Leo Gallagher Net Worth (Updated 2022)

Leo Gallagher was an American comedian who had a net worth of $200,000 in 2022. Gallagher is considered one of the greatest American comedians of the 1980s. Gallagher gained notoriety for his catchphrases in observational and prop comedy, as well as crushing watermelons as part of his act.

Although he only performed fourteen comedy specials for Showtime, each episode aired numerous times, most notably on Comedy Central. Tragically, Gallagher died of multiple organ failure on November 11, 2022, in hospice in Palm Springs, California.

What is the net worth of Leo Gallagher?

First half of life

Leo Anthony Gallagher Jr. was born on July 24, 1946 in Fort Bragg, North Carolina to an Irish and Croatian family. He grew up in Lorain, Ohio until the age of nine. Gallagher’s father owned a roller skating rink and became a roller skating champion.

Because of his asthma, however, the family was forced to relocate to South Tampa, Florida, where he attended HB Plant High School. Due to an outburst, he almost didn’t graduate, but his guidance counselor advocated for him and allowed him to walk with the rest of his class.

He later graduated from the University of South Florida with a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering and a minor in English literature in 1970. He led protests against cafeteria food in colleges by bringing pigs to school and ordering students to feed them their leftovers. .

Beginning of career

Gallagher’s first job out of college was as a salesman for a chemical company, but he was soon fired for dressing up as a gangster and carrying a fake gun. Before joining Jim Stafford on the road as manager, Gallagher worked as a carpenter, taxi driver and waiter.

Breakthrough

After graduating from college, Gallagher began working as a comic and musician. In 1969, Stafford and Gallagher traveled to California and Gallagher decided to perform.

While a regular at The Comedy Store and The Ice House, Gallagher began honing his own stand-up routine. He appeared twice on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, despite Carson’s dislike of prop comedy.

Gallagher, like any great comic, made numerous TV appearances early in his career. In 1975, Johnny Carson hosted The Tonight Show and delivered his signature brand of prop comedy. In the late 1970s, Gallagher also appeared on The Mike Douglas Show and The Marv Griffin Show. He was a frequent guest on MTV and Comedy Central in their early days.

In the 1980s, Gallagher was considered one of the most popular and recognizable American comedians. He did fourteen Showtime comedy specials, which were rebroadcast several times, most notably on Comedy Central.

In the 2003 California gubernatorial recall election, Gallagher finished 16th out of 135 candidates with approximately 5,466 votes. In 2004, Comedy Central named Gallagher the 100th greatest stand-up comedian of all time.

personal life

Gallagher was previously married to Geralyn Anne Hines and Deidra Kay Higgins and had two children, one of whom is Amy Gallagher.

Gallagher has had several health problems, including a minor heart attack and a medically-induced coma. On March 18, 2012, doctors slowly brought him out of the coma after replacing two coronary stents.

Gallagher died on November 11, 2022 in hospice care in Palm Springs, California after suffering from multiple organ failure.

Gallagher’s brother

In the early 1990s, Gallagher’s younger brother Ron asked for permission to use his sledge-o-matic routine in concert. Gallagher agreed on the condition that Ron, who looked a lot like Leo, and his manager clearly stated in promotional materials that they were performing as Ron Gallagher, not Leo Gallagher.

Ron often performed in settings that were smaller than Leo Gallagher performed. After a while, Ron began promoting his act as the Gallagher Two or Gallagher Two. Promotion of Ron’s act omitted the fact that he was not the real Gallagher in several respects. This damaged Leo’s reputation, as did Ron’s off-stage problems.

Gallagher simply told his brother not to use the sledge-o-matic technique, but Ron continued the routine-based tour as Gallagher did. Gallagher filed a trademark infringement and deceptive advertising lawsuit against his brother in August 2000.

Ultimately, the court ruled in his favor, and an injunction was issued prohibiting Ron from impersonating his brother in intimate clubs and settings. The ban also prohibited Ron from dressing up as a Gallagher on purpose.

Leo Gallagher Net Worth

As of 2022, Leo Gallagher’s net worth is estimated to be around $200,000. Gallagher made his fortune with sixteen comedy shows that aired on the Showtime cable TV network. He also made his fortune through live performances, tours and other TV appearances

Gallagher rose to fame in the 1980s after his television comedy special, “An Uncensored Evening,” aired. His most famous bit, “Sledge-O-Matic,” set him apart from other comedians in that he had to smash food on stage with a sledgehammer.