Comic actor Paul O’Sullivan died Friday in a car accident near his home of Peterborough at the age of 47.
O’Sullivan was an integral part of the local comedy scene in the past two decades. He was a Second City alumnus (appearing in acclaimed revues like Up Against The Wal-Mart), an improv pro, former member of the sketch troupe Skippy’s Rangers and a part of the cast of local productions of The Drowsy Chaperone (where he worked with his Rangers mates Bob Martin, Lisa Lambert and Jonathan Crombie) and The Producers.
Onstage he had a wild, manic streak that was thrilling to watch, especially in improv, where he always made bold choices that could turn a scene in exciting directions. That energy was perfect for the role of the hyper neo-Nazi Franz Liebkind in the Mirvish production of The Producers.
He’s survived by his partner, actor Linda Kash, and their three children. Kash is currently in the cast of the Harold Green Jewish Theatre Company’s production of Lost In Yonkers the show has cancelled performances through Tuesday.
Here’s a clip of O’Sullivan, in the terrific Waiting For Guffman-esque pilot for The Joe Blow show, which he developed with Kash and Allan Novak for the Comedy Network in 2003:
