Date of Birth: 7/24/1946
Official Website: http://gallaghersmash.com/
The Props Master
Being born in North Carolina and growing up in the south of Florida, Leo Gallagher, a graduate of the University of South Florida, knew early on that some day he would work as a comedian and musician. In fact, directly after college, Gallagher and his close friend decided to take a trip to Southern California where he began performing in improving his comedic skills at places such as the Ice House and The Comedy Store. Here you will discover more about Leo Gallagher as well as where it began, his infamous Sledge-O-Matic routine, and why he had to ultimately make the decision to retire from his comedic career.
The Younger Days
After leaving college the trip to California wasn't taken very lightly. In fact, Leo Gallagher didn't know exactly how he would support himself and decided that he should take to the stage and begin honing his skills as that entertaining comedian he knew he was. Soon after, Gallagher got his break on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. However, there were a lot of people that didn't really understand the combination of prop acts and comedy. Most people were used to comedians that provided standup comedy such as acts that were provided by George Carlin, Bill Cosby, and other talented comedians of the time.
Early Comedic Career
As time moved forward, Leo Gallagher found his act to become extremely popular among the masses. This is especially true when he performed a unique routine that he termed the Sledge-O-Matic. This was a routine that has been trademarked is something that has been created and performed only by Gallagher. Smashing watermelons could only be extremely funny when the person doing it was named Leo Gallagher. However, during the mid-1980's this wasn't always the case. In fact his brother Ron Gallagher at one point tried to ask for permission to use this trademark routine for his own purpose. After a short time, Leo Gallagher decided that allowing his brother to utilize his routine wasn't the best idea.
Comedy Style
So, who would want to go see a funny guy holding a large wooden mallet smashing watermelons? Everyone would. If you've ever had a chance to experience any of Leo Gallagher's comedy shows, you would have truly left the event with pain in your stomach from laughing for so long. From smashing watermelons to a large trampoline that was constructed to look like a large couch, Gallagher's physical comedy style was totally unique and extremely different. However, in addition to the props he used during his comedic acts, his comedy lines were extremely short and to the point. He typically played with words pointing out the inconsistencies and eccentricities that were found throughout the English language.
Retirement
After having one of the most challenging and rewarding comedic careers, Leo Gallagher finally had to announce his retirement in 2012. After 32 years of providing top-quality entertainment, the 65-year-old comedic entertainer decided he's had enough. After suffering a series of heart attacks on and off stage, Gallagher finally decided it was time to give up the wooden sledgehammer and take care of his health.
If anyone has ever had the opportunity to experience a comedy show that included Leo Gallagher, you'll know that he will truly be missed when it comes to prop comedy using the Sledge-O-Matic. He has definitely brought something totally different and unique to the comedy stage and he will be remembered for providing entertainment that was unlike anything people considered normal. This is one of the reasons many individuals will associate the name Gallagher, with smashing watermelons and extreme comedy.
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