Catherine O'Hara, Dead at 71

 

This one, I couldn't believe - she was just watching her career blossom again after Schitt's Creek, Beetlejuice 2, and The Last of Us, and appeared so healthy!

You may also remember her from the first Beetlejuice and Kevin's mom in Home Alone.

I personally have been a big fan since her early days as part of the original cast of SCTV (she's a Second City-Toronto alum) and part of the ensemble cast in a string of Christopher Guest comedies (except Spinal Tap).

She seemed so vibrant and healthy!?!

Except she did suddenly look overly thin and as if she had aged a decade at her last public appearance at the Emmys in September ...

... I don't know for sure, of course, but it looks like ... cancer.

It was described as a short illness, though, so I'm wondering if it wasn't one of the cancers usually only caught at later stage because of mild symptoms or ignored symptoms, and when they're bad enough to see a doctor, it's too late, like colon cancer or especially pancreatic cancer. (Breast cancer sometimes, but these days, those are usually caught earlier.)

Pancreatic is particularly sneaky - it often has no symptoms at all until you're already stage IV. For example, my mother-in-law had some mild indigestion in November 2013, which progressed to nausea, vomiting and rapid weight loss by December, went to the doctor and was diagnosed with stage IV pancreatic cancer, and she died 2 months later, on February 18th.

Incredibly gifted, comedic/improv actress, rest in peace 😢