PALM SPRINGS, Calif. – Legendary comedian Gallagher, known for his watermelon-smashing stage routine, died Friday at the age of 76, CNN reports.
The comic died after “after a short health battle” and “passed away surrounded by his family in Palm Springs, California,” his manager told CNN.
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Gallagher, born Leo Anthony Gallagher, Jr., became a household name in the 1980s, producing numerous specials for the Showtime television network.
He was known for using a sledgehammer called the “Sledge-O-Matic” to smash food at the end of his performances.
He was reportedly in hospice care at the time of his death.