she added.
What were some of Catherine O’Hara‘s most memorable musical moments? From her outlandish performances as Lola Heatherton to her poignant vocals in The Nightmare Before Christmas and Schitt’s Creek, O’Hara consistently demonstrated a unique ability to blend comedy and musical talent.
Lola Heatherton on SCTV (1976-1983)
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WATCH | O’Hara performs as Lola Heatherton on SCTV:
During the first through fifth seasons of Second City TV, O’Hara brought to life Lola Heatherton, a flamboyant singer recognizable by her striking white bob and a penchant for romantic entanglements with the show’s male cast. In a 2019 conversation with the New Yorker, O’Hara explained, “Everybody had a Vegas character except me. I really didn’t have one. Andrea [Martin] was doing one called Lorna Minnelli. She was Liza and Lorna and Judy all at once … I was called Lola Heatherton as I had seen Lola Falana, the singer who used to be on The Tonight Show and Merv Griffin. I stole the stupid lip-quivering thing from her, and the kitten-with-a-whip thing from Joey Heatherton.” A standout 1981 episode, “Bounce Back to You,” features Lola Heatherton delivering a dramatic,slightly tipsy performance on a morning show that devolves into a scathing critique of one of her many suitors.
the clip above showcases a different side of the character,still embracing spectacle but with a more playful and suggestive tone,as she sings: “Gonna be a frosty snow girl/ I’m gonna deck your halls/ wait ’til I shake your tree,boy/ I’ll break those Christmas balls.”
the Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
WATCH | Sally’s Song from The Nightmare Before Christmas, performed by O’Hara:
Beyond her television and film roles, O’Hara lent her voice to numerous animated characters throughout her career, including Judith, the three-horned wild thing in 2009’s Where the Wild Things Are, and Pinktail in 2024’s The Wild Robot. However, one of her most enduring roles remains Sally (and Shock) in the 1993 Tim Burton film The Nightmare Before Christmas. In this role, she performed the pivotal character anthem Sally’s Song, which she also performed live, including at the Hollywood Bowl in 2016-and Billie Eilish sang it for a similar show five years later.
“Recording Sally’s Song was intimidating – that song is stunning and difficult to sing – but it’s been even more thrilling to sing the song live onstage with an orchestra while the audience watches the film,” she told Live for Films in 2018.
Waiting for Guffman (1996)
WATCH | O’Hara and Fred Willard sing Midnight at the Oasis, from the movie Waiting for Guffman:
Waiting for Guffman marked the first mockumentary collaboration between O’Hara and writer/director Christopher Guest, a partnership that continued with Best in Show and A Mighty Wind.
“I was the only one in that,I thought,that really showed a lack of talent in singing,which I like to think was a character choice,” she told Q. “You don’t sing your best if that character can’t sing their best.” O’Hara and Fred willard portray Sheila and Ron Albertson, travel agents with no international experience who also aspire to be performers in a musical commemorating the 150th anniversary of the fictional town of Blaine, Mo. Their hilariously awkward performance of Midnight at the Oasis stands out as a especially cringe-worthy moment in a film brimming with them.
A Mighty Wind (2003)
WATCH | O’Hara and Eugene Levy sing When You’re Next to Me, from the movie A Mighty Wind:
In the 2003 comedy A Mighty Wind, co-written by Eugene Levy, O’Hara stars as imaginary folk singer mickey Crabbe, alongside Levy’s Mitch Cohen. The pair’s undeniable chemistry shines through in their songs, most notably the romantic track A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow, which received an Oscar nomination for best original song.
Though,the ballad When You’re Next to Me is a quieter standout,with Levy and O’Hara delivering an authentic and warm performance. “This love for you I’m feeling/ has a power that is healing/ it can mend the darkest hour/ with glorious light,” they sing, O’Hara’s bright vocals harmonizing beautifully with Levy’s.
Moira Rose on Schitt’s Creek (2015-2020)
WATCH | O’Hara sings a cover of Barbara Lewis’s Baby I’m Yours, on Schitt’s Creek:
As the multifaceted Moira Rose in Schitt’s Creek, O’Hara consistently found opportunities to showcase her character’s talents, often seizing the spotlight at the most unexpected moments. In one episode, Moira surprises everyone with a performance of Barbara Lewis’s 1965 song Baby I’m Yours at her daughter’s high school graduation. The song becomes a poignant expression of the emotions Moira struggles to articulate.
When discussing the moment with Q host Tom Power, he observed that “she had done something uncharacteristically sweet for her daughter.” To which O’Hara replied,”It’s all about me being onstage.”
