anthony Gallagher Jr., known as Gallagher, was an American comedian born in 1946 in North Carolina. With a degree in chemical engineering, he debuted on The Tonight Show in 1975. His first special, An Uncensored Evening (1980), was the first stand-up special on cable. He was famous for his Sledge-O-Matic routine, smashing watermelons with a mallet. He recorded over a dozen Showtime specials and performed about 3,500 live shows. He ran in the 2003 California gubernatorial recall election. He died in 2022.
* 1946-07-24 — † 2022-11-11
Major works
- An Uncensored Evening (1980)comedy special
Key milestones
- 1975First appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.
- 2000Won a trademark infringement lawsuit against his brother Ron.
- 2003Ran as an independent candidate in the California gubernatorial recall election.
Themes
Prop comedyParody of consumer cultureAudience participationSatire of infomercials
Sources: id.loc.gov · latimes.com · nbcnews.com