The world has lost a comedy titan. From the eccentric Delia Deetz to the haunting voice of Sally, Catherine O’Hara’s partnership with Tim Burton defined a generation of movie magic. Following her passing at 71, Burton and Michael Keaton have shared emotional final tributes for the woman who brought “light to the afterlife.” WATCH the retrospective on her most legendary roles and the legacy she leaves behind.
Film and TV giant Catherine O’Hara passed Friday in Los Angeles at age 71, leaving behind a collection of legendary roles, including four collaborations with director Tim Burton. Throughout her illustrious career, O’Hara appeared in more than 120 roles in film and television that spanned five decades.
Born Catherine Anne O’Hara on March 4, 1954, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, the actor rose to fame on the classic sketch comedy SCTV from 1976-1981 and rejoined her fellow troupe members on SCTV Network from 1981-1983 and SCTV Channel from 1983-84.
O’Hara’s first film with Burton arrived four years after SCTV Channel in 1988’s Beetlejuice, and as an appropriate conclusion, she was reunited with the director and fellow original cast members Winona Ryder and Michael Keaton in 2024’s highly-anticipated sequel Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. In between, O’Hara worked with Burton on a pair of his stop-motion animated films, and in both features, provided voices for more than one role.
In a post on his Instagram account on Friday, Burton included a candid behind-the-scenes photo from Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, where he was joined by O’Hara, Ryder, Keaton, and Jenna Ortega dressed as their characters from the supernatural comedy. The photo in the post was accompanied by Burton’s tribute to O’Hara that reads, “Catherine, I love you. This picture shows how much light you gave to all of us. You were a special part of my life and after life”.
O’Hara is survived by her husband, Beetlejuice production designer Bo Welch, and their two sons, Matthew and Luke. Review below at the films O’Hara worked on with Burton.
‘Beetlejuice’ (1988)
Catherine O’Hara starred as Delia Deetz in Beetlejuice, who, along with her husband, Charles (Jeffrey Jones), and step-daughter, Lydia (Winona Ryder) move into a house in Winter Haven, Conn. The Deetz family is unaware, though, that their new residence is inhabited by the ghosts Adam and Barbara Maitland (Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis), who in turn hire a bio-exorcist, Betelgeuse (Michael Keaton) — the “Ghost with the Most” — to scare them away from the estate.
The movie famously features a dance scene with O’Hara and company set to the beat of Harry Belafonte’s classic tune “Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)”. “We go back before the first Beetlejuice,” Keaton wrote in an Instagram post. “She’s been my pretend wife, my pretend nemesis and my real life, true friend. This one hurts. Man am I gonna miss her. Thinking about Beau as well”.
‘Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas’ (1993)
While the film was directed by Henry Selick, Tim Burton wrote the original poem for and produced the stop-motion animated classic, Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas. Catherine O’Hara not only voices the role of Sally — the patchwork rag doll-like work of Doctor Finklestein (William Hickey) in Halloween Town — she sings the character’s notable tune “Sally’s Song”. In addition to voicing Sally, O’Hara voices Shock — one of the trio of diminutive henchmen working for Oogie Boogie (Ken Page) — and she sings as the character on “Kidnap the Sandy Claws”.
Over the years, O’Hara would make live appearances with the film’s composer, Danny Elfman (who also performed the singing voice of the film’s protagonist, Jack Skellington) and other original cast members to perform the songs of Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas in concert. In addition, O’Hara would sing at other related special concert shows, including Danny Elfman’s Music from the Films of Tim Burton.
‘Frankenweenie’ (2012)
Catherine O’Hara voices Mrs. Frankenstein in Tim Burton’s stop-motion animated monster comedy Frankenweenie in 2012, which is an expanded, live-action remake of Burton’s 1984 short film of the same name. In addition to voicing the mother of Victor Frankenstein (Charlie Tahan) in Frankenweenie, she voices Victor’s gym instructor, simply known as Gym Teacher, as well as Victor’s classmate, known as Weird Girl.
“Catherine O’Hara brought kindness, mischief, and genius into every room,” Frankenweenie producer Derek Frey wrote in a post on his Facebook account. “A true member of the filmmaking family. She will be missed dearly”.
Watch Catherine O’Hara, ‘Schitt’s Creek’ Star and Comedy Legend, Dies at 71
‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’ (2024)
Catherine O’Hara reprises her role as Delia Deetz in Tim Burton’s sequel to 1988’s Beetlejuice. In Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Delia, Lydia (Winona Ryder) and her daughter, Astrid (Jenna Ortega) are called back to Winter River, Conn., for the rites of Delia’s husband, Charles. The family’s memorial for Charles, however, is interrupted by the return of Betelgeuse (Michael Keaton).
