Goodbye, Catherine
Thank you for the memories
It doesn’t seem fair. On Friday, Catherine O’Hara passed away at the age of 71. We’re still reeling from the death of Diane Keaton in October last year, and now this. Both of these women served as our on-screen secondary mothers. Their untimely deaths, so close in time, hit hard.
Sure, Catherine was perhaps the most neglectful mother, twice accidentally leaving her fictional son alone while her family gallivanted the globe, but that’s part of what made her so . . . relatable. We found oddly familiar comfort each time she shrieked “KEVIN!!” as sheer terror took over upon the realization that her son was missing. She was imperfect and she was human. Somehow, she made us laugh as she declared to the police that losing her son was becoming a McCallister family travel tradition. And she showed us true mother’s love when she moved mountains to find her son, even enduring the Kenosha Kickers (Polka-Polka-Polka!) in the back of a rental truck. (RIP John Candy.) She made us cry when she embraced her on-screen son (Macaulay Culkin) in only the way a true mother could. She spoke at his 2023 Hollywood Walk of Fame star ceremony:
“Thank you for including me, your fake mom who left you home alone not once, but twice, to share in this happy occasion. I’m so proud of you.”
Reacting to her death, he wrote,
“Mama, I thought we had time. I wanted more. I wanted to sit in a chair next to you. I heard you. But I had so much more to say. I love you. I’ll see you later.”
And who could forget Catherine’s depiction of pretentious Delia Deetz in Beetlejuice? Just try to watch the “Day-o” scene without smiling, we dare you. The idiocy is unmatched. We believe those in showbiz call that “comedic gold.”
But perhaps our favorite on-screen mother played by Catherine was Moira Rose in Schitt’s Creek. Dubbed by yours truly as one of the Six Best Moms of the Millennial Generation, we wrote in May of 2025 that she was:
Easily a favorite character for her theatrics and phrase turns. She solidified wearing the wig and designer clothing to the small town diner as an achievable reality. She demonstrated her artistic genius by salvaging The Crows Have Eyes III. Perhaps an accidental mother, she grew over time from not knowing her own daughter’s middle name to forming deep bonds with both children. She gradually set aside her narcissism in favor of true love and connection with her family. Who cares if that’s not really possible- it left us with all the warm fuzzies and simultaneous cheek pain from laughing.
It’s no wonder she swept just about every major award for this performance (including an Emmy, a Golden Globe, and a SAG Award), and we will forever be grateful to Eugene and Dan Levy for talking her into it.
Her fifty (plus) year career is too remarkable to attempt to summarize here, but above all, this on screen moment could be our favorite. A digital creator had (what appeared to be) a chance encounter with her at the airport and asked her, “You’ve been in so many legendary roles. When all is said and done, which one role would you most like to be remembered for?” She replied, simply, “Mother of my children.”
Catherine, thank you for the memories, and thank you for being you. We will miss you so very much.
❤️ If you enjoyed this post, please click the like button at the bottom - it helps others discover our stuff!
🗣️ Maybe leave us a cawwwwment below!
👚 Get yourself some KNOCK IT OFF merch.
☕️ Buy us a coffee. Kara may or may not blow it at Starbucks.
🫶🏼 Or, consider sharing it with a fellow Catherine lover.
📸 Follow us on Instagram @knockitoff.substack for even more KNOCK IT OFF content!
**Our posts may contain affiliate links, meaning we get a couple of pennies (at no additional cost to you) if you purchase an item through a link.**
Great article and tribute to Catherine. She was an outstanding actress. Seems like we have lost several great actors and actresses in the past few months. There legacy will live on.
Her death hit me hard. I’m the same age as she was.